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MS Teams Linux client is being retired. To be replaced by a progressive web app

164 points by NGRhodes 4y ago

(Updated) Important upcoming changes to Microsoft Teams desktop client on Linux Updated August 30, 2022: We are updating this message to indicate we will be retiring the Microsoft Teams desktop client on Linux in 90 days (early December). Please take action as appropriate for your organization. We hear from you that you want the full richness of Microsoft Teams features on Linux such as background effects, reactions, gallery view, etc. We found the best way to act on this is to offer a Teams progressive web app (PWA) on Linux as a new feature of our current web client, which we’ll make available to our Linux customers in the coming months. PWA enables us to ship the latest Teams features faster to our Linux customers and helps us bridge the gaps that existed between the Teams desktop client on Linux and Windows. The PWA experience will be available on both Edge and Chrome browsers on Linux. We will be retiring the Microsoft Teams desktop client on Linux in 90 days (early December), which is currently available in public preview. All users on the Microsoft Teams Linux desktop client will have to transition to the web or PWA version, which is where we will continue to invest our development resources. We are committed to helping all current customers on Linux start using the PWA app; we’ll publish guidance once we are closer to releasing this feature. Teams PWA is an evolution of our Linux web experience - it offers the “best of the web with key functionalities of client”: zero-install, lightweight, and has a rich set of features. For example, the PWA version supports features such as: Background blur and custom backgrounds Reactions and raise hand in meetings Large gallery and together mode PWA also provides desktop-like app features such as: System notifications for chat and channel Dock icon with respective controls Application auto-start Easy access to system app permissions When will this happen? We plan to make Microsoft Teams PWA on Linux generally available in the coming months. How will this affect me? If your users/administrators use the Microsoft Teams Linux desktop client, they either need to set up the Microsoft Teams PWA (when it is generally available) or use the Teams Linux web app to ensure business continuity. What do you need to do to prepare? To prepare, we recommend informing all your users about the upcoming changes, encouraging them to switch over to the PWA (when it is generally available) to get the latest features on Linux along with a desktop-like experience. Microsoft will publish a blog post about this change and how to install Teams as a PWA on Edge and Chrome once we are closer to making this feature generally available on Linux in the coming months.

lrvick 4y ago
The Teams webapp is by far the slowest and most buggy of any video chat solution clients have asked me to use. In one browser my mic works, but I cannot see screens shared by other people. In another browser it is the reverse. Also it is designed for WebGL which is not available on my OS and the software fallback takes 30 seconds to load and is slow as hell on a beefy 32 core Threadripper. Jitsi, Meet, and others work flawlessly by comparison.
- nousermane 4y ago
  That, and also invitation system is a trash fire. URLs are long and gnarly, there is no alternative "meeting number" that could be spelled/typed in, then there is this "context" thing that changes based on attendee being internal/external to the org. And of course you can't join as guest, only with your full AD name/email. Say hello to phishing and other scams.
  - Tarq0n 4y ago
    They did add meeting numbers recently at least.
- shoo 4y ago
  > In one browser my mic works, but I cannot see screens shared by other people. In another browser it is the reverse. perhaps joining calls from a convex combination of browsers might give you the least-worst results
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
ratg13 4y ago
Interesting decision to shut the software down before the replacement is available to be downloaded.
- hotpotamus 4y ago
  We regret that you will need to wait to experience the full richness of Microsoft Teams features on Linux such as background effects, reactions, gallery view, etc. Please go fuck yourself until we decide it is ready.

164 points by NGRhodes 4y ago

lrvick 4y ago

The Teams webapp is by far the slowest and most buggy of any video chat solution clients have asked me to use. In one browser my mic works, but I cannot see screens shared by other people. In another browser it is the reverse. Also it is designed for WebGL which is not available on my OS and the software fallback takes 30 seconds to load and is slow as hell on a beefy 32 core Threadripper. Jitsi, Meet, and others work flawlessly by comparison.

nousermane 4y ago
That, and also invitation system is a trash fire. URLs are long and gnarly, there is no alternative "meeting number" that could be spelled/typed in, then there is this "context" thing that changes based on attendee being internal/external to the org. And of course you can't join as guest, only with your full AD name/email. Say hello to phishing and other scams.
- Tarq0n 4y ago
  They did add meeting numbers recently at least.
shoo 4y ago
> In one browser my mic works, but I cannot see screens shared by other people. In another browser it is the reverse. perhaps joining calls from a convex combination of browsers might give you the least-worst results

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

ratg13 4y ago

Interesting decision to shut the software down before the replacement is available to be downloaded.

hotpotamus 4y ago
We regret that you will need to wait to experience the full richness of Microsoft Teams features on Linux such as background effects, reactions, gallery view, etc. Please go fuck yourself until we decide it is ready.