Fred Stluka via plug on 30 Apr 2020 18:13:57 -0700


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Re: [PLUG] Fwd: Zoom 

Yes, you can use Zoom directly from a browser.  No need to install
an app or a browser plugin.  The trick is to allow it to start the
download, but then click Cancel when your browser asks whether
to Save or Open the downloaded file.

My notes:

I plan to write this up and send to my Internet Users mailing
list and perhaps my newly created Coronavirus Info list.  Soon,
but haven't gotten to it yet.  If you want to subscribe to any
of my lists, see my invite page:
- http://bristle.com/invite.htm

Basically, when someone sends you a link to a Zoom webinar:
- Click the link.
- At the signup screen that appears, create an account at
   Zoom.us. Requires an email, birth date (fake is fine), and make
   up a new password.
- Click link in the email it sends you to authorize the account
- Go back and click the link for the webinar again
- At "Webinar Registration" page, enter name, email, etc. and
   click "Join Webinar In Progress"
- Click "download & run Zoom" (trust me!)
- This causes the server to start sending the download file
   to your browser
- That causes your browser to prompt you for whether to
   Open or Save

- Click Cancel instead of Open or Save     <====!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- The Zoom web server sees that the download has failed
- The Zoom server finally offers you a "join from your browser"
   link
- Click the "join from your browser" link
- Click "Join Audio by Computer"
- Watch/hear the webinar

Just the past couple days, I've been playing with Jitsi Meet
which seems to work great.  Browser-based shared desktop,
audio, and video, with no install and no plugins.  See my
summary here, where I propose it as an alternative to join.me
that I'd been using for almost a decade:
- http://bristle.com/Tips/Internet.htm#join_me

But in this case, I had no choice but to use Zoom,  I was
attending a 2-day virtual computer conference and they were
broadcasting the talks via Zoom.

HTH,
--Fred
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred Stluka
Bristle Software, Inc.
http://bristle.com 		#DontBeATrump #SadLittleDonny
#ShakeOffTheTrumpStink
#MakeAmericaHonorableAgain
http://MakeAmericaHonorableAgain.us/TrumpCountdown.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 4/26/20 11:38 AM, David Collins via plug wrote:
I missed that creating an account was a sticking point. You're right that you still have to create an account and login. One way around that would be to use a throwaway email account just for Zoom. I'm pretty sure you do not actually need the Chrome extension to join calls. Their UI seems deliberately designed to make it difficult to join with just the browser. It keeps pushing their client software and extension. But I have joined a Zoom call with audio without using their extension. 

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Wednesday, April 22, 2020 3:48 PM, Keith C. Perry via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org> wrote:
The very first thing I tried was to see if I could install the Zoom Chrome plug-in while in guest mode on my Chromebook.  That would have been brilliant but I think I was just in denial when I tried it since you can't install extensions in guest mode and I'm pretty sure I knew that LOL.  I certainly wasn't going to associate Zoom with my gmail account and making one just for Zoom was equally unpalatable. 

You mentioned Firefox though and I didn't realize it worked with that...

***testing with Lubuntu 19.04 Desktop Live CD***
...ugh, they want you to sign-in with Google or another account.  Looks like the documentation is exactly correct for both Chrome and FF.
"The Zoom Extension for Browsers allows you to start or schedule your Zoom meeting with a single click from your browser or within Google calendar."
No mention of "join" (like it says for the androidOS and Linux apps) so unless you have an account, the browser option would not work. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Keith C. Perry, MS E.E.
Managing Member, DAO Technologies LLC
(O) +1.215.525.4165 x2033
(M) +1.215.432.5167
www.daotechnologies.com <http://www.daotechnologies.com/>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*From: *"Eric Lucas via plug" <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
*To: *"Philadelphia Linux User's Group Discussion List" <plug@lists.phillylinux.org> 
*Sent: *Wednesday, April 22, 2020 2:42:27 PM
*Subject: *Re: [PLUG] Fwd: Zoom
I could not get Zoom to work in KUbuntu with Chrome, Chromium, Firefox, or Iridium. I'll probably try out Qubes on one of the unused desktop systems I have sitting around here. One thing I don't need is a computer system that requires hours of configuration to do a simple task so I must test it out first. 
Also, I love KDE.

Eric
On Wed, Apr 22, 2020 at 2:03 PM David Collins via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>> wrote: 

    One possible compromise (I apologize if this was already
    mentioned) is to use Zoom only in a browser. It appears to
    support all of its major functionality using a current web
    browser. This isn't as good as fully isolating it using a VM or
    live boot but still better than just installing the Zoom binary
    client. The browser sandboxing is standing between Zoom and your
    actual system. For slightly better protection you could create a
    separate browser profile used only for Zoom. Or run the browser
    in a totally separate user account used only for Zoom. This would
    be a middle ground in the tradeoff between security and
    convenience if you have to use Zoom.

    ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
    On Wednesday, April 22, 2020 9:36 AM, Keith C. Perry via plug
    <plug@lists.phillylinux.org <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>>
    wrote:

    > If were doing multiple calls a day or something regular I would
    just leave it up or grab something old out of inventory to
    dedicate. Being as safe as possible is more important to me than
    being comfortable so I don't mind the steps. Ultimately I need to
    figure out why the cam is not being picked up in virtualization.
    That would be preferred solution.
    >
    > I don't have normal video conferencing use for business so this
    is my solution for the people who just won't stop using Zoom and
    I can't so no to attending. Other solutions I use from my regular
    system.
    >
    > ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    > Keith C. Perry, MS E.E.
    > Managing Member, DAO Technologies LLC
    > (O) +1.215.525.4165 x2033
    > (M) +1.215.432.5167
    > www.daotechnologies.com <http://www.daotechnologies.com>
    >
    > ----- Original Message -----
    > From: "Walt Mankowski via plug" plug@lists.phillylinux.org
    <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
    > To: plug@lists.phillylinux.org <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
    > Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 8:12:20 PM
    > Subject: Re: [PLUG] Fwd: Zoom
    >
    > Keith,
    >
    > To be clear, you go through all these steps every single time
    you use
    > Zoom? We use BlueJeans at work and I'm averaging 2-3 calls a
    day. I'm
    > glad it's working for you, but personally I'd go insane if I
    had to go
    > through all this prep for every meeting.
    >
    > Walt
    >
    > On Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 05:58:23PM -0400, Keith C. Perry via
    plug wrote:
    >
    > > My solution to using Zoom has been to make a "ghost" system.
    Basically, I boot a Live CD (Lubuntu is my goto) completely into
    ram (not necessary but I like not having the USB stick hanging
    out). I keep the Zoom (and Skype for that matter) on my storage
    network so once the system is up, I umount everything, remove the
    USB stick then connect to the storage network to install Zoom. I
    create an account and switch over to it. Get the Zoom meeting ID,
    password and I'm good to go. When done, I just shutdown since
    everything was in RAM.
    > > Someone with a Zoom account help me test yesterday- 3+ hours
    later, the only thing that had happened was that my mic dropped
    out for some unknown reason. Just has to manually put the level
    up and turn off the auto adjustment.
    > > I don't want to use Zoom but since everything else requires
    accounts and Jitsi Meet isn't in the know, this is my way around
    the situation.
    > > BTW, this should work in virtualization too which is what I
    initially tried but for so reason, I'm having an issue with the
    system recognizing my cam when I pass it through. I going to play
    with that more because then I could just keep a VM for Zoom or Skype.
    > > ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    > > Keith C. Perry, MS E.E.
    > > Managing Member, DAO Technologies LLC
    > > (O) +1.215.525.4165 x2033
    > > (M) +1.215.432.5167
    > > www.daotechnologies.com <http://www.daotechnologies.com>
    > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > From: "jeff via plug" plug@lists.phillylinux.org
    <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
    > > To: "Philadelphia Linux User's Group Discussion List"
    plug@lists.phillylinux.org <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>,
    "Philadelphia Linux User's Group Discussion List"
    plug@lists.phillylinux.org <mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
    > > Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 5:26:58 PM
    > > Subject: Re: [PLUG] Fwd: Zoom
    > > Zoom is still wonderful, esp to the people who don't know better.
    > > When we were done with a Webex call, it stays huge, then started
    > > displaying stuff from address books and calendars. Teams is
    so huge that
    > > it needs its own monitor. Definitely more solid than Skype.
    Also didn't
    > > shrink to usable levels.
    > > This sounds like an unaired Python (Monty) episode:
    > > Hello, this is Ministry of Making Software You Can't Use
    because it's
    > > Bloody huge. How can I help you?
    > > Sir, it's about this program from Microsoft...
    > > Not YOU too. If I didn't have 7.5 hours of Microsoft
    complaints, I could
    > > get something done around here. They call me when I'm in the
    loo. I see
    > > the logos in my sleep.
    > > I'm sorry- is this the Ministry of Making Software You Can't Use
    > > because it's Bloody huge.
    > > Absolutely.
    > > Ooh, I was hoping you were it. I can't get anything done,
    because I
    > > can't shrink the software past a certain point. And the
    design might've
    > > been done by monkeys on coke. Do you have any copies of Teams?
    > > Sorry, Sir, usually arrives Tuesday.
    > > No matter. Skype?
    > > Fresh out of it, Sir.
    > > Leisure Suit Larry?
    > > Nope.
    > > I hear there's a great sale on Zoom.
    > >
    '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
    > > Vermin Supreme and the Flying Spaghetti Monster - vote
    wisely, vote often
    > > MALA - Make America Libertarian Again
    > >
    > > Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
    > > Announcements -
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
    > > General Discussion --
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
    > >
    > > Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
    > > Announcements -
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
    > > General Discussion --
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
    >
    > Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
    > Announcements -
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
    > General Discussion --
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
    >
    > Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
    > Announcements -
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
    > General Discussion --
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug


    ___________________________________________________________________________
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    Announcements -
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
    General Discussion  --
    http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug


___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --  http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce 
General Discussion  -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug



___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug


___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug