If you haven’t started a video meeting you might think its scary for lots of reasons… but its easier & safer than making tea. It can be done for free & done one handed & instantly (No falling or scolding risk either)
A Simple way to Start
i’ll start with the simplest “how to” - so i’ll leave out the options
–IF you ever need them more details are in a ‘reply’ with why they might be useful
the simplest way to start a meet with 1 or more people is click the link to go to https://meet.jit.si/
Ignore all download app or install extension messages (For now)
– (more facilities but i’m giving you the simplest way to start)
Type any name for the meeting
– for example ChatWithSimon in the box (no spaces and case does’nt matter but is more readable if you capitalise words) Click “Start Meeting”
–the 1st time you’ll have to say yes to allow microphone & should probably say yes to camera and you are asked to give screen-name which you can ignore or just make-up eg. anon (you can change it later)
Tell everyone else to do the same and included your meetingName and when to join. You’ll all be in the same video call
–If anyone uses a phone or tablet then when it wants to download the app the easiest way is to select “Launch in web” and ignore any other options
you’ll be chatting in minutes
If you pick a really simple meetingName like “meeting” it will probably already be in use & you’ll either join it or be asked for a password so longer names are likely to be unique eg SimonsStrokeGroupChat or similar if someone uninvited joins your meeting and doesn’t immediately leave then just end the meeting (explaining how to prevent them joining, or just kicking them out is in a ‘reply’ in this topic but this is the simple how-to
Google meets is a tiny bit more complicated (explained in a replybelow) Zoom is a more complicated again (also explained in a reply with more sophisticated options like integrations for games, translation for multi-lingual or aphasia support & more )
and
there are many many more programs available. Ill give google and zoom in some ‘replies’ below and maybe over time i’ll explain others - there are useful facilities in many
one other thought - there are a lot of “Video Chat with random people” apps & sites. Ive not explored at all yet but i’ll bet money most are ‘spicy’. Possibly dangerous. But i’ll also bet money that there will be some that are suited to our needs such as folk who are house bound or have other particular interests - any one want to join in an explore?
if you want help im on +44 (0) 7768 215 335 & simon@logicalmodel.net or a message me here on M_S_G
I didn’t do the follow-ups and I’ve ignored this thread for a long time. If anyone is interested in how to get Google meets or Zoom or further features of jitsi then reply here and I’ll add them .
I’ll probably had them anyway but it’s likely to be a bit quicker if you ask
If you’re interested in joining the cafes that Louis and I run on Thursdays and see this link
Thankyou Simon, your follow up has come at a most opportune time. I was trying to think of the best way/most economical way for getting touch with @DeAnn.
I was considering using WhatsApp, I think it has video call functionality but mostly I use it for messaging friends and family. Think I’ll get my son to sort something out tonight, god knows, we have enough cast off laptops laying around, one of must be good enough for video calls Better than holding the mobile, the poor woman would probably end up looking at cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling or something
Great
Jit.si and thousands of others are so easy to use and immediate. Zoom was just the heavyweight corporate solution that made less marketing blunders than Skype as Microsoft tried to integrate it into teams when COVID struck. those solutions are all corporate heavyweights and for just calling you your friends and family other solutions are far superior .
@DeAnn was going to come along to the cafe today but I guess she was catching up on her sleep because she was posting when I got up at 8:00 UK time which must be about 3:00 a.m. for her.
if you speak to her tonight wish her well from those of us who were on the call and tell her there is a ‘seat at the table’ whenever she is up for it
Google meets is also a good platform to use with a lot less over learning curve than zoom because it doesn’t have the hundreds of options controlling almost an exhaustible supply of different functionalities. But you have to be prepared to let Mr Google know a lot about you by having a login and that isn’t everybody’s cup of tea
thank you for this update. I now have you bookmarked. I had a heck of a time trying to find the group overnight just to find the time…although I truly get sidetracked constantly…my lack of focus and attention to almost anything since stroke has pros and cons but getting important things done is probably the worst for me. On a better note, I did get some of my email cleaned out and some online ‘window’ shopping done. Thankfully, I kept my newly acquired Impulsivity under control…barely. Whew…hard work! This chaotic way of doing things is rough on a formerly much more regimented person.
The other post, the cafe post, uses the forum feature of a recurring meeting date and times in that post.
