improve online meeting experience for members/wgs

[benoitc]

this is a followup to #19

As per discussions and feedback around we would like to solve the following

1. conflict schedule: we're growing, running out of room for meeting times that do not conflict between WGs
2. we have some issues to identify the events on the schedule per wg. We should also manage who can be an host.

Other features that could be added:

• transcriptions
• allows people external to a WG to join a meeting if this meeting is open: maintain a calendar?

Possible solutions:

1. As suggested in Upgrade to zoom business #19 we can upgrade to another level of Zoom and asked for a non-profit discount
2. An alternative would be using an opensource and free self-hosted solution. We tested Jitsi on the platform maintained by the french organisation Erlang Connect which worked well. Other solutions are possible like BigBlueButton.

Let list Pro/Cons of solutions in comments. If you see another alternative please add a a comment. Would be nice also to propose a way to test it.

[benoitc]

One obvious Pro of using Zoom is that we already have an account on Zoom so it's "just" a matter of increasing our level on it. The question to solve is how we can manage hosts, and conflict schedule on it? Also do we want to increase our dependency on Zoom?

An alternative to it would be using a self-hosted solution and independent solution.

I'm in favour of using Jitsi which is already used by the Erlang-Connect org and is opensource. Jitsi is also sponsored by 8x8 which sponsored in the past some Erlang events.

Jitsi allows the following:

• create easilt any events, it is just a matter of creating a link and add some protections to it. (password, intial screen...)
• Transcriptions / Recording is also possible
• Live events redirected to youtube live (and possibly other services) is also possible
• No need to install extra software
• Apps for mobile phones are possible

Also and for me it's really a plus compared to zoom (which hasn't a good record on this topic), Jitsi is really taking care about security and privacy since a long time.

I would be in favour of testing Jitsi amonbg working groups and members as a possible alternative for meetings while keeping Zoom at this current level for now. I already setup the platform for Erlang-Connect. All what we need is maybe add a videobridge in north america zone to improve the UX.

[peerst]

I'm for shelfing this discussion until we have all important things solved (like calling sponsors, all the tools we need and don't have yet etc etc etc).

We are all doubling in our roles in the EEF and most of us have too much to do anyway. Spending time on this takes away time for other tasks. And we need to sum the time for everyone who needs to adapt to a new tool.

If we run out of Zoom slots buy another slot which is pretty affordable.

[benoitc]

If we run out of Zoom slots buy another slot which is pretty affordable.

I am not disagreeing.

As of today we can also do both, the Erlang Connect Jitsi platfoorm is here for some time, so we can let people use and test it without using much energy :) Access will be protected soon, so a need list of possible hosts will be needed but other than that nothing will be added to the list of tasks. If needed a video bridge can be added for a cost of 15 € / month. That may something to enter in the balance.