# Virtual dopefest...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 9, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448 "2020-05-09T00:35:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/1 "2020-05-09T00:35:45Z")
I don’t plan on hosting one or anything (and I don’t think I’d know how off the top of my head), but if anyone has the ability and inclination, maybe this would be fun, and beat a bit of the loneliness for anyone who’s not lucky enough to be an introvert partnered to another introvert. We could login with our user names and say hello to each other, face-to-face (through the screen, anyway). Just an idea. I’d suggest evenings during the week or any time during the weekend (for North/South American participants, anyway – for others we’d need some creative scheduling). ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/2 "2020-05-09T00:49:52Z")
I’d be down for a DoperZoom. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/3 "2020-05-09T00:59:42Z")
Lets!! ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/4 "2020-05-09T00:59:44Z")
A text chatroom would be ideal! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/5 "2020-05-09T01:57:26Z")
I’m in but only on the condition that no one is allowed to make fun of the awful state of my hair. I’m months overdue for a cut and it shows! Ok, maybe a little making fun of will be allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/6 "2020-05-09T02:18:23Z")
I’m totally down! ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/7 "2020-05-09T03:07:39Z")
That could be fun, but not a chatroom; we basically have that here. Gotta be a Zoom or something. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/8 "2020-05-09T03:39:02Z")
Yes, let’s get some zoomage going! So, uh, is anyone going to host a paid meeting so that we don’t get booted after 40 minutes? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/9 "2020-05-09T04:27:03Z")
I’d be happy to join in too. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/10 "2020-05-09T04:38:32Z")
I might pop in for a Zoom chat, just to see faces. Wear nametags, People! I wouldn’t be able to follow the conversation. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/11 "2020-05-09T04:55:41Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Yes, let’s get some zoomage going! > > So, uh, is anyone going to host a paid meeting so that we don’t get booted after 40 minutes? Question: assuming you don’t record the Zoom meeting and you have access through your employer to the unlimited, paid Zoom service with your own meeting room, is there a way for the powers that be (i.e, the company that paid for the subscription) to find out that one of their peons hosted a non-work related zoom meeting? Uh… asking for a friend… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/12 "2020-05-09T08:20:13Z")
How much would a paid meeting cost? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/13 "2020-05-09T08:46:00Z")
Just a suggestion, but a group I’ve been virtually meeting with is using [jitsi](http://jitsi.org), which has the advantage of being free, having no time limit and not needing a host, so everyone can just drop in and out- it’s more like a virtual room, the link stays valid indefinitely. On a pc, you don’t even have to download anything, so it’s very easy to use, though there is an app for phones. We’ve never had more than about 15 people on at once, so I’m not sure how well it would handle a big meeting, but a bunch of ‘rooms’ is also an option, which is maybe better for actual chatting anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/14 "2020-05-09T08:50:04Z")
I think it was only $6.95 or something like that. Let me check. . . Okay, a little more. US$15/month for one host. A host can have an unlimited number of different meetings, but presumably only one at a time. There are also various add-ons that cost more. > **[Meet face-to-face from any device | Zoom](https://explore.zoom.us/en/products/meetings/)** > > Modern video calls with live messaging and content sharing for desktop and mobile. Record meetings, make annotations, engage attendees with polls, and more! ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/15 "2020-05-09T09:27:58Z")
I’d be happy to set up a jitsi version by the way, if people were up for that. Can poll to see who’s interested and when would be best. I am in a different time zone to most of the board, but, like I said, a host isn’t needed, just someone to set it up. Having used it and zoom a fair bit lately, while zoom is better for serious meetings, jitsi’s better for this sort of less organised stuff IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/16 "2020-05-09T09:32:26Z")
It would give me an excuse to step out of the Luddite-world and learn Zoom and/or Facetime or whatever. > [@VOW](#): > > A text chatroom would be ideal! There used to be quite a vibrant mIrc room but I don’t know if mIrc even still exists, or if I’d remember how to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/17 "2020-05-09T11:51:14Z")
I would love to see of the faces of the people I’ve been reading for years! ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/18 "2020-05-09T12:31:18Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > It would give me an excuse to step out of the Luddite-world and learn Zoom and/or Facetime or whatever. > > There used to be quite a vibrant mIrc room but I don’t know if mIrc even still exists, or if I’d remember how to use it. I appreciate the consideration, but I’m almost completely deaf. I even have all my speakers turned off, because all I hear is noise. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/19 "2020-05-09T13:01:24Z")
I have a personal paid GotoMeeting account. There is no time limit and I think it can support 150 simultaneous people. **The Virtual Dopefest has started.** This is the link: [GoTo](https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/306914973) I will leave it up and running all day so people can drop in when they like. If you prefer you can install the GotoMeeting app on your phone. The same link will work or you could enter meeting ID: 306-914-973 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448/20 "2020-05-09T19:33:25Z")
I had never given it a thought before, that’s why I’m surprised that this is the first time a video doper conference was initiated. We’re all really Luddites, aren’t we? Of course it’s the Corona situation that triggered this, and maybe it’s the big break for video telephony (I know that’s an obsolete expression) the world has been waiting for since the technology became available, but somehow initially no one really wanted it until now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-dopefest/853448.md?page=2)