"Plague time" fell down on me like a domino run: first, cancelled exercise classes, then on-site work was restricted, then shelter-in-place throughout first the county and then the state so everyone would STAY PUT.
From there, it was a frantic race as organizations, businesses, friends, and family set up virtual meetings for nearly every aspect of life.
I now attend Zumba on Zoom, participate in work meetings with WebEx and Microsoft Teams, take part in a weekly Feldenkrais body awareness class that uses Jitsi, and attend virtual critique meetings on Google Hangouts Meet. For family and friends, we use whatever folks are most comfortable with, usually FaceTime, Zoom, or Meet.
My mind is a whirl as I try to keep it all straight. It's like going zero to sixty in—wait, I have to look up how quick the the fastest cars can accelerate—two-plus seconds.
It's ludicrous. (And who knew Tesla made a model called the Model S P100D Ludicrous+ model??)
Anyhow, it has been a real scramble to try and learn all these different applications spiffy quick. With our wheezy router and the bazillions of people who, like me, are struggling to reach others through video conferencing/chat apps, I find my meetings freezing, crashing, pixelating, you name it. Add to that, I have a problem getting the laptop microphone to work for WebEx. I invariably have to sign in to the meeting on my laptop to get the video and then use my cell phone to call in for the audio.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
But really how secure are any of these apps? There are horror stories out there about Zoom, for instance. If you want to know more about the security issues with Zoom, you can check out this CNET piece, with is updated daily. Here is another CNET article that compares Microsoft Teams with Zoom. And here's a ZDNet article that gives an overview of ten different video conferencing services for businesses.
Still, let's face it, when it's communicating outside the office, we're not likely to turn to a heavy-duty business application. Never fear, CNET is here (again), with a nice little article about 10 free Zoom alternative apps for video chats, good for keeping in touch with family and friends. These alternatives include FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Messenger, and more. I am definitely going to bookmark this one and pass it around!Now, I've got to dash, because I have something ELSE I have to learn on the fly: FaceBook Live.
Why? Well...
Today, Friday, April 10, at 6 p.m., in a Facebook Live event on my personal FaceBook page. I'll be reading a short story I wrote for Low Down Dirty Vote, Volume 1, a crime fiction anthology to raise money for fighting voter suppression.
My story "A Clean Sweep" can be summed up as follows.
From there, it was a frantic race as organizations, businesses, friends, and family set up virtual meetings for nearly every aspect of life.
I now attend Zumba on Zoom, participate in work meetings with WebEx and Microsoft Teams, take part in a weekly Feldenkrais body awareness class that uses Jitsi, and attend virtual critique meetings on Google Hangouts Meet. For family and friends, we use whatever folks are most comfortable with, usually FaceTime, Zoom, or Meet.
My mind is a whirl as I try to keep it all straight. It's like going zero to sixty in—wait, I have to look up how quick the the fastest cars can accelerate—two-plus seconds.
It's ludicrous. (And who knew Tesla made a model called the Model S P100D Ludicrous+ model??)
Anyhow, it has been a real scramble to try and learn all these different applications spiffy quick. With our wheezy router and the bazillions of people who, like me, are struggling to reach others through video conferencing/chat apps, I find my meetings freezing, crashing, pixelating, you name it. Add to that, I have a problem getting the laptop microphone to work for WebEx. I invariably have to sign in to the meeting on my laptop to get the video and then use my cell phone to call in for the audio.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
 |
| Can you see me now?? (Videoconferencing fun and games.) Free photo 7936722 © Martin Allinger - Dreamstime.com |
But really how secure are any of these apps? There are horror stories out there about Zoom, for instance. If you want to know more about the security issues with Zoom, you can check out this CNET piece, with is updated daily. Here is another CNET article that compares Microsoft Teams with Zoom. And here's a ZDNet article that gives an overview of ten different video conferencing services for businesses.
Still, let's face it, when it's communicating outside the office, we're not likely to turn to a heavy-duty business application. Never fear, CNET is here (again), with a nice little article about 10 free Zoom alternative apps for video chats, good for keeping in touch with family and friends. These alternatives include FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Messenger, and more. I am definitely going to bookmark this one and pass it around!Now, I've got to dash, because I have something ELSE I have to learn on the fly: FaceBook Live.
Why? Well...
Today, Friday, April 10, at 6 p.m., in a Facebook Live event on my personal FaceBook page. I'll be reading a short story I wrote for Low Down Dirty Vote, Volume 1, a crime fiction anthology to raise money for fighting voter suppression.
My story "A Clean Sweep" can be summed up as follows.
- When: 1870.
- Where: Wyoming Territory.
- Who: A woman with a broom who is determined to exercise her right to vote.
 |
| Ann Parker authors the award-winning Silver Rush historical mystery series published by Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks. During the day, she wrangles words for a living as a science editor/writer and marketing communications specialist (which is basically a fancy term for "editor/writer"). Her midnight hours are devoted to scribbling fiction. Visit AnnParker.net for more information. |
Ugh. Meetings and all sound horrific. I struggled with conference calls. My sympathy. For me, another thing to be grateful for about being retired!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz! Yes, retirement is looking more and more inviting these days...
DeleteI'm loving the Zoom meetings but can't for the life of me figure out what Face Time is. And I thought I was so smart. :D
ReplyDeleteHi Pat! FaceTime is for the Mac platform only... iPhones and so on. :-)
DeleteIf not using a Mac-type system, the closest thing is Skype. (Not sure if that helps you or not, but there you go! ;-) )
We had our Sisters in Crime board meeting on Zoom. It was pretty cool and fun. When things get back to normal, whatever normal is, there will be changes we might keep. I need to take lessons from you. Hmm, Facebook Live. Hmm.
ReplyDeleteOur local SinC and MWA chapters, too, are moving to having their monthly meetings/presentations on Zoom for now. I hope it continues. Many times there are events I'd love to attend, but are just too difficult to get to.
DeleteThe Facebook Live thing turned out to be rather fun! I'm now pondering what else I could perhaps do "live" in the bookish area of my life...
The sudden mushrooming of digital connections makes my head spin. You're doing wonderfully, Ann, but me, not so much. I do have a nodding acquaintance with Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts; however, we're a long way from being good friends. Great post!
ReplyDeleteLOL, I'm with you, Linda. Not good friends with anything on the computer beyond Word and my keyboard. Although I did use Zoom to have a few minutes with my great-granddaughter in Boston. She is a year old.
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