I am not writing that because I am an Unified Communication Fan (especially if we are talking about development of UC applications), but I really think that Microsoft is doing great job by developing services like Live Meeting and offering it - to the INETA and Culminis User Groups!
Some of the best usage of the generous offer by the User Groups can be find here: http://www.developers.ie/webcasts.aspx
Colleagues from the Ireland INDA User Group have used Live Meeting to deliver “.NET Coffee Break Show” which is short form of a web cast to: deliver and record presentation from the interesting speakers – some of them from the Redmond.
By using the Live Meeting technology User Groups can not only bridge distributed membership (especially when it is summer time and most of the people are on holidays outside of their place of residence) but also enable membership to hear what some interesting speakers or experts have to say directly from them, without need to travel long distances.
And they can record it for latter use!
If you are the User Group member – ask your User Group leader if he/she can provide such service for you!
If you are User Group Leader – and you do not have (yet) Live Meeting account – ask INETA (Developers) or Culminis (ITPro) to provide you with the one account!
Happy (live) meetings!