GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting is a Web-hosted service created and marketed by Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems. It is remote meeting and desktop sharing software, which means that it enables the user to meet with other computer users via the Internet.

GoToMeeting was developed in July 2004 by Citrix Online of Santa Barbara, California. It was designed to allow the desktop view of a host computer to be broadcast to a group of computers connected to the host through the Internet. Transmissions could be protected with high-security encryption and optional passwords. By combining a Web-hosted subscription service with software installed on the host computer, transmissions could be passed through highly restrictive firewalls.

GoToMeeting has been sold in two editions - Personal and Corporate - providing increasing service management capabilities. Version 3, released in 2006, maintains these editions, providing Macintosh attendee support and Microsoft Office integration. Software is installed by logging onto the GoToMeeting Web site. GoToMeeting features in all editions include:

Encryption and authentication security provided by a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Web site with end-to-end 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption and optional passwords
Specific application sharing for showing only selected programs with attendees
24-bit color when accessing a host PC supporting this display mode
Multi-monitor support for a client PC
Several competing products exist, including other Web-hosted services, and both commercial and free software. These include WebEx's Meeting Center and Microsoft's Live Meeting.

At the time GoToMeeting emerged, WebEx, LiveNote and others catered mostly to large corporations and sales divisions, entering in six-figure contracts. Citrix Online released GoToMeeting on an "all you can meet" basis, with one monthly (or annual charge) based on the number of authorized hosts. This pricing model was unique at the time, but has since been copied by competitors.