Tom,
As to your original post, a subset of members of Chapter 31 used Lifesize for a while, but we have decided to go with an actual subscription to ZOOM for those Saturday meet-ups and future monthly Chapter meetings. Once we re-start meetings in person, we'll still do ZOOM for those that can't make it for one reason or another (distance, mobility issues, immune system suppressed, you name it...). Don't even need a computer, a phone call can get you in.
Yesterday morning, the 30th, was the first use of ZOOM and it's features. If you have questions, David our Treasurer got us up and running with it, he would be able to answer more technical questions. Plus youtube and google for discovery at a leisurely pace..."ZOOM screen menus"...hint, hint.
This is what can be done (honest, we did it!):
- Pictures can be put on the screen (we didn't test putting video on).
- The presenter can use their cursor to point to things on the screen, as well as put circles around them, can erase the circles, too.
- Members from the audience can enable their cursor for pointing to items on the screen, as well as putting circles around/erasing circles, too.
Haven't had any experience with any of the other systems you named in the original posting. I am very wary of all forms of these conferences and such, I'm not a total Luddite, but having killed 2 computers at work (there, I said it), I understand that frustrations and nefarious motives are just a click away. (As well as the time-pit quagmire that the internet can be.)
I want our Chapter members to feel
and be safe on their computers, not have some hesitancy about who might be gathering their browsing history for marketing purposes, etc.
I don't know whether the services you have used, or the ones you had questions about, are any better or worse than ZOOM. In our case, if it was left up to me, with all the different options out there, it would be a case of "Paralysis by Analysis". David had some time with ZOOM in a different context, so was comfortable with it and took the bull by the horns, we've got it.
Don't know if National could get a corporate service plan for any of the companies you wanted feed-back on, and Chapters could buy their version at a reduced "Affiliate" rate from National rather than paying retail. The intention being that National would be able to recoup the cost, not go into debt as a service provider. We went with the subscription because the
free ZOOM package limited the time to 40 (!) minutes and, if memory serves me correctly, 25 "meeting" attendees.
This is the path we are taking, hope this gives the audience more information on why we took it. A tip o' the hat to David for his leadership in this.
Robert Gordon
NAWCC Chapter 31 President
