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Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

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Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#401

Post by wwn_se »

shbooms wrote: post #359
philliphaydon wrote: post #354

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing Google Docs has over MS is the collaboration. Word in the browser is a billion times better for formatting than Google Docs. I loath using google docs. But when it comes to Collab, Google docs wins hands down.

> The only thing Google Docs has over MS is the collaboration. As someone who has had to build relatively complex tools in both Sheets and Excel, I would have to say Sheets has done a much more impressive job with their builtin formulas/functions than Excel.

Also JS vs VB, im not a big fan of JS but only a madman prefers VB.

The JS in Sheets also run in the cloud. Really nice for scheduled things or things that talk to an api or similar. But being able to run stuff locally is nice to.

Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#402

Post by wwn_se »

gnicholas wrote: post #84
crazygringo wrote: post #77

I mean, Google bans MS Office from employees' computers as well (with special-case exceptions), so they use Docs instead. Since Google has Meet (Hangouts), this isn't really surprising. It mainly sucks for when an employee (especially in sales) has a call with a client that uses Zoom and can't use Meet, because then you're forced to dial in, which just puts you at a disadvantage when everyone can see everyone's face…

> because then you're forced to dial in, which just puts you at a disadvantage when everyone can see everyone's face except yours. Can't they just participate in a call from the browser? I thought Google only banned the application/app, not usage of the service altogether.

The chrome addon!!! https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/zoom/hmbjbjdpkobdj...

Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#403

Post by ascar »

technicaldonut wrote: post #350
stcredzero wrote: post #342

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the gentler, kinder, totally-not-spying-on-everyone-anymore-we-swear successor to the Stasi, etc I like it! I'd totally give that TV series a try!

That'd be the BND as an FYI

I think that's technically incorrect. The BND (and it's military sibling MAD) are mostly concerned with foreign intelligence, while the Stasi was mostly used for internal surveillance. The subdivision HVA inside the Stasi would be the equivalent to the BND, while the larger and infamous internal surveillance of the Stasi is now in the responsibility of the Verfassungsschutz.

Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#404

Post by jeffhou »

mbo wrote: post #339
kyrra wrote: post #333

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you say hangouts, do you mean old hangouts or the newer Hangouts Meet? They are 2 very different products.

It is, as of today, just Google Meet, no "Hangouts".

I thought so as well, but apparently it's called Google Hangouts Meet. https://gsuite.google.com/products/meet/

(disclaimer - I work at Google, but not on teams that build video chat software)

Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#406

Post by zwaps »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #327
HashThis wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I great worry that China's intelligence service has the zoom traffic of American's routed to the Chinese zoom servers, so they can intercept.

Yes, but why does it matter if China intercepts your American school children? Why would they want to? That's not a reasonable threat model.

What is being taught about the CCP and Xi to children all over the world is very relevant to the CCP.

See their push into universities.

Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#407

Post by zwaps »

dheera wrote: post #377
neil_s wrote: post #303

(disclaimer: I work at El Goog) A number of companies have rightfully banned Zoom's native apps, given how insecure they are. I had previously uninstalled it when the news about the secret web server they install came out. Google is still allowing use of the web app, but the web app bizarrely doesn't support Grid/Gallery View, which is the main reason my friends/family wanted to use it. Hangouts Meet was optimized fo…

I wish more companies would ban WeChat's desktop clients and force them to re-enable the web version at web.wechat.com WeChat now often pops up a notice when you try to use web.wechat.com that translates to "For your account safety you cannot use the web version, and you need to download a Windows or Mac client." Safety my ass -- web is the safest. I know better than you about my safety, Tencent.

What companies would allow weChat apps on company machines or machines where company data is handled?

That is insane!

Re: Google bans Zoom from employees' computers

#409

Post by swampthinker »

annie_chung wrote: post #400
QUFB wrote: post #83

Some thoughts: 1. Google's threat model may not be your threat model, and it definitely isn't the threat model of my daughter's school. A corporation like Google may be concerned using native applications, written in unsafe languages, written by developers from other corporations in China. That said, Zoom isn't wrong for everyone. 2. Google is motivated to push their own solution for obvious reasons. 3. Tavis, or oth…

> That said, Zoom isn't wrong for everyone. Why use it at all? I honestly don't know what's available in this space, since I don't need to, but is there really no alternative? If they're building a product that does shady things (e.g., macOS install nonsense) and is full of security holes (e.g., zoombombing) that's enough to tell me I don't want to use it and I don't want my son's school using it. Google isn't alone…

Because in 2020, it's still a far simpler and better product than anything else at 1 thing - getting large video conferencing to be seamless.
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