Google Meet as an alternative to Zoom

Google Meet as an alternative to Zoom

Due to political and other reasons many people are weaning away from using Zoom as the preferred platform for video conferences and online meetings. Google Meet is emerging as an alternative. Here are some details.

Google Meet is actually a part of Gsuite, a fee based service for educational institutions and companies. Others who are having just Google accounts, say gmail, are also allowed to use free basic version of Google Meet with some limitations.

Google Meet is free for an hour long meeting for basic plan where no payment is involved.

You need to have a google account, say gmail if you want to join a meeting. You need a laptop or a PC, smartphone, OR ipad  with internet connection. Microphone and speakers and camera are essential. It will be a video meeting where all participants  can be seen. Smartphone is convenient as it has audio and video built in.  Persons using Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari browsers will have no problems. If you are using Internet Explorer, please download “Google Video Support plugin or App” from Play Store.  If using smartphone, downloading Google Meet APP will be useful but not essential. Headphone with in built microphone  is also very useful. If speakers on your pc or laptop are of low sound you may attach external speakers.

Even Gmail only users can also start or host a meeting. Such a host has certain advantages. He has to send the meeting ID to all whom he wants to participate. This may be done via WhatsApp, SMS, Email etc. Anyone so invited can join the meeting by clicking the link having meeting ID. 

Meeting participants may speak, chat using text messages among themselves and share their screen. The last one is very useful. You can share a tab from your browser. For instance you may run a short video from YouTube so that everyone can watch it. From your computer you can make a PowerPoint presentation.   Sharing a tab from your browser automatically turns on the audio playing if any.  One might turn captions on: this makes a running narration of the speech in text format on the screen. Those having hearing problem may benefit by this.

To get started go to https://meet.google.com Click Start a meeting. Then invite friends who are free. Learn by exploring options on the screen one by one. Happy online meetings!

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knowledge Nugget - Copy paste from websites

How to copy / paste from difficult web pages?

Generally when I spot an interesting story or news item to be circulated among friends in my groups, I do a select, copy & paste job. Before sending an email of the story, I prefer removing pictures, advertisements and giving a clean "text only" copy in a comfortable font size. I make sure that the complete URL linking to the original source is always included. Some websites will prevent you from doing a select, copy and paste operation. For example when you try Times of India newspaper, it will allow you to do 'copy and paste' but the end result will be just a link to the web page! This is frustrating. 

To circumvent TOI from preventing me copy / paste, I have a browser plugin called "Enable Right Click". On any page where websites prevent me from copy paste I use this plugin. 

Often a website may present advertisements that will obscure the main text. In order to remove all unwanted extras and read only the main text I use another browser plugin called "Just Read". Plain text is presented to you in a new window. You can do a select copy and paste operation from here. 

In the case of images / photos / pdf files copy / paste may not work. Selecting the text part may be difficult. In such cases I use "Snipping tool" to select a portion of the screen to be converted to an image (jpg) and saved on my disk. 

Most tricky and treacherous to handle web pages come from the Express group of publications.   I am calling them treacherous because, even a careless mouse over some unwanted space on your screen will lead you to some useless advertiser. There are still a few websites that I haven't figured out how to tackle them. More, as I learn. For now, bye. 

Dr P Vyasamoorthy
30 Gruhalakshmi colony Secunderabad 500015
040-29552016 / 09490804278 / 8179386472

Confidence and stupidity are a very dangerous combination, but they often go together.

Overhearing is good

Overhearing is good

Many people think that overhearing others’ conversation is bad or bad manners. There are two types of overhearing: one is intentional and purposeful and the other is accidental. I feel that both types of overhearing are beneficial.

I was walking in the bazaar. A flower vendor was sitting at the entrance to a temple nearby.  I heard someone telling another: “Hey, we haven’t yet bought coconut”. That reminded to buy betel leaves, unticked on my shopping list. On the other day, I heard someone asking another: “Have you read Somu’s letter carefully?” I was reminded of posting a letter I had written, stamped and was ready to be posted. Almost every now and then, I overhear conversations among my neighbors, reminding me to collect water; water is supplied once in three or four days and it precious!

All the above are accidental overhearing: I happen to be around when somebody is talking to somebody else. Overhearing telephonic conversations is interesting, intriguing and entertaining. You keep guessing who is at the other end. If someone known to you is mentioned you get curious. What could have been the provocation? Knowing about others’ misfortunes is comforting. Listening to rants is amusing as you are not involved.  Mobile phones with walking-talking men are great entertainers: they cannot blame you for overhearing.

Once I was invited for lunch by a friend. I reached his house somewhat early. Hesitating to enter I was debating if I should while away time elsewhere or brave myself to ring the bell and go in. Just then I heard my friend’s wife say:” Your friend is likely to come any time. He has the habit of walking right into the kitchen. Don’t dare and let him do that. Kitchen is utterly messy. Catch him and keep him engaged in the veranda or hall. If you must get out, let chintu keep company with ‘uncle’ etc etc

I was shocked at the revelation and retreated. I went back again dot on appointed time.  That incident helped me know a bit about myself.

Overall, overhearing is good. It depends upon how you take it and use it. People who are hard of hearing have no dilemma at all. They are blessed by nature.

What is your take on this topic, based on your experience?

Parukkai - a gain of cooked rice

Parukkai  - a grain of cooked rice

This Tamil Short Film depicts the intensity of poverty after the sudden death of the husband of a poor hut dweller having two kids to feed. Immediately, for the first thirteen days after death, neighbors provide some food, taking turns. Thereafter she has no money, nor job nor any stock of rice. Her efforts to get a job are disappointing. The boy also tries but no one would give him a job. She squeezes every drop milk out of her own breasts to keep the younger one alive, letting herself and first child starve. The story stops at the elder one asking:  "Ma, can I die so that both of you will have food from neighbors for a few days?" Very touching. You may call it a silent movie as there is very little dialogue. So language does not matter.

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Three big mistakes to avoid during online meeting

Three Big Mistakes to avoid while watching online meetings, webinar or a class

The author, Mr Anant Kasibhatla, gives three tips to get maximum out of attending online classes like webinars meetings etc

1. Don't think: It is just an online meeting.  This flippant attitude makes you a back-bencher, prompting you to do things because speaker can not see you. Take it seriously. 

2. Don't indulge in other activities like checking mail, catching up with WhatsApp etc. You won't be able to follow the speaker fully. Distractions must be avoided

3. Not being ready with pen and paper for taking notes. Taking notes and reviewing it at the end of the day is important to strengthen / retain what you learnt. 

I am happy I am aware of and am following points 1 & 3. Point 2 I need to follow consciousely from now on. I can add another tip if the webinar is video based and permits you to be seen along with other participants. You can find out who else is attending, talk to them later to clarify doubts or exchange views. Now that you are visible you will be alert about your presence, make yourself presentable and be more attentive.

Here is the Video for you to see to come up with your own conclusions:

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Conscience - Short Film - Tamil

Manam - mind - (Conscience)


One of the recent Tamil Short Films that I enjoyed thoroughly. A poor college student does food delivery on part time basis to sustain his mother and sister living in ooty. He hires a bike daily. Friends suggest that if he buys a bike he can save lot of money. When he delivers food for an old woman, happens to see a purse containing rs one lakh on the floor while returning after delivery. Takes it. hides it. talks to a two wheeler dealer and inquires about new bikes, prices, models etc and decides to buy one next day. But his conscience pricks him. Goes back to the old woman apologizes and returns the purse. How the old woman handles the issue is marvelous. Fantastic story.