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I don't want to imply too much here, but I'm surprised by all the people here saying Zoom "just works" whenever Zoom is mentioned. It's a recurring mantra. I'v

I don't want to imply too much here, but I'm surprised by all the people here saying Zoom "just works" whenever Zoom is mentioned. It's a recurring mantra. I've had various really annoying issues (completely blank settings windows, sound devices not getting recognized or used properly, crashes). All of these I've experienced both historically and during the past month. Neither Ubuntu, Arch or NixOS, all on three different laptop models, have been free of show-stopping issues. When a customer wants to use Zoom for a call, it's been about 50/50 that we can do the call without issues. I just find it suspicious that all the top comments are "it just works" when my experience has been the complete opposite, in various environments. So far Google Meet and Whereby (formerly Appear.in) have been the least hassle-free in my experience (probably due to being web-based). Looking forward to trying Jitsi when I have the time and inclination, it looks really promising.

JamesG124 6y ago
What is the implication you are trying to cancel with "I don't want to imply too much here"?
reagular 6y ago
I like linux myself a lot. But you can't build your opinion on the software based on their linux version.
- mnw21cam 6y ago
  Yes. Yes, you absolutely can.
  - adjkant 6y ago
    Not if you're assessing comments like "it just works". Zoom making their software badly on Linux is 100% in line with the company. They aren't aiming for good design, they are aiming for the nontechnical user using out of the box windows or MacOS.
    - mnw21cam 6y ago
      If you're assessing comments like "it just works", then there are two possibilities. Either it works for you, at which point you have more anecdata, or it doesn't work for you, at which point you have a refutation. This is the same, regardless of whether you are using the Linux version or any other version. FWIW, the Linux version works fine for me, with a couple of niggles. The most annoying of which is that the software turns the headphone volume up to maximum at the start of every call.
      - adjkant 6y ago
        I think the part of the equation missing here is that you don't just have anecdata, you have data that more or less applies to most cases of your specific OS + Browser + other relevant customizations. If you have a highly customized system, you're simply more likely to experience issues from edge cases, yes. That data is also much less reflective of the average user. No, it's not hard scientific data with a p-value. But IMO it's important to not simply write away all experience as anecdote not data without contextualizing the relevancy of the anecdata in question. I have seen way too many HN comments that look at usability and don't realize how specific their situation is that causes their issue. That and of course their complaints not being relevant/visible to the typical end user.
- lostgame 6y ago
  Was about to say this. I was with the OP through to ‘I tried it on three computers,’ and when they specified the OS on those computers were three variants of •nix, I laughed a little. A much, much more fair/reasonable comparison would’ve been the three computers running three different Operating Systems, of course. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I’m sorry, if you’re on •nix, if commercial software exists for it, count your lucky stars a build even exists - and also remember you are exponentially insignificant compared to all other platforms. You will not get the same standard of support and they probably can’t justify dedicating too many more resources to it if you have issues. You represent a drop or two of water in the dozen gallons of daily users. I’m shocked there’s even a •nix client. Good on them for making an effort, even. (Not that I’d be caught dead with Zoom on my computer, it seems scarier than Google from a privacy perspective!)
- qppo 6y ago
  I'm going to build my opinion on the software on whatever version they claim is officially supported for my machine. If they don't want to do a good job supporting the OS I run then don't support it, or call the support a beta version and have an easy user flow to get to the web client or something. Otherwise yea, I'm going to call a spade a spade and say it's bad software when it doesn't work as intended as an official release on an officially supported target.
consonaut 6y ago
Out of curiosity, why did/do you not use the Zoom web version? I haven't tried their linux client but if it sucks there is an alternative. The "it just works" crowd probably uses mostly Windows/Mac OS, iOS/Android or the web version. Getting the join by browser link apparently can be an issues but at least in the edu account I manage there is an admin setting to always provide the join with browser link.
- Legogris 6y ago
  How recent is that? Whenever I try any link it insists on triggering xdg-open to the doggarn qt client.
  - consonaut 6y ago
    The site will always try to trigger the registered protocol handler but couldn't you just block the handler?
- fock 6y ago
  well, whatever the linux client does, the browser client sucks really hard...
ZitchDog 6y ago
I haven't found a better solution for large meetings (> 50 participants.) Jitsi killed my CPU when I got over 5. Is there something as good as zoom (performance, easy to invite/join) out there for large meetings?
- scoot_718 6y ago
  Sure, just have every person stream the meeting on twitch and use a multi-stream client. All the privacy and security of Zoom.
- samcheng 6y ago
  We had a 50 person meeting yesterday on Google Meet and it seemed to work just fine. Most people had their video off, though.
- GordonS 6y ago
  I've used Webex with around 30 people, and it worked just fine (before COVID mostly with video, more recently with only a few using video).
- notechback 6y ago
  Have weekly Jitsi calls with ~15-20 people. 1-2 have occasional problems, otherwise it's been great
chintan 6y ago
Zoom for Ubuntu client works perfectly fine. Been using for past 4 months on Ubuntu 18.04 Yesterday our team gave a shot to Google Meet but it does not allow screen sharing on Firefox (seems IE6 errr Chrome only feature)
- Legogris 6y ago
  I feel you, what I do is use chromium specifically for that and nothing else. Interesting that you didn't face the Zoom issues I did though. I wonder what gives.
- SiempreViernes 6y ago
  I have consistent crashes in zoom if I try to manage a participant (put on hold, mute, etc) as they disconnect, but at least I can get back on fairly quickly. The other one I have for enterprise reasons is Vibe, and starting that beast up is a "five minute notice" affair.
- Wowfunhappy 6y ago
  Huh, I'm able to screen share via Google Meet on Firefox! Running OS X 10.9.
- jvanvleet 6y ago
  I agree. Been using Zoom for Ubuntu and it "just works".
fock 6y ago
so seems, like I'm not the only one finding the Zoom experience lacking: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23012749 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23012749 And yeah, it's quite funny, how noone proposting has a measured opinion, it's always: Zoom's by far the best... (and being in education, it seems like around 50% of my course participants are joining Zoom on mobile, because it won't work on their computer...) As for alternatives: all are sh* in one way or another (try Jitsi with Chrome please, then it works great!, I know of a local LUG which outright bans non-Blink on their instance....). I use it now, because admininstration says it's fine (and discord is equally horrible from a privacy standpoint)
- shim__ 6y ago
  There are alternatives provided that you don't need video. Mumble and Teamspeak have a proven trackrecord on all platforms and work even with the shittiest of internet connections.
Wowfunhappy 6y ago
Have you tried the desktop app on a Windows or macOS machine? I don't mean to imply that you shouldn't use Linux or that the Linux version shouldn't work—but if you're using an uncommon platform, that might be why you're having uncommon issues.
- pmart123 6y ago
  I've had similar issues trying to use the Windows app and Apple app.
Topgamer7 6y ago
Zoom has worked near flawlessly for me running Manjaro (i3wm) for 1.5 years now. What were the three laptop models you used? Were they all similar?

