Online seminars offer convenience and interactivity

A Bloomington law firm is diving into the world of virtual reality by putting its educational seminars online in the form of streaming video. Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren Ltd. sponsored its first such seminar, "E-Commerce -- the Net Effect" in mid-June. The seminar was presented through a Webcast online and then archived in cyberspace, giving free access to anyone who missed it the first time.

The seminar included presentations on trademarks, cyber squatting and copyright issues. It can be accessed at www.netbriefings.com/try/seminars.shtml

Andrew Perrin, marketing chairman at Larkin, Hoffman, said the virtual seminars are a great way to reach more people, borne out by the fact that since the seminar was archived, it has been receiving 25 to 50 hits per day. Tom Saylor, president of Netbriefings.com, the Internet business-to-business services company that conducted the original Webcast and handles the archives, said Larkin, Hoffman is one of the first businesses in the state to store its seminars online for free public access.

"Increasingly, the availability of information after events is proving as valuable as real-time dissemination and participation," Saylor said in a news release.

The online version is split into four sections for easier navigation. Viewers also can e-mail their questions and comments while seeing the video, making the process more interactive, Perrin said. The Web site also provides a "Checkout" link, so users can ensure that their computer has the software required to see the presentation. It also provides links to free software and updates that may be required.

-- Bipasha Ray