Webinar Software - Saba Centra
In honor of the opening of the Distance Learning blog on Habré, I decided to write a short review about one of the tools for synchronous learning (webinars). A product that I feel is deprived of attention in the network. By right or not, you decide, I hope this article will help you draw some conclusions. Anyway, the program seemed to me very attractive, justifying its price by its convenience and stable operation. But looking ahead a bit, I’ll say that I encountered some difficulties in the process of purchasing this product.
We are talking about the Centra synchronous learning program from Saba, an American company specializing in integrated learning platforms, LMS (Learning Management Systems) and personnel development and training systems.
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Saba Centra was one of the first programs to appear on the distance learning market. It was Centra that was the main competitor of the Israeli Interwise, which was eventually acquired by AT & T. Later appeared "Webex" , "Adobe Connect" , "Elluminate" and others . But unlike Interwise, Centra began to fade and in recent years less and less information about it began to appear. No matter how it was there, the program, as well as the company itself, is alive, although they sometimes show a rare indifference to interested buyers.
Problems began at the stage of registration of the test account on the product site. The system tupila and rejected all email-addresses that I slipped to her. Neither the corporate email, nor the Gmail address, or any other email address helped. I wrote a letter to the site administration, a month later I received a reply from them that the bug was fixed and now it is possible to register freely. This made me understand how sluggish some departments of the company are and what can we expect in the future. Anyway, I finally signed up and started testing the product.
Although the initial installation took quite a lot of time, all subsequent visits to the virtual meeting room took place within a minute, maximum two. Java-based Centra works, therefore, a JVM is required on the user's machine. If it is not available, the program will prompt the user what to do. Saba Centra itself as a tool for webinars was surprisingly good. Pleasant and intuitive interface, nothing superfluous and no clutter of buttons, as was the case with "Elluminate" . The system will kindly prompt you that you forgot to turn on the session recording and prompts you to do this before you start the first slide of your presentation. Centra easily uploads most file formats to the session folder, though not everything can be run on a virtual whiteboard. Only * .PPT and * .JPG can be displayed on it, all other files are uploaded to Saba servers and are available to session participants as a link. If you do not want to force the file present on your PC, you can use the Application Sharing feature, which works surprisingly well and causes no complaints.
It is possible to get real-time feedback from webinar participants. In addition, “Emoticons” (emoticons and status icons), which are very lacking in “Webex”, are very helpful. If we continue the comparison with Webex, it is worth saying that the Cisco product looks more solid and presentable, but it lacks other chips that Centra can boast of. In particular, the presenter using the program can at any time conduct a survey or a mini-test and immediately get the results. In Webex, this is only available in the Enterprise version (Webex Learning Center), which is already offered for very different money, unlike the Webex Meeting Center.
All webinar entries are automatically posted on the company's servers immediately after the end of the online session. After that, you can either send links to records to session participants, or download records to your computer in * .EXE format and distribute them yourself. Regarding the recording format is not all clear. On the one hand, exe-shnik self-unpacked on the user's machine and can start even without a program. On the other hand, we all know that exe-files are cut off by most mail servers (including Gmail), so you have to either write files to archives or upload files to your servers for distribution. You can distribute records directly from the Saba Centra server, but by default you are provided with 1Gb of free space, everything else for an additional fee.
The minimum package that includes the use of 5 leading names is $ 80 . Slightly higher than the average market price, but the truth is far from the extortionate prices aimed at the corporate business «Interwise». True, unlike competitors, Centra allows you to attend up to 100 participants in the webinar. The minimum agreement period is 3 months. The problem lies elsewhere ... Signing a contract online (from the site) can only US residents. All the rest will have to dial into the sales department. I was ready to spend my time in order to transfer our company to this pleasant and attractive product in my eyes, so I called the sales department of the company. I phoned to the European office, the representative turned out to be a very pleasant conversationalist and treated with respect, but unfortunately she was unable to sell the product to me, since Israel has its own official distributor Saba. She promised to bind me with him.
The Israeli supplier was not particularly interested in promoting this product, so each time he responded sluggishly and in all letters and conversations made it clear that this was not their main product, so they are not particularly interested in spending a lot of time on me and in support of the product. Then I tried to contact representatives of the main, American office. Each time I came across some kind of lethargy and sluggishness. Every time they tried to shove me to a representative of my region with whom I had already talked enough. He even explained that our organization has an office in the USA and that payment can come straight from there. Logically, it turns out that in this case, we may well be serving the American office. But so we mired with them while in this correspondence.
Perhaps a week or two more we will try our luck to conclude an agreement with them. But for a long time there is no strength with this, whatever the product. So I get a dual impression. On the one hand, a good product that you want to use and that you want to implement at home. On the other hand, it seems that in the company no one wants to take responsibility. All slow and slow. It seems that employees and distributors do not believe in this product and therefore do not want to mess with it. When I tested the same “Webex” representative called me several times a week and accompanied me from beginning to end.
It’s too early to draw conclusions. I hope for a reasonable end to this story. Nevertheless, I want to draw your attention to the fact that no matter how great your product is, don't forget how you serve it to customers. It is better to double-check this moment once again, otherwise there will be no sense from your excellent product.
