While the severity of the plot to blow up airliners over the atlantic ocean appears to be a politically inspired hype (The bombers had no tickets and the majority didn't even have passports and the undetected, successful mixing and use of the alleged explosive TATP in an airplane lavatory appears impossible) the travel restricitions imposed after the attack were very, very real. While many of the restrictions have been lifted in recent days their even temporary imposition and the potential for even stricter regulations in the wake of an actual terror event have given a boost to telepresence and effective visual collaboration as alternatives to physical travel.

Here are some excerpts from an article in Computing by Martin Veitch entitled: Why Meetings are Flying On-line.

There is no shortage of reasons to give the business traveller pause before reaching for the passport and foreign currency. The current political climate makes travelling neither pleasant nor easy. This is particularly the case with the US and its bewildering visa demands, extended check-in times, hostile customs questioning, and inspections of laptops, shoes, baggage and whatever next.

The current raised security levels will doubtless see many Americans declining to visit the UK. A tragic side-story to the recent 25th anniversary of the PC was the reminder that several on the original development team died together in a plane accident. After that, IBM instituted a widely-copied policy of seating staff on separate flights wherever possible.

Now on-board use of electronic devices is being dragged into question - with the potential loss of several hours' working time - crossing the Pond is not considered worth it for many of us either.

Meetings spanning shorter distances can also be hard to justify. Crossing London can take two hours by car or public transport, and even on trains the opportunity to work may be limited...

...The common response to this is that face-to-face contact is irreplaceable and that nothing can compete with the firm handshake, meeting of eyes and ink on foolscap. This won't wash with incoming employees or even with older staff given effective tools to work across remote links.

Web-based conferencing is cheap and effective and eviscerates a ton of fat in the business model. More advanced tools, such as Teliris's GlobalTable, HP's extraordinary Halo conferencing system, and Microsoft's RoundTable panoramic cameras, will allow more intuitive usage just as email, IM, avatars, remote-access software and other tools have softened the edges of internet communications.

The old model of business collaboration is broken. Firms are less tolerant of slack and wastage, and are demanding promises of a return on investment.

And Finally... The Daily Show on the Absurdity of it All