JamesG124 6y ago

What is the implication you are trying to cancel with "I don't want to imply too much here"?

reagular 6y ago

I like linux myself a lot. But you can't build your opinion on the software based on their linux version.

mnw21cam 6y ago
Yes. Yes, you absolutely can.
- adjkant 6y ago
  Not if you're assessing comments like "it just works". Zoom making their software badly on Linux is 100% in line with the company. They aren't aiming for good design, they are aiming for the nontechnical user using out of the box windows or MacOS.
  - mnw21cam 6y ago
    If you're assessing comments like "it just works", then there are two possibilities. Either it works for you, at which point you have more anecdata, or it doesn't work for you, at which point you have a refutation. This is the same, regardless of whether you are using the Linux version or any other version. FWIW, the Linux version works fine for me, with a couple of niggles. The most annoying of which is that the software turns the headphone volume up to maximum at the start of every call.
    - adjkant 6y ago
      I think the part of the equation missing here is that you don't just have anecdata, you have data that more or less applies to most cases of your specific OS + Browser + other relevant customizations. If you have a highly customized system, you're simply more likely to experience issues from edge cases, yes. That data is also much less reflective of the average user. No, it's not hard scientific data with a p-value. But IMO it's important to not simply write away all experience as anecdote not data without contextualizing the relevancy of the anecdata in question. I have seen way too many HN comments that look at usability and don't realize how specific their situation is that causes their issue. That and of course their complaints not being relevant/visible to the typical end user.
lostgame 6y ago
Was about to say this. I was with the OP through to ‘I tried it on three computers,’ and when they specified the OS on those computers were three variants of •nix, I laughed a little. A much, much more fair/reasonable comparison would’ve been the three computers running three different Operating Systems, of course. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I’m sorry, if you’re on •nix, if commercial software exists for it, count your lucky stars a build even exists - and also remember you are exponentially insignificant compared to all other platforms. You will not get the same standard of support and they probably can’t justify dedicating too many more resources to it if you have issues. You represent a drop or two of water in the dozen gallons of daily users. I’m shocked there’s even a •nix client. Good on them for making an effort, even. (Not that I’d be caught dead with Zoom on my computer, it seems scarier than Google from a privacy perspective!)
qppo 6y ago
I'm going to build my opinion on the software on whatever version they claim is officially supported for my machine. If they don't want to do a good job supporting the OS I run then don't support it, or call the support a beta version and have an easy user flow to get to the web client or something. Otherwise yea, I'm going to call a spade a spade and say it's bad software when it doesn't work as intended as an official release on an officially supported target.

