Talk:Meetup/London/152

Coronavirus and London meet up March 2020 (152)

Starting a conversation about whether this and later meetups should go ahead in the circumstances? Some of the regular attendees are in the higher risk categories and there is also the risk posed by public transport to and from the meetup. Philafrenzy (talk) 06:17, 5 March 2020 (UTC)

• My opinion is that having the meetup is fine, up to people if they want to attend or not. Right now the Public Health England advice isn't to avoid meeting in groups- if that changes, then maybe reconsider. If any people are worried about coronavirus, they can just choose not to attend. For what it's worth, I've been to bigger group meetings with a diverse age range of people in the last couple of weeks with no problem. Joseph2302 (talk) 07:25, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
• Thank you for starting this conversation. I need to think about this a bit more and see how things develop over the next few days. I take Joseph2302's points above. Maybe we should discuss about how we can meet up virtually. Leutha (talk) 07:49, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
• The "battle plan" hasn't reached the stage of: "Action that would be considered could include population distancing strategies (such as school closures, encouraging greater home working, reducing the number of large-scale gatherings) to slow the spread of the disease throughout the population, while ensuring the country’s ability to continue to run as normally as possible", although looks likely. I think its okay to leave to people to decide what to do unless PHE say otherwise. I can't make it. Whispyhistory (talk) 09:47, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
• I have been following the Coronavirus saga in New Scientist and elsewhere, it does look like it is likely to spread uncontrollably in the UK and that we are close to shifting from quarantine and self isolation for those at risk to a general self isolation and suspension of schools. But we aren't there yet, and might not be for another three weeks. So as of today I'm OK with coming to this month's meetup, but I like Leutha's suggestion of a virtual meetup - I think we should plan that for April and May. We should also monitor news between now and Sunday - if it shifts to asking us all to self isolate then we will need to change plans. WereSpielChequers (talk) 10:01, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
• As WereSpielChequers states, it will very likely become a global pandemic. For most people, months of self-isolation may not be practical. If this Sunday's meetup and your journey to and from it is no riskier than your normal routine, then there seems no reasonable basis to stay away. For example, rush-hour tube/bus travel would appear significantly riskier than Sunday journeys. And working in an open-plan office for longer periods of time is more of a risk than a few hours in the Oak. Working from home, this meetup is riskier than my usual daily life, and I will be coming unless PHE advise otherwise. Edwardx (talk) 11:32, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
• I'm probably not coming this time because of another engagement. I'm still attending meetings of a similar size as the number of UK cases still seems to be tiny. Andrew D. (talk) 22:55, 5 March 2020 (UTC)
• Yes, we should come in as normal. This is apparently going to be around for a year, at least, until a vaccine is available. Isolation seems to be practical only if you come down with it. However I too like the idea of setting up a virtual network as a fall back position. Broichmore (talk) 21:16, 6 March 2020 (UTC)

This meetup took place as normal, with about a dozen attendees. Consensus seemed to be that the next meeting or two might need to go online with Google hangouts as the most likely option. See Meetup/London/153 for details WereSpielChequers (talk) 09:18, 9 March 2020 (UTC)

• Great, may I forward that link to a couple of regulars who have emailed me? WereSpielChequers (talk) 11:42, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

Coronavirus and London meet up April 2020 (153)

I thought it would be useful to keep ongoing discussions on the same page.Leutha (talk) 15:34, 9 March 2020 (UTC)

What about a London related virtual editathon with a prize for the most improved article on that day? Philafrenzy (talk) 15:09, 10 March 2020 (UTC)

I think with the current increase of cases, it seems unlikely that many people would want to attend a physical meetup next month. Personally I have no issues with it, if Public Health England don't advise against it, but I know that won't be the majority view here. Joseph2302 (talk) 11:06, 13 March 2020 (UTC)

I think we can assume that it will be virtual. I am prepared to put up a carton of long life milk, a tin of tuna, or a 500g bag of pasta as a competition prize. Don't laugh, these will be worth a fortune by then. Philafrenzy (talk) 21:20, 14 March 2020 (UTC)

Perhaps, but enough of a fortune to buy you a whole roll of bog roll? WereSpielChequers (talk) 16:47, 15 March 2020 (UTC)

Don't be silly, people will be tearing pages out of rare first editions by then. Philafrenzy (talk) 14:12, 16 March 2020 (UTC)

