CCC Forum

This thread is a follow-up to my announcement in the 23 March newsletter about the use of videoconferencing during the Covid-19 outbreak. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about using the Zoom videoconference facility for future club meetings until the current health crisis is resolved, you can make your observation by replying to this thread.

(Note: I have edited this post and added the first sentence to clarify the reason for starting this thread. Also, I added a missing "can" in the second sentence. Hopefully, all is OK now. )

What a fantastic idea!! well done all concerned, I just hope a techy thicky like me will be able to manage it

Bett wrote:What a fantastic idea!! well done all concerned, I just hope a techy thicky like me will be able to manage it

Thanks, Bett. My wife, who is not computer savvy, installed the Zoom software on her iPad and iPhone before proceeding to participate in a videoconference all without assistance. It really is straightforward.

Ummm. Have I missed something? How do we get Zoom? I seem to remember you need an ID code to enter a meeting. Are you sending this out to everyone?

That's made me feel a bit better (not much but a bit)

abennettphotography wrote:Ummm. Have I missed something? How do we get Zoom? I seem to remember you need an ID code to enter a meeting. Are you sending this out to everyone?

Hi Andy

There are some further details in the newsletter which I sent out earlier. We are still working on our plans, having proved that Zoom is a viable option for our purposes, and will issue further information in due course. If you still have questions, feel free to raise them here. It is what the thread is for.

In the meantime, for those who want to download the Zoom client in advance of the club's next communication, the link below is a good starting point for those with Windows and Mac computers. Click on the link to the Zoom Desktop Client and it will initiate the download.

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articl ... ws-and-Mac

Bett wrote:That's made me feel a bit better (not much but a bit)

You will be fine. I intend to set up a practice videoconference a day or so beforehand so that everyone can check that they have everything set up properly.

Thanks Mike

How was Zoom selected?

The browser addon has permission to access accounts.google.com - i.e. my Google account - I will not be installing any such software.

I don't have experience with video conferencing, but Jitsi Meet appears to run entirely in browser, with no special permissions required - I would much prefer using a service such as that.

Peter Boughton wrote:How was Zoom selected?

We looked at services which met our requirements, one of which was the ability to show an application running on the desktop.

I did send e-mails to a couple of technical experts in the club requesting advice, but did not receive a response from either person.

Peter Boughton wrote:The browser addon has permission to access accounts.google.com - i.e. my Google account - I will not be installing any such software.

From what I have seen, Zoom interfaces with Google to make scheduling meetings more straightforward. It is necessary to enter a userid and password each time Google is used in that way. I very much doubt that Zoom is using data from Google for anything other than the stated purposes. That is a sure route to defending an expensive class action in the litigious US.

It is possible to use Zoom solely via a browser without installing the add-on but it does not have the same range of functions. I have not yet tested it, but it should be sufficient to participate in our meetings. For anyone thinking of doing this, Chrome is the recommended browser. The relevant Zoom support page, link below, has further information.

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articl ... Web-Client

Peter Boughton wrote:I don't have experience with video conferencing, but Jitsi Meet appears to run entirely in browser, with no special permissions required - I would much prefer using a service such as that.

Jitsi prompted me to link my calendar, although it was not compulsory, and one option offered was Google. From a cursory inspection, the functionality looked similar to Zoom's. Obviously, I would need to look at it more closely to be certain.

Personally, I would prefer to use a commercial service as the provider has a greater incentive to ensure that the service works as specified and there is a contract in place. Zoom will cost the club £12 a month, which is a small price to pay for such assurance. It is certainly a lot cheaper than hiring the church hall.

Whether or not you choose to participate in our virtual meetings is your choice. I hope that you will choose to join us.