Here's how it works:

1. You use the medium you are comfortable with: paper and markers (yay!).

2. A $100 webcam puts a live video image (via the Evocam app) from the paper onto the screen of your computer.

3. The Gotomeeting software distributes that live video image to 15 people.

4. Group audio is free via Gotomeeting VOIP.

Here's the result:

You can see how two 8 1/2 x 11 pages fit nicely into the frame, and then when you fill up the right hand page, everything just shifts left, oldest out of frame, and new page on right. Note that this small jpg doesn't in any way do justice to the 1600x1200 resolution of the webcam; click on image to see larger version.

Recording the discussion on 8 1/2 x 11 paper pages provides a simple yet powerful storage and retrieval system for the Explicit Group Memory* you are creating. The big numbers allow group members to refer back in time to earlier parts of the record, "Show us page 1 again." And you can add or modify information on any page at any time.

* Geoff Ball's great phrase

And here's what you need to try it out:

0. Paper and markers. I'm using a pile of 8 1/2 x 11 pages in the example.

1. 1600x1200 Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac, $100

2. Free two week trial Evocam desktop app puts the image from the paper onto the screen of your computer.

3. Free one month trial Gotomeeting software transmits that live video image out to 15 people.

After you set up your Gotomeeting account, just click on "Meet Now", get an access code, and tell it to the other people. They join by going to http://joingotomeeting.com and entering the code. Then click on "Show My Screen" and the group can see your paper (the video image from your desktop). Group audio is free via Gotomeeting VOIP (requires USB headset), or for $ via toll based Gotomeeting conference call. Or use your own teleconferencing audio plan from your phone provider.

The essence of the "Webcam On A Stick Quick And Easy Method for Distributed Paper Graphics" is to COMPLETELY SEPARATE capturing graphics from making it available live online. A Putting the live high resolution webcam video image on your computer screen is one part; B then the other part is distributing it over the web, a completely separate process.

Yes, there are many ways to combine the two. Not a one that I know of is quick and easy for both generators and viewers of live graphics.

Let me know how it works out for you: sidecasters.org/blog

Why?

Why, why, why in heck would anyone want to do this? Well, if you have to ask, then I probably can't afford the explanation.

But here's a try: "Sidecasting and Live Visual Blogging." Everybody's doing it.

Note:

Some of you are probably saying, "Hey, I could do it cheaper/faster/better using XYZ webcam/software/netware."

You probably could. But this page is not aimed at you. This page is a starter kit for paper based graphic telefacilitators. You're too much of a geek. This page is for artists who want to try it out.

So all the parts are really simple.

And free. Well, except the $100 webcam, because you can't give the method a fair trial without good images. The Logitech Quickcam Vision Pro gives you the resolution, 1600x1200, and the low light capability to put up and distribute the kind of high quality image that paper folks like.

And if the experiment doesn't work out for you, then just sell the Logitech webcam on eBay (it's a great cam, will go fast).

Bottom line goal: get the artists up to speed on the tech so that they too will be telling me, "Hey, now I could do it cheaper/faster/better using XYZ webcam/software/netware."

In which case, great, my work here is done 8 ).

The basic setup is aimed at Mac people because they are more limitied in available plug and play components. Evocam is the Mac app that shows you the image from any video camera plugged into your computer; I'm sure there are similar apps for PCs

And, look, folks, I have no affiliation with Gotomeeting. I recommend it as a starting point because it is quick, it is easy, and the one month trial is free. Combined with paper and markers, it is the most painless way I know to try out the whole remote graphic recording thing.

If and after the quick, easy, free way provides some value for you, then you might be willing to invest time and effort in further experiments.

Gotomeeting costs $50/mo. There are any number of other products that could do the job, see next section. For instance, the Evocam app has it's own built in web server (how cool is that?).

OK, instead of using Gotomeeting, you could roll your own setup using Skype and Stickam, and then stream it to the web. Much cheaper, more egalitarian, bigger audience. This is the more adventurous route, and with higher payoff. Below are listed some of the pieces for you to mix and match.

Skype      FREE http://www.skype.com/help/guides/video/
"To make free video calls you'll need the latest version of Skype and a webcam and headset."

Stickam      FREE http://www.stickam.com/about/faq.do
"Stickam is a free service that allows you to stream live video over the internet. There is nothing to download and Stickam is 100% free."

other desktop streaming software      FREE or $. Ichat, Windows Live, SightSpeed, various other instant messaging clients; CamTwist, http://allocinit.com/index.php?title=CamTwist; TechSmith products (Jing, Snagit, Camtasia Studio, Morae and Camtasia Relay) http://www.techsmith.com ... and more everyday.

like the $30 Evocam http://www.evological.com/download.html, which can put 1440x1080 of the 1600x1200 Logitech pixels on the desktop for netcasting by Gotomeeting, or can use its own built in web server.

good USB headset/mic combo, like the Plantronics DSP 500, $80: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00012K7PA/, recommended by Leo Laporte

macam      FREE http://webcam osx.sourceforge.net/
"macam is a driver for USB webcams on Mac OS X. It allows hundreds of USB webcams to be used by many Mac OS X video aware applications. The aim is to support as many webcams as possible."