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Frequently Asked Questions about QS Live

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Here are some of the most common questions we get about training via QS Live.

Is there a price difference for an QS Live class?
Even though our costs to deliver an QS Live class are higher than a regular class, we do not charge a premium for QS Live events. If you take a class in a remote classroom, we incur many additional costs. First you are using two computers instead of one (we provide a computer in the instructor classroom and in your remote facility). In addition, we must provide the communications links between the two classrooms (long distance phone lines, a phone conferencing bridge, and high-speed internet connections). Conferencing software licenses on your lab PC and on the instructor presentation machine also have to be purchased. These are the additional "hard costs" to an QS Live event. On top of that, there are "soft costs" related to coordinating an event that must link multiple locations. None of these added costs are passed on to the QS Live student.

Will I be able to see the instructor?
Each instructor computer is outfitted with a webcam. Most instructors use the camera during introductions and briefly when coming back from breaks so that you will be able to "put a voice to a face." However, video is not running throughout the course. Throughout the class you will able to see the instructor's screen and the whiteboard work.

Will I be by myself?
Our remote classrooms can typically have one to four students in an event. So there is a good chance that you will be taking the class with one or more peers, even though the instructor is not physically present in the site. In addition, if the instructor is teaching at a nearby site, you have the option of switching your registration to that location.

What if I have a question?
You simply ask a question as you would in a regular class. Speaker phones and a phone bridge connect all of the remote classrooms. Sometimes a group in a remote classroom might like to mute the speaker phone so they can talk among themselves during the class. When they need to ask the instructor a question, they simply un-mute the phone and speak up.

What happens if I get stuck in a lab?
Just ask for help like in a regular class. The instructor is able to see your screen and with your permission, can take over your mouse and keyboard to help you, if necessary.

Can I take training from my home or office?
Yes. We are now broadcasting QS Live classes to your home, office, or anywhere a broadband connection can reach.

If you would like to attend your class via QSLive, please fill out the QSLive Site Survey here to see if your setting meets the Technical Requirements.

What are the technical requirements to attend classes from home or work?
Display resolution:
1024x768 or higher - QuickStart recommends using two monitors and adjusting your monitor settings to "extend display" onto both monitors.

Operating system:
Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1, Service Pack 2 (recommended)
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition in 32-bit mode
Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1
Windows Vista operating system, 32-bit

Internet Browser:
Internet Explorer® 6 or later browser software

Computer/processor Data and Voice:
1.4 Gigahertz (GHz) or higher processor, Intel Pentium 4-compatible

Memory:
1024 MB of RAM (minimum)

Disk space:
700 MB (minimum)

Video card:
64 MB of RAM (video RAM or VRAM)
and
Microsoft DirectX 9 or later

Bandwidth requirements:
Broadband Internet Connection (cable, ISDN, DSL or better)

Other software:
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 or later presentation graphics program
or
Microsoft Office Standard Edition or Professional Edition (which includes PowerPoint software).

Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher to view Flash content in the meeting.
Attention Windows Vista Users! Adobe Flash Player 9.0.45 is required to view Flash content in the meeting.

Sun Java 1.4 Standard Edition
Java Virtual Machine (JVM)

If you would like to attend your class via QSLive, please fill out the QSLive Site Survey here to see if your setting meets the Technical Requirements.

What if I don't like the class?
if you do not feel that you are experiencing the same quality of learning that you have come to expect from our classes, simply notify your Account Representative or the local branch administrator by noon of the first day and return your courseware materials for a full refund. And, as always, we guarantee your training experience with our free retake policy.

How is this different from a web seminar (webinar)?
In a web seminar, you just listen and watch an instructor presentation. You have no hands-on component. In many webinars, you can't ask questions except for writing chat messages. In an QS Live session you have hands-on access to software for labs and can ask questions freely over the phone.

How is QS Live different from other "on-line" web-delivered computer classes?
You may have participated in a web-based class where the instructor presents to a group in a web seminar fashion. Sometimes called "synchronous" training, the "on-line" component of the class is when everyone is connected to the instructor presentation. This live lecture will go on for up to 3 hours with very little "doing" or interaction on your part. During these sessions, an instructor can present to 30 or 40 students because it is mostly one-way communication.
Then after the lecture, students schedule lab time where they can access servers that have the course software loaded. During the lab time students work independently. They can e-mail the instructor if they have questions or problems during the labs.

In contrast to other blended solutions, our remote students experience a flow of interaction that is exactly like a regular class. You listen to and watch the instructor. Then you experiment and practice with the software. If you get stuck on a lab, you can ask for help - right then by talking; not by sending an email. You don't have to schedule time for labs - the labs take place while you are in the class.

Our average class size is small, typically under 10 students. If you are in one of our classrooms, you'll be in an interruption-free environment and potentially with other students. This lessens the risk that you will be pulled away from class to solve a crisis going on at your office.

Do people take a second class in this format?
For some people, QS Live is a great solution. We've worked to put the best conferencing technology in place so that you will see very little difference between QS Live and a course that has the instructor present in the same classroom. In 2006 we conducted a survey of QS Live participants and asked them if they would take another course in that format. Over 92% said that they would take another QS Live course.

Is QS Live right for me?
The best candidates for an QS Live class are those people with strong mouse and Windows skills and who have English as their native language. For more details call and speak to an Account Representative or contact us at info@quickstart.com.