Topic: Collaborative and Distance Communication Platforms

I don’t personally have very much experience using Collaborative or Distance Communication Platforms. I have skyped or face-timed someone a time or two, but I am definitely not an avid user of any of these platforms. While I personally don’t use these platforms that often, I see their importance and benefits.

Brent Whent, in his article "How Skype Changed the World", he discusses how the ability to see and hear someone half way across the world has forever changed the way we can communicate. “136 years after Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone, he could finally see what Watson was wearing!” I know a lot of individuals who use it often because of circumstances they are in. Such circumstances may be because their family lives far away, they are in a long distance relationship, involved in distant tutoring, and video conferencing for work. It is a great tool that when needed can be awesome to use!

I have recently started using a cool feature of a very well known app, Snapchat. How many of you know you can do video chat on this app? If two users are both on at the same time, you can open a video chat. It is convenient feature when you both don’t have Iphones or you don’t want to download another software or platform to use.

This article brought up an interesting view of the uses of social media, and the virtual life that can be created on Distance and Collaborative Communication. It has created the possibility that we can escape the reality of our lives and go into some virtual life we can create. When I think of Distant Communication, my mind goes to talking to people that I already know, not getting to meet new people. But studies show, that is exactly why people use such platforms.

The author stated: “[Collaborative and Distance Communication] is something that will eventually become more popular as technology progresses and we start to converge with it. As for the communication aspect, it can greatly increase your reach to increase your social network, find a niche, and to express yourself with others that share in the same interests as yourself.”

 Check out this article to see the BENEFITS

While serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was able to skype my family on holidays. On these particular occasions, I was beyond grateful for the invention of Collaborative and Distance Communication. I believe that dependent on circumstances of users, these platforms are either very important and almost essential or it can seem irrelevant for those who have no use. While I do not currently use it often, I know it has a place and purpose within my Social Media use, that I predict will increase.