One way to bring content (files, tasks, notes), interactions (IM, voice, video) and users (profiles, relations) together are shared P2P workspaces. Rich client technology provides the required functionality and local storage for offline use.

Collanos Software (www.collanos.com) offers Workplace, a solution for collaboration needs of teams who demand a secure, cross-platform, on- and off-line and server-less solution. The offering is free. (Disclosure: I am the founder of Collanos.)

For more formal meetings, I use WebEx Meeting Center. MC has the best integrated audio with features like ‘Look Who is Talking’, mute/unmute, call back, etc. I can set up my audio at the same time as WebEx Meeting…right from my Outlook. WebEx also has video where you can see 4-5 people at same time….very cool!

The best thing about WebEx is ability to record the whole meeting, audio included, and have the recording sit on WebEx data center. I simply send the link to people who missed the meeting and they can catch up by playing the recording back.

In general, I find virtual meeting so much more effective then face to face meeting….no travelling, no conference room issues (unplugged computers, projectors with blown out bulbs, poor audio, etc), easy way to see each other’s work by desktop sharing. F2F meetings are so last century to get real work done….they are still great for brain storming and building social bound but I prefer virtual meetings to get things done.

And written communication, be it chat or email or document sharing, can be a slow way to resolve open issues with ramblers. I have a strong preference for email/chat/doc markup methods, but sometimes, you gotta have a conversation.