It will always be correct for the next meeting when you look at it - that is the dates & times will update each time the meeting moves on
I second this motion! @EmeraldEyes. I would love to see and hear you in the Zoom. I understand it could be hard for you. I am uncertain of the reason. For me now it is that I often forget how to get to it. But everyone is helpful in getting me in and giving instruction when needed. Pre covid, I was nervous about how I look and sound on video. During Covid, I carefully checked to ensure the video was not facing up my nose, and the camera was high enough to make me lift my chin so there would be no double chins. Post stroke, I couldn’t care less. Everyone has seen the chin(s), my uncombed hair, my messy bedroom, and the clothes I have slept in. Not one had sneered at me yet. Come have a chat with us. We love you.
Oh it has nothing to do with how I look, or how I position the camera so you don’t see up my nose or the cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling. Come to think of it, that’s actually on my current list of things to do…might as well dust the list while I’m at it
It’s not that I don’t want to join you all, it’s more a matter of coaxing the brain to dip its mental toes into that end of the pool of technology without my brain unravelling. It has a tendency to scramble whenever it comes to the unfamiliar or out of the norm. When that happens, I can’t think straight, I then start to trip over my tongue and words begin to fail me…quite literally Then it takes me 10 times longer to get to the point. And I don’t relish the subsequent brain squeeze I’ll get after
The beauty about that train journey I took to my sister’s last month, was that I didn’t have to talk to anyone the whole way there apart from checking the direction of a platform. Coming home I did manage to converse with one person for all of 5 minutes before he got off at his stop
My last connection home was cancelled and my brain started to unravel. I couldn’t figure out how to get across a familiar town to get a train at another station. Instead I just phoned my hubby and he came to pick me up
So if/when I do venture into the zoom meet, you probably won’t get much out of me as I sit there holding together the ball of wool that is my brain to avoid it unravelling. I wonder, maybe I should start carrying a ball of wool around with me, see if I can trick my brain into thinking it’s perfectly fine
Anyway, that’s what a stroke brain with Aphasia does for me
I hope I didn’t cause you any stress in the asking. I didn’t mean to, it is just that we all think so highly of you.
I do understand. My aphasia shows up when we meet sometimes. I usually just say my goodbyes or sit for a listen. One person comes often but doesn’t talk, perhaps for the same reason. I Zoom to Sunday meeting since I don’t drive (meeting=Quaker fellowship). Some people join but don’t allow their camera, so we can’t see them. Anyway, maybe one day you will feel up to it. Just know we love you.
Oh heck no, you didn’t cause me stress at all, far from it, so you needn’t worry.
It’s just something else I need to overcome, and I will, it’s just not a priority
One day I’ll have a brain fart and it’ll come right and I’ll be on the zoom calls with you all.
I bet then you’ll all be saying “that’s the best darn sleep I’ve had since I had my stroke”
And you all be booking me to help put you to sleep at a descent time of night instead
I think I might actually be joining you all in the zoom cafe tomorrow after all
My daughter was just asking…again…when I was going to get around to doing it So she has just gone and set me up on her ipad (zoom already installed) and said she’ll be close by if everything goes pear shaped for me
Right, now I think I need another cup of tea before I look at a few more posts
It was so very good to see you. We don’t usually stick around as long as today, and generally have even more laughs. Honestly, today was a bit long for me, especially after getting out last night, but loved seeing you all. Hope you will come back again and definitely follow your own limitations, as you probably noticed most of us doing. Generally we don’t meet for more than 40 minutes to an hour.
Hi
Sorry for not replying earlier - I was banned for a month by admin without right of reply a 1,000 yrs of Habeas Corpus but not here - still unresolved
Anytime you want to chat please coordinate yr selves & make use of the link https://bit.ly/StrokeThuCafes to facilitate
We’ll continue to treat Thu pm as drop-in … turnup & leave when u want eg @Chlodog arrived at 1530uk (1030 local) yesterday
Glad u made it @EmeraldEyes hopefully you’ll meet w/ the family more too and then your heed will adjust to it more - we missed you @DeAnn but trust you were looking after your self there were 9 of us for most of the time discussing anxiety, sunshine, peer & self help the state of the health service & the forum & I don’t remember what else
Better than holding the mobile, the poor woman would probably end up looking at cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling or something 
Then it takes me 10 times longer to get to the point. And I don’t relish the subsequent brain squeeze I’ll get after 
apart from checking the direction of a platform. Coming home I did manage to converse with one person for all of 5 minutes before he got off at his stop 
