Remote realtime collaboration

julian_todd

If I am trying to work on a part with someone in a different part of the world (for example, when I'm teaching them how to do CAD), I need to have an audio-voice connection with them. 

Text-based chat isn't good enough because it conflicts with doing the work.  On the other hand, I can do stuff and talk and explain at the same time. 

In order to establish such a voice + shared CAD session, I either have to be on some kind of chat/skype with the the other person in the first place, and then I send over it a link or invite to a particular CAD document in order for us to be on the same page. 

Or, alternatively, we start on the same page (somehow) and I paste my phone number or https://vline.com/ link in the comment section and wait for them to click on it. 

Whichever way we do it, there's always this awkward problem of getting initially synchronized.  . 

Has anyone had this issue? 

Wouldn't it be nice if I could see what documents in the public or tutorials list were already open by other people, so I could join them in real time and learn how to do stuff? 

brucebartlett

@julian_todd great point's. I initially though a voice over IP inside Onshape would be a waste of time but when in a doc you just want to start talking to the other person it's a pain to have to move to another tab, screen or even land line to talk to them. Maybe this could be an extension of the comments tool, or just another tool the sits next to the comments, click and start talking or maybe in need to be connect to the named user square.

The documents list normally orders by last used. I tend to find it pretty easy to see if some is in one of your shared doc's by seeing it near the top of the list with a time and their name. If they just hoped in, it's fun to hop in and surprise them.