ePresence: An Open Source Interactive Webcasting and Archiving System for eLearning

ePresence is a system for interactive webcasts that are accessible in real-time by remote viewers and retrospectively by archive viewers who can browse and search for what they want to see. It is an open source system implemented using .NET technology that currently works with Windows and Linux servers and supports a wide variety of machines, operating systems, browsers, media engines, and bandwidths. We discuss current system features and projects for eLearning, eHealth, and corporate communications and training. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating the interface and capabilities, on presenting and explaining selected client work, and on discussing the advantages of open source for eLearning. Further details about the system architecture and implementation, and about research intended to develop new capabilities, appears in the companion paper "The ePresence Interactive Webcasting and Archiving System: Technology Overview and Current Research Issues" by Baecker, Wolf and Rankin.