Free Screen Sharing Software: Adobe Connect

by Tom Johnson on Feb 6, 2009 •
categories: technical-writing

If you ever need to share your screen remotely with someone, or see their screen, use Adobe Connect Now. It's free, doesn't require an extensive download or setup, and connects quickly.

Other tools may perform better, or have more functionality, but are they free? Usually not. Adobe Connect Now is free for up to three users. If you need more, hosting 15 users costs only $39. After that, the professional level does get pricy. But my needs are almost entirely one-on-one.

I almost always use Adobe Connect when I'm doing WordPress consulting. For example, last week I helped a lady in Silicon Valley upgrade two of her WordPress blogs. She wasn't eager to send me her blog logins, FTP information, and web host password, which is fine. I just sent her a link to the Adobe Connect session, she connected, I changed her role from Guest to Host. At the top of her screen she saw the "Share My Screen" options appear, and voila, I was looking right at her screen in a matter of seconds.

Although some people may be good at following directions, I guarantee you that walking a newbie through a complicated process on the computer is an experience in frustration if you can't see his or her screen.

So if you need a simple screen sharing solution, and you don't have more than a couple of people to share screens with, and you don't want to spend any money, I wholeheartedly recommend Adobe Connect Now.

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