PS I invite authors versed in E-learning and people who are in one way or another involved in this topic to take part in the creation of new, useful articles in this direction.
We are talking about the Centra synchronous learning program from Saba, an American company specializing in integrated learning platforms, LMS (Learning Management Systems) and personnel development and training systems.
')
Saba Centra was one of the first programs to appear on the distance learning market. It was Centra that was the main competitor of the Israeli Interwise, which was eventually acquired by AT & T. Later appeared "Webex" , "Adobe Connect" , "Elluminate" and others . But unlike Interwise, Centra began to fade and in recent years less and less information about it began to appear. No matter how it was there, the program, as well as the company itself, is alive, although they sometimes show a rare indifference to interested buyers.
Registration and installation
Problems began at the stage of registration of the test account on the product site. The system tupila and rejected all email-addresses that I slipped to her. Neither the corporate email, nor the Gmail address, or any other email address helped. I wrote a letter to the site administration, a month later I received a reply from them that the bug was fixed and now it is possible to register freely. This made me understand how sluggish some departments of the company are and what can we expect in the future. Anyway, I finally signed up and started testing the product.
Although the initial installation took quite a lot of time, all subsequent visits to the virtual meeting room took place within a minute, maximum two. Java-based Centra works, therefore, a JVM is required on the user's machine. If it is not available, the program will prompt the user what to do. Saba Centra itself as a tool for webinars was surprisingly good. Pleasant and intuitive interface, nothing superfluous and no clutter of buttons, as was the case with "Elluminate" . The system will kindly prompt you that you forgot to turn on the session recording and prompts you to do this before you start the first slide of your presentation. Centra easily uploads most file formats to the session folder, though not everything can be run on a virtual whiteboard. Only * .PPT and * .JPG can be displayed on it, all other files are uploaded to Saba servers and are available to session participants as a link. If you do not want to force the file present on your PC, you can use the Application Sharing feature, which works surprisingly well and causes no complaints.
Last week even the iPad version was announced.
Additional features
It is possible to get real-time feedback from webinar participants. In addition, “Emoticons” (emoticons and status icons), which are very lacking in “Webex”, are very helpful. If we continue the comparison with Webex, it is worth saying that the Cisco product looks more solid and presentable, but it lacks other chips that Centra can boast of. In particular, the presenter using the program can at any time conduct a survey or a mini-test and immediately get the results. In Webex, this is only available in the Enterprise version (Webex Learning Center), which is already offered for very different money, unlike the Webex Meeting Center.
All webinar entries are automatically posted on the company's servers immediately after the end of the online session. After that, you can either send links to records to session participants, or download records to your computer in * .EXE format and distribute them yourself. Regarding the recording format is not all clear. On the one hand, exe-shnik self-unpacked on the user's machine and can start even without a program. On the other hand, we all know that exe-files are cut off by most mail servers (including Gmail), so you have to either write files to archives or upload files to your servers for distribution. You can distribute records directly from the Saba Centra server, but by default you are provided with 1Gb of free space, everything else for an additional fee.
Price and contract conclusion
The minimum package that includes the use of 5 leading names is $ 80 . Slightly higher than the average market price, but the truth is far from the extortionate prices aimed at the corporate business «Interwise». True, unlike competitors, Centra allows you to attend up to 100 participants in the webinar. The minimum agreement period is 3 months. The problem lies elsewhere ... Signing a contract online (from the site) can only US residents. All the rest will have to dial into the sales department. I was ready to spend my time in order to transfer our company to this pleasant and attractive product in my eyes, so I called the sales department of the company. I phoned to the European office, the representative turned out to be a very pleasant conversationalist and treated with respect, but unfortunately she was unable to sell the product to me, since Israel has its own official distributor Saba. She promised to bind me with him.
The Israeli supplier was not particularly interested in promoting this product, so each time he responded sluggishly and in all letters and conversations made it clear that this was not their main product, so they are not particularly interested in spending a lot of time on me and in support of the product. Then I tried to contact representatives of the main, American office. Each time I came across some kind of lethargy and sluggishness. Every time they tried to shove me to a representative of my region with whom I had already talked enough. He even explained that our organization has an office in the USA and that payment can come straight from there. Logically, it turns out that in this case, we may well be serving the American office. But so we mired with them while in this correspondence.
Instead of conclusions
Perhaps a week or two more we will try our luck to conclude an agreement with them. But for a long time there is no strength with this, whatever the product. So I get a dual impression. On the one hand, a good product that you want to use and that you want to implement at home. On the other hand, it seems that in the company no one wants to take responsibility. All slow and slow. It seems that employees and distributors do not believe in this product and therefore do not want to mess with it. When I tested the same “Webex” representative called me several times a week and accompanied me from beginning to end.
It’s too early to draw conclusions. I hope for a reasonable end to this story. Nevertheless, I want to draw your attention to the fact that no matter how great your product is, don't forget how you serve it to customers. It is better to double-check this moment once again, otherwise there will be no sense from your excellent product.
PS I invite authors versed in E-learning and people who are in one way or another involved in this topic to take part in the creation of new, useful articles in this direction.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/115165/
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