Basically just remote desktop limited to one program. There would be a system similar to online game matchmaking to connect users with one another easily.

I can think of two ways that this could be implemented - either have the applications themselves have matchmaking systems, or have it be a general connection program wherein you would find a peer and then select a program that you both have.

It would be especially useful in creative applications like Photoshop or FLStudio (music synth/sequencer program) as you could have direct collaboration remotely.

There would also have support for more than two users at a time which could be a huge help for offices.
-- Joolin, Oct 29 2009

//Basically just remote desktop limited to one program.// Nice idea, except that these days, the lines between one program and the next are pretty blurry, what with APIs, various shared Operating System layers and whatnot. On the opposite side of the fence, just because two people have the same program, it doesn't mean they share the same plug-ins, default settings (language and regional settings can be amazingly complicated when working across standards) or window arrangements. I think that's why most collaborative systems offer a sort of generalised whole-sort-of-mish-mash type thing that handles lots of "simple" things like text, pictures and vector-based drawing.
-- zen_tom, Oct 29 2009


Hmm.. good points - perhaps the solution would be building new software specifically around the collaborative aspect. Companies could release alternate, collaborative versions of their software just for that purpose.
-- Joolin, Oct 30 2009



random, halfbakery