12.4

I think we've finally found a method for desk crits that is about as close we can get to having a professor physically in the studio with us. Using iChat and vyew in tandem is a great way to get instant feedback on your design ideas. During other reviews and crits it was difficult to accurately gauge the enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm the reviewer had for your project. Either the video would lag, or we just wouldn't enable it at all because it was a hassle. As we learned yesterday, iChats video is very smooth and nearly lag-free, even from Italy to South Carolina. Being lag-free, it was easy to see what the professor likes and more importantly doesn't like about your project. The nature of the desk crit was different yesterday as the professor-Ron, Jason, and I all talked via iChat group chat. This is my preferred method of discussion. It was extremely helpful to have another student act as a reviewer, especially in this case as he helped me find a solution to a major flaw our professor found in my idea. It would be ideal to use iChat and vyew in tandem for the final review, of course this is all dependent upon the reviewers having access to a Mac.

Ron, Jason, and I having a group iChat crit

the major flaw, illustrated in vyew