Earlier attempts to rely on e-mail with attachments didn't work well. NetDocuments, my choice, was already discussing a partnership with Owen. Corporate education advances Geddes' background as a computer consultant and systems integrator taught him that business remained ahead of education, and the two were valuable partners. While no businesses are completely paperless today, they do see a substantial return on investment from distance learning, and are increasing the reach of existing programs. Click2Learn began as Asymetrix Learning Systems in 1984, founded by Paul Allen, a Microsoft co-founder.
Academics are slower to catch on.
Corporations see return on investment faster than other segments, and they have less history to overcome. Community is a big part of both systems, with voice-over presentations, a companion audio teleconference or an instant messaging window for text questions available in the symmetrical mode. Discussion lists, e-mail and repeatable presentations try to provide a sense of community in the asymmetrical sessions. It will happen. Telephones, PCs, set-top boxes, Internet appliances and even handheld systems will be used for information delivery.