real-time collaboration

Real-time collaboration is using the Internet and presence technology to communicate with co-workers as if they were in the same room, even if they are located on the other side of the world. Real-time collaboration involves several kinds of synchronous communication tools such as:

• Instant messaging
• Group chat
• Buddy list and other presence awareness technology
• Whiteboard collaboration
• Application sharing
• Desktop sharing
• Co-browsing
• Voice over IP
• Video and audio conferencing tools

IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Lotus, SAP, and Oracle and are among the vendors currently building real-time collaboration capability into products.