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For years, I have refused to install zoom, webex etc clients for exactly this reason. Their installer wants admin user access for no apparent reason. They could

For years, I have refused to install zoom, webex etc clients for exactly this reason. Their installer wants admin user access for no apparent reason. They could have given a simple drag and drop installation app. Instead they want to run an installer with root user permissions to do whatever. Also, I hate apps that installs a helper background program, and doesn't let me disable it via preferences. I refuse to use those too. Besides, for what zoom does, why do they need an app? Browser has all the capabilities they need.

pleb_nz 4y ago
Agree totally, only problem is, imo, the browser experience, even for well built web apps, is 'usually' subpar or more problematic or poor performing than a desktop app.
- FBISurveillance 4y ago
  Google Meet is a great example of an app that uses AV and works well, running in a browser. Even with a large number of participants - and no client required. On the other hand, Zoom web client is an afterthought, to put it nicely.
  - nikanj 4y ago
    Are you talking about Google Meet or Google Meet (nee Duo)? It’s hard to keep track, when they both have the same name https://www.pcworld.com/article/707997/google-pledges-to-make-messaging-simple-yet-again.html/amp https://www.pcworld.com/article/707997/google-pledges-to-mak...
    - piperswe 4y ago
      I think they're referring to this one: https://meet.google.com/ https://meet.google.com/
- acdha 4y ago
  Than a well-written desktop app, maybe. Electron apps set the bar lower - for example, Microsoft sat on shipping ARM builds for Teams until this month so for a couple of years a browser was faster and used far less RAM.
jacquesm 4y ago
The same goes for teams. Just a little snippet from the Teams installer page: "Windows Firewall configuration will be altered even when the prompt is dismissed by selecting “Cancel”. Two inbound rules for teams.exe will be created with Allow action for both TCP and UDP protocols."
- PUSH_AX 4y ago
  If you’re using windows then arguably the battle is already lost in that regard.
divbzero 4y ago
I like Google Meet and Skype in large part because they have decent web clients with instant meetings without sign in [1] [2]. [1]: https://meet.google.com/ https://meet.google.com/ [2]: https://www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/ https://www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/
jameshart 4y ago
How do you do screen sharing, or sharing a specific window belonging to another program, from a browser app?
- Rafert 4y ago
  With the Screen Capture API: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capture_API/Using_Screen_Capture https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capt...
ironmagma 4y ago
Zoom lets you draw on screen or allow remote control which is not possible with a webapp.
- vinay_ys 4y ago
  I don't buy that argument. Browser is plenty capable. Check out https://excalidraw.com https://excalidraw.com Discovered this during pandemic WFH. Since then, this is THE collaborative drawing tool for any design discussions, interviews etc.
  - Kwpolska 4y ago
    That's drawing on a canvas, not on the desktop that's currently being shared.
    - chris37879 4y ago
      There is a web api for this: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capture_API/Using_Screen_Capture#browser_compatibility https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capt... There is also a proper macOS API for this, which they are skirting using by using this hack.
      - ironmagma 4y ago
        Where on that page does it say anything about drawing on the screen or remote control? To me, those are the two major features Zoom provides that differentiate it from e.g. Google Meet or Jitsi.
Brian_K_White 4y ago
Notifications for incoming "calls"? Does zoom have such a thing as an unsolicited incoming meeting/join request? You don't have to answer, idk and don't care, just guessing at possible theoretical legit uses just to be complete. I just know there's all kinds of use cases I have no use for, or actively hate, that most other people seem to love, not even just businesses inflicting things on employees but normal people using voluntarily.

pleb_nz 4y ago

Agree totally, only problem is, imo, the browser experience, even for well built web apps, is 'usually' subpar or more problematic or poor performing than a desktop app.

FBISurveillance 4y ago
Google Meet is a great example of an app that uses AV and works well, running in a browser. Even with a large number of participants - and no client required. On the other hand, Zoom web client is an afterthought, to put it nicely.
- nikanj 4y ago
  Are you talking about Google Meet or Google Meet (nee Duo)? It’s hard to keep track, when they both have the same name https://www.pcworld.com/article/707997/google-pledges-to-make-messaging-simple-yet-again.html/amp https://www.pcworld.com/article/707997/google-pledges-to-mak...
  - piperswe 4y ago
    I think they're referring to this one: https://meet.google.com/ https://meet.google.com/
acdha 4y ago
Than a well-written desktop app, maybe. Electron apps set the bar lower - for example, Microsoft sat on shipping ARM builds for Teams until this month so for a couple of years a browser was faster and used far less RAM.

jacquesm 4y ago

The same goes for teams. Just a little snippet from the Teams installer page: "Windows Firewall configuration will be altered even when the prompt is dismissed by selecting “Cancel”. Two inbound rules for teams.exe will be created with Allow action for both TCP and UDP protocols."

PUSH_AX 4y ago
If you’re using windows then arguably the battle is already lost in that regard.

divbzero 4y ago

I like Google Meet and Skype in large part because they have decent web clients with instant meetings without sign in [1] [2]. [1]: https://meet.google.com/ https://meet.google.com/ [2]: https://www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/ https://www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/

jameshart 4y ago

How do you do screen sharing, or sharing a specific window belonging to another program, from a browser app?

Rafert 4y ago
With the Screen Capture API: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capture_API/Using_Screen_Capture https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capt...

ironmagma 4y ago

Zoom lets you draw on screen or allow remote control which is not possible with a webapp.

vinay_ys 4y ago
I don't buy that argument. Browser is plenty capable. Check out https://excalidraw.com https://excalidraw.com Discovered this during pandemic WFH. Since then, this is THE collaborative drawing tool for any design discussions, interviews etc.
- Kwpolska 4y ago
  That's drawing on a canvas, not on the desktop that's currently being shared.
  - chris37879 4y ago
    There is a web api for this: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capture_API/Using_Screen_Capture#browser_compatibility https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Screen_Capt... There is also a proper macOS API for this, which they are skirting using by using this hack.
    - ironmagma 4y ago
      Where on that page does it say anything about drawing on the screen or remote control? To me, those are the two major features Zoom provides that differentiate it from e.g. Google Meet or Jitsi.

Brian_K_White 4y ago

Notifications for incoming "calls"? Does zoom have such a thing as an unsolicited incoming meeting/join request? You don't have to answer, idk and don't care, just guessing at possible theoretical legit uses just to be complete. I just know there's all kinds of use cases I have no use for, or actively hate, that most other people seem to love, not even just businesses inflicting things on employees but normal people using voluntarily.