consonaut 6y ago

Out of curiosity, why did/do you not use the Zoom web version? I haven't tried their linux client but if it sucks there is an alternative. The "it just works" crowd probably uses mostly Windows/Mac OS, iOS/Android or the web version. Getting the join by browser link apparently can be an issues but at least in the edu account I manage there is an admin setting to always provide the join with browser link.

Legogris 6y ago
How recent is that? Whenever I try any link it insists on triggering xdg-open to the doggarn qt client.
- consonaut 6y ago
  The site will always try to trigger the registered protocol handler but couldn't you just block the handler?
fock 6y ago
well, whatever the linux client does, the browser client sucks really hard...

ZitchDog 6y ago

I haven't found a better solution for large meetings (> 50 participants.) Jitsi killed my CPU when I got over 5. Is there something as good as zoom (performance, easy to invite/join) out there for large meetings?

scoot_718 6y ago
Sure, just have every person stream the meeting on twitch and use a multi-stream client. All the privacy and security of Zoom.
samcheng 6y ago
We had a 50 person meeting yesterday on Google Meet and it seemed to work just fine. Most people had their video off, though.
GordonS 6y ago
I've used Webex with around 30 people, and it worked just fine (before COVID mostly with video, more recently with only a few using video).
notechback 6y ago
Have weekly Jitsi calls with ~15-20 people. 1-2 have occasional problems, otherwise it's been great

chintan 6y ago

Zoom for Ubuntu client works perfectly fine. Been using for past 4 months on Ubuntu 18.04 Yesterday our team gave a shot to Google Meet but it does not allow screen sharing on Firefox (seems IE6 errr Chrome only feature)

Legogris 6y ago
I feel you, what I do is use chromium specifically for that and nothing else. Interesting that you didn't face the Zoom issues I did though. I wonder what gives.
SiempreViernes 6y ago
I have consistent crashes in zoom if I try to manage a participant (put on hold, mute, etc) as they disconnect, but at least I can get back on fairly quickly. The other one I have for enterprise reasons is Vibe, and starting that beast up is a "five minute notice" affair.
Wowfunhappy 6y ago
Huh, I'm able to screen share via Google Meet on Firefox! Running OS X 10.9.
jvanvleet 6y ago
I agree. Been using Zoom for Ubuntu and it "just works".

fock 6y ago

so seems, like I'm not the only one finding the Zoom experience lacking: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23012749 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23012749 And yeah, it's quite funny, how noone proposting has a measured opinion, it's always: Zoom's by far the best... (and being in education, it seems like around 50% of my course participants are joining Zoom on mobile, because it won't work on their computer...) As for alternatives: all are sh* in one way or another (try Jitsi with Chrome please, then it works great!, I know of a local LUG which outright bans non-Blink on their instance....). I use it now, because admininstration says it's fine (and discord is equally horrible from a privacy standpoint)

shim__ 6y ago
There are alternatives provided that you don't need video. Mumble and Teamspeak have a proven trackrecord on all platforms and work even with the shittiest of internet connections.

Wowfunhappy 6y ago

Have you tried the desktop app on a Windows or macOS machine? I don't mean to imply that you shouldn't use Linux or that the Linux version shouldn't work—but if you're using an uncommon platform, that might be why you're having uncommon issues.

pmart123 6y ago
I've had similar issues trying to use the Windows app and Apple app.

Topgamer7 6y ago

Zoom has worked near flawlessly for me running Manjaro (i3wm) for 1.5 years now. What were the three laptop models you used? Were they all similar?