INFORMAL COMMUNICATION IS ABOUT SHARING OBJECTS AND MEDIA

The paper focuses upon informal communication over desktop videoconfer encing software. Evidence is presented in support of video providing s ome form of shared perspective (otherwise known as the 'video-as-data' hypothesis) and questions are raised about users' media-coupling acti vities in an informal context. It is anticipated that further insight has been gained into the nature of informal mediated communication, an d consequently the requirements of supporting technologies.