What about Duo instead of Zoom?

[sheldonisaac]

Someone from my health insurance said
"If your Duo account has not been created, follow the steps below:
1. Visit duo.google.com
2. Verify your phone number
3. Duo will send a code via text messenger, enter that code when asked
4. Connect your google (Gmail) account
5. Make a test call to a family member or friend"

All I have is Zoom to use under BionicPup64.

Will this Duo work?

I know nothing at all about it.

Thank you,
Sheldon

[Flash]

I don't know anything about Duo either. The fact that an insurance company recommends it doesn't make me trust it. Have you heard of Jitsi?

[mikeslr]

Thanks, sheldonisaac, for calling it to our attention.

It does appear to be a worthwhile application. Of course, google will have a record of who participated in a call, but the calls themselves are supposedly encrypted end-to-end. +1. And, currently, there isn't a stand-alone version for Linux (or Windows). So for us, Duo is merely a "location" you can access with your Chromium-etc. Web-browser.

I guess something else could be run in a business setting to contemporaneously transmit documents/data-files of any nature.

Of course, it was to be expected that google would get into the 'conference' call business. But doing so may just be a way to maintain customer loyalty: If your using a google-product you not using that of a competitor. Such as Jami. https://jami.net/ about which http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 61#1057661. Flash posted while I was typing. I'll take a look at jitsi.
Edit: Jitsi -- also not an independent application. See above. But, at least its an extension rather than just a 'location' on one of google's servers.

[Mike Walsh]

Hallo, Sheldon.

Mm. Well, performing a web seach brought me to this page:-

https://www.techjunkie.com/google-hangouts-google-duo/

.....which gives a very good overview of the differences between Google Hangouts & Google Duo. Hangouts has been around much longer, but it's primarily a messaging "app" with video-calling functionality added to it at a later date. Duo, on the other hand, is apparently a barebones, sleek, modern "app" from Google, designed from the ground up with the sole purpose of providing video-calling with the best quality possible. And that's all it does.

Hangouts has now been dropped by Google, though it continues in a different format as Google Meet.....which has the added feature of 'closed-caption' subtitling for those that are hard of hearing.

Top & bottom of the matter, it boils down to this; all you need to use it is an up-to-date browser, webcam (obviously!), and a Google a/c....though apparently it works best in Chrome.

'Nuff said.

--------------

@ Mike:-

In all honesty, I don't think any of Google's "webapps" have ever been turned into desktop clients, because that just isn't the way they're supposed to work. Of course, there's nowt stopping you from turning it into a "desktop app" by using the simple workaround - which still works with any 'clone' apart from Chrome itself - by using the instructions I provided a few years back for creating the NetFlix desktop "app".....and this will work for any web-site/web address.


Mike.

[sheldonisaac]

Hallo, Sheldon.
...
Top & bottom of the matter, it boils down to this; all you need to use it is an up-to-date browser, webcam (obviously!), and a Google a/c....though apparently it works best in Chrome.

Hm, somehow I am at:
"Start a video call
People can reach you at sheldonhisaac@gmail.com or (215) 842-0863"

I'm in my usual Iron 69.0.3600.0 32-bit under BusterPup 8.0.

Will let you know what happens when the Alegis health people contact me on Wednesday, or when my friend does re "Hi. I need to test my setup on zoom, ms duo. I need to find out about the audio feedback issue on my setup".

[Mike Walsh]

@ sheldon:-

I'm glad to see you're using one of the Chromium 'clones'. After further reading/research, and a small amount of experimentation, it appears that you can't use Duo with Firefox. It'll detect your webcam.....but not your microphone.

According to Google (*sigh*), the reason is because Quantum no longer supports the necessary plugins that Duo is built to use. I'm not sure as I entirely agree with this statement, but the fact remains that if you go into the settings panel - "Configure Audio & Video Sources" - while running anything Chromium-based, the microphone dropdown will list every single recording input available.

If you do the same thing in Firefox, all you get is "default_audio_source". No choices. Any of the clones will let me use the default audio card for output via the speakers, but choose the c920 HD Pro webcam's mike for input. This simple choice, apparently, is beyond Mozilla to implement. Either that, or they don't want to.

It seems that in Firefox, I can either talk to the other person, OR hear them....but I'm not allowed to do both. I guess this'll work fine in a laptop, where everything is integrated, and uses a single audio system.....but for desktop users, where we can have multiple audio cards/inputs/sources, it seems fully-functional Duo in Firefox is a no-no.

(*shrug*)

EDIT:- Just tried this in Dpup Buster64. Here, it's a completely different story, with it being set-up with PulseAudio instead of ALSA. It works exactly as it would in Chrome, or the 'clones'.....


Mike.

[sheldonisaac]

Mike, many thanks. I'll snip some of your post, OK?

.. if you go into the settings panel - "Configure Audio & Video Sources" - while running anything Chromium-based, the microphone dropdown will list every single recording input available.

My friend has (unclear to me) audio problems, and is concerned about an upcoming doctor's "visit". So he asked to test it with me. I knew very little of Zoom, and zero about Duo.
So we tried them, and he could not hear me in Duo. Eventually I stumbled upon the 'use default USB microphone', and that worked. (As you may know, I am inexpert)
He is also concerned about audio feedback from his speakers. I suggested headphones, but he thinks that's awkward for a doctor's exam. Other ideas were adjusting position of speakers, settings of volume for them and microphone, ???
Seemed to me that wireless headphones would do the job?

Thanks,
Sheldon

[Mike Walsh]

Hi, Sheldon.

To be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter which video-calling app I'm running; Skype, Zoom, even this one (when I get around to testing it).....what I use is a Logitech headset. Headphones, with a stubby 'boom' microphone, that swings down when you need it.....and its own sound-card built-in to the somewhat chunky USB connector.

Plug it in; set as the default sound-card.....Bob's your mother's brother. And only two controls to worry about.....and it just "works", OOTB.

THIS is the one I use.


Mike.