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Google's Meet has improved considerably and most importantly it comes free with G-Suite. They are also pushing it quite hard as every calendar invite has a Google Meet link automatically included.

The reason that people went with Zoom is "because it worked." As other products improve it's hard to see what Zoom's moat is and why we should continue to pay for it.



> The reason that people went with Zoom is "because it worked." As other products improve it's hard to see what Zoom's moat is and why we should continue to pay for it.

Ironically, I would say Google Meet defines "it just works" for me way more than does Zoom.

Joining a Google Meet:

1. Enter the URL in your browser.

2. Click join.

Joining a Zoom:

1. Enter the URL in your browser.

2. Accept launching an executable.

3. Watch a window or two pop up and close.

4. Decide if you're using video or not.

5. Watch more windows pop up and close.

6. See the main Zoom window appear.

7. Decide if you're using audio or not.

Perhaps part of my beef with Zoom is how many times its window shuffling steals focus during the several seconds needed to join a meeting. If I'm trying to get work done while waiting for a meeting to start, the focus stealing is very obnoxious.


Joining a BigBlueButton/Jitsi meeting:

1. Enter the URL in your browser.

2. Choose a nickname or log in.

3. Click join.

4. Decide if you're using video or not.

5. See a video test.

6. Decide if you're using audio or not.

7. See an audio test.

(steps 5 and 7 are absent in a Jitsi meeting)


It's not necessary for everyone to have a Google account?


"You don't need a Google Account to participate in Meet video meetings. However, if you don’t have a Google Account, the meeting organizer or someone from the organization must grant you access to the meeting."

https://support.google.com/meet/answer/9303069




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