Formicary launched a free evaluation of Microsoft Lync Server 2010, to allow firms to experience the benefits of real-time group chat before paying up:

“Formicary Collaboration Group, a provider of real-time team collaboration solutions, has launched a hosted Group Chat evaluation portal. The new offering introduces Group Chat tools and enhancements and enables customers and prospects to experience the benefits of Group Chat as a business communication tool. Formicary’s aim is to help users feel fully informed before making the decision to commit resources to purchasing or rolling out the tool.

Group Chat allows users to have topic-based, multi-party discussions that persist over time. In contrast to email, which is not well-suited to conversations between several people, Group Chat enables efficient knowledge sharing and discussions as a group, thereby transforming how businesses communicate. Chat discussions by their very nature bring like-minded people together to discuss and solve issues, and source industry experts on a common subject that will help to create and strengthen working relationships.“

My Comments
1. I really like the idea of being able to try things out in small ways before going for the full spend up. Well done to Formicary.

2. “Group chat” seems like an old term now – with what Twitter and Yammer and Socialcast have brought to firms. Persistent IM, the previous Parlano tag line (which Microsoft purchased and integrated into Lync Server) was a Twitter-style internal network before the days of Twitter. It will be interesting to see which way firms go with this type of technology.

3. If you’re super-quick, and happen to be in London on June 3, Formicary is running a half-day workshop on the value of group chat for firms. I don’t know if they have space available, but … there’s no harm in asking.