I have said “I've never heard of [that app]” more times in the past few weeks than in my whole life combined. We're on the tipping point of web apps and social networking. I'm positive that in a few years I won't be running into a 'feature ceiling' anymore, that I'll be overwhelmed by features like my grandparents were with VCR's.

Here's an update: Last time I tried to qik (unsuccessfully, but that's besides the point) I saw that they had installed a feature of “Private” on the stream. Way to go, Qik guys! I have faith you guys are gonna fix your bugs, because it isn't just bells and whistles that makes a successful app. Knowing your users is key.

I have said “I've never heard of [that app]” more times in the past few weeks than in my whole life combined. We're on the tipping point of web apps and social networking. I'm positive that in a few years I won't be running into a 'feature ceiling' anymore, that I'll be overwhelmed by features like my grandparents were with VCR's.

Here's an update: Last time I tried to qik (unsuccessfully, but that's besides the point) I saw that they had installed a feature of “Private” on the stream. Way to go, Qik guys! I have faith you guys are gonna fix your bugs, because it isn't just bells and whistles that makes a successful app. Knowing your users is key.

Hubby is asleep, but I plan on asking him what he would think about parents using the kind of technology you describe. I'm wondering what his answer might be, but I know from previous examples he's given me, I'm sure he, as a teacher, he would welcome it and try to facilitate involved parents like yourselves. Too many times, it's the lack of any participation, whether low-tech, high tech or no tech at all; that is a huge problem in this day and age.

I think so far as the privacy issues are concerned though, it is completely up to the parents' discretion. Teachers and Admins are (or are supposed to be) completely transparent for the most part. Nothing to hide. Privacy on the part of the student is mostly provided by the school on the parents' behalf as I understand it, but I'm with you on keeping it private for those kinds of meetings.

So long as the technology does not cause any impediments on the communication from the teacher/admin to the parent, i.e., “oh wait, can you repeat that, my stream died. Oh wait, hold on, we lost the connection. Can we go back? Uh, hold on, it's buffering.” then, the teacher/admin should feel perfectly comfortable in front of a camera. They are not supposed to ever have anything to hide and are constantly tested on performing in front of anyone as it were. Anyone at any time is allowed to observe a teacher so they are always on their game. There should not ever exist any kind of sugar-coating on behalf of the teacher and if you detect there is, then there is a problem and it needs to be addressed. That person should be a politician and not a teacher.

I would love to be able to stream / video teacher conferences, but there is no way that's going to happen, for all of the reasons you stated. I would even be wary of asking to put my husband on speaker phone during a chat. I want a RSS feed of my daughters school and class activities (these you can password protect). Eh, maybe our grandkids will have this stuff, because it doesn't seem that ours will anytime soon.

I personally choose to follow the technology as best I can and wait around for it to lower in price and settle down. Early releases in almost all physical products tend to have problems, bugs, conflicts, lousy customer service. I could go on and on.

I have taken advantage of the software application, Twitter, so I am an early adopter of it even though I'm a year behind a lot of people and I don't intend to be as popular as Leo Laporte, etc. I do find it frustrating when things don't work as they should, but it is something I choose not to worry a lot about. I have enough to deal with.

I even have my own blog, but it's sitting there doing nothing because I simply haven't had the time to put something on it.

So I think that if technology actually solves a problem and doesn't just change and innovate for change & innovation's sake, then the world will catch up to us. We just have to be patient and keep trying. For all you know, your child's teacher posts comments to Seesmic at night and would be able to offer suggestions on how to make the web conferencing work. You won't know until you ask. Even a simple conference call using freeconference.com may do the trick so your husband can participate.