KRSW

I replied privately in detail on this one, but for the benefit of others, I connect into my office's PBX (Asterisk, open-source). It's a pre-2010 install of Asterisk, so I don't remember which version, but it's old, running on even older hardware. (Anyone want some 36GB SCSI drives?). I'd recommend people try something like IncrediblePBX or FreePBX today. Our office buys our SIP termination/origination wholesale, so actual service doesn't cost much.

lsquare

Just wondering what's the advantage of Zoom over Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Skype?

KRSW

Off the top of my head, Zoom doesn't require that users have individual accounts to join a conference. I believe all of the other 3 do. I know Jitsi doesn't require accounts at all.

lsquare

This is suppose to be an advantage or selling point for Zoom?

GadgetFreak

I think so. My employer has a professional or enterprise zoom account. When I want a meeting I just invite people by sending them a link. They can just click on the invite I send them and use either the web or the app. So it’s easy for me to invite anyone to a meeting and they don’t need an account since I have one. I have only tried Skype and WebEx and Zoom seems easier to me. I haven’t tried the others.

KRSW

Absolutely is. I don't know why people seem to treat online conferences any different than telephone conference calls. If you said someone had to contact the conference call provider ahead of time and establish an account with them before they could join a conference call, people would never use it because of the hassle.

Every single account you create somewhere is just another security breach waiting to happen. Most people re-use passwords among various sites, so all it takes is one site to get compromised and now that person's vulnerable. Not to mention, how many times have you forgotten that you used a particular website, go to create an account, only to find that you already have an account and have to go through the whole process of resetting a password? At least the C-Levels I work with find the whole process frustrating and infuriating.

In an ideal world, we all use password managers (and pray those don't get compromised) that create and remember unique passwords for each account. Trying to get C-Levels to do anything is an exercise in futility.

lsquare

Thanks for helping me understand the reason behind Zoom's popularity. However, I do wonder how many people doesn't have an Apple, Google, or Microsoft accounts?

GadgetFreak

I think the issue is interoperability. I have some kind of account with all three you mentioned. But not everyone does. We have an Exchange server where I work but I don’t know if it includes teams. But with Zoom it doesn’t matter if the other people have an account. For instance I have meetings with everyone in my group every two weeks in which someone makes a presentation. As the host I can enable them to be able to share their screen and they can make a PowerPoint presentation to everyone. Next week I have a meeting with someone in Scotland and we just sent her a link and she can join and make a presentation. I use a Mac but I’m pretty sure she uses a PC but it won’t matter.

gfunkdave

I don't think you need a Teams account to participate in a Teams call. You can dial in or click the link and join on the computer. The person organizing the meeting needs an account, of course.

MSPeconomist

My employer generally uses google for most things, but give everyone a zoom account and has been strongly encouraging the use of zoom for all online meetings, etc.

lwildernorva

My employer has been using WebEx, a decision beyond my control and given some of the experiences set forth in this thread, a decision that caused me concern. It has not been a seamless experience, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how well it has worked so far.

bchandler02

Correct - While I use Teams at work, I did join a Teams call with another organization last night from my cell (which does not have teams) just by dialing the access number and passcode.

Internaut

I forget how long we are into this (When did it start? What day is it?) but here goes: BT Superfast Fibre, so up to 76mbps down/20mbps up. Just the work laptop, its built in webcam, Logitech wireless keyboard, MX Master mouse and (bought one week before the panic buying started), a 25" Dell Ultrasharp. All good so far. I'd like a better webcam (needs an Elgato Camlink - rarer than rocking horse **** - to use one of my proper cameras) and green screen (also rarer than rocking horse ****) and some lighting bearing in mind the office/bedroom window is behind me. In terms of communication, we do everything on Teams. Daily stand-ups are done via Teams video (though some just participate audio only - their choice). All hands meetings are done using corporate Zoom. Likewise, the Friday virtual pub lunch uses Zoom (though we're thinking of moving to Google Due to get around having to re-start after 40 minutes). VPN has been upgraded and improved, but we are definitely under attack. The super corporate control freak (and sadly very necessary) endpoint protection software, on the corporate Dell, occasionally goes mental!

It's working well for us. On a personal level, I'm happy work beyond 8PM tonight in order to enjoy more of the good weather forecasted for tomorrow. Professionally, I worry it's working too well. Someone, somewhere, must surely be looking at all that empty, expensive office space and thinking "Why?"

HDQDD

This. I've been looking at what a recovery looks like from a economic standpoint. I think we're going to see some very interesting, very different trends coming out of this (whenever that is).

Commercial real estate has completely crashed. But I'm not sure we've seen the bottom. Lots of companies are learning that they simply don't need the office space, and I think that hit to CRE will come later (i.e. when leases aren't renewed). It's one thing when tech companies start working from home, but now you have financial institutions publicly saying they'll be allowing that as well. Call centers are another thing I expect to see moved into people's houses. The tech exists to do that anywhere nowadays (ala B6)

I also think we're going to see a significant amount of people moving out of dense urban areas. Maybe not all at first, but the longer this goes on, the more pronounced it will be. Especially if a vaccine isn't fully effective (as some coronavirus experts are warning) and social distancing is around for years. This will affect not only housing, but business as well. This one will be interesting to watch. Do people move back to urban areas after some time? Who knows at this point.

Internaut

I work for a software company that, through various acquisitions, has ended up with a parent company who's main business is contact centres. This is happening right now - thousands of people have been moved home, while the buildings themselves are being made as COVID-safe as possible for those who must be on site.