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Keeping it back on topic- it's going to be a virtual meetup, so should we move all the pub information of the 153 meetup page? Joseph2302 (talk) 19:34, 17 March 2020 (UTC)

And the WMF has cancelled all in person events until September, as per COVID-19. Does that mean we have to be online-only every month until then? Joseph2302 (talk) 17:56, 19 March 2020 (UTC)

@Joseph2302: The WMF's policy applies only to events that it funds, which does not include the London meetup, so it is our decision when to resume meeting in person. That said I will not be attending in person until at least the UK government changes its recommendations. Thryduulf (talk: meta · en.wp · wikidata) 01:18, 21 March 2020 (UTC)

• Hi all, I see there's talk of a virtual meetup here for April, but it is not clear to me what is meant by that. Any ideas how it will work? Cheers Amakuru (talk) 01:10, 23 March 2020 (UTC)

  I propose a competition for the best new or most improved London article (as it's a London meetup) to run over the weekend of the 11-12 April. The winner or joint winners to be judged by consensus and the prize to be a glittering barnstar noting the fact. Not sure it's a meetup as such... Philafrenzy (talk) 12:07, 23 March 2020 (UTC)

  My anticipation would be that we could video call in and have our usual discussions. There are many video call tools around, and that's the way I've been doing most of my virtual contacting people. Joseph2302 (talk) 13:33, 25 March 2020 (UTC)

  We could open a Wikipedia talk: page or bulletin board? What suggestions for a conference tool? What are your current thoughts Phil? Broichmore (talk) 22:28, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

  I could probably join via Skype or Zoom or whatever, it someone wants to set that up. Those who don't want to be outed can use a temporary email address for the purpose I guess. Philafrenzy's idea is interesting too, a bit like the Great Britain destubathon but London-centric and over one weekend only... see if you can get a stub up to a serious FAC contender within the weekend?! Amakuru (talk) 10:28, 5 April 2020 (UTC)

  I won't be able to do the Zoom thing I am afraid as my image does not transmit electronically (or appear in mirrors) but I am up for the London article competition if anyone want to join in. It can be a joint or solo effort. Regrettably, I have eaten the originally proposed prizes. Philafrenzy (talk) 21:14, 7 April 2020 (UTC)

  We can talk at night Vlad? Broichmore (talk) 15:18, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

Let's do Zoom

Please indicate whether you are happy using Zoom for a virtual meeting at 1 pm BST:

Yes Leutha (talk) 08:20, 7 April 2020 (UTC)

Yes. Joseph2302 (talk) 22:32, 7 April 2020 (UTC)

Happy to use Zoom if someone has a subscription - otherwise i gather it only lasts 40 minutes. WereSpielChequers (talk) 13:06, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

Zoom has a 40 minute limit, but there's a fix. See https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/software/zoom-40-minute-limit-3785767/

"Houseparty" has a limit of 8 at a time.

Think Google Hangouts are limited to 10 video conference participants, with no time limit; but you need a google e-mail address. That info is old though and not confirmed as current...

Skype Group Video Chat, has video calling for up to 50 people, available for free, on just about any mobile device, tablet or computer. See https://www.skype.com/en/features/group-video-chat/

Group video calls are subject to a fair usage limit of 100 hours per month with no more than 10 hours per day and a limit of 4 hours per individual video call. Once these limits have been reached, the video will switch off and the call will convert to an audio call. If a participant of a group video call is not on a version of Internet Communications Software that supports group video calls, then the call will be an audio call only for that participant. The number of permitted participants on a group video call varies from 3 to a maximum of 50, depending upon device and associated system requirements. You can find more details at www.skype.com/go/gvc.

Need to go through the small print... -Broichmore (talk) 15:03, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

Yes but down to practicalities- Who is going to be the host, and send out the invitations. Where do we find the conference code, and what is the password? I am not very confident yet with Zoom. I do know that if you click on the invite link with Firefox- you will hang. You need to do the free install, then sign out, sign in and copy the conference code and the password then it works like a dream. Hover over various ares of the screen, and hiddewn dropdown dashboards appear. In future, could we apply to WMUK for a grant to pay the Zoom subscription?ClemRutter (talk) 18:49, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

No I'm out, unless somebody can get me some reasonably-new kit. --Redrose64 (talk; at English Wikipedia) 22:37, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

@Redrose: You may already have it. Zoom appears as an app on Android phones and tablets- I haven't needed to test it yet- so I can't say. The browswer is important Chromium is preferred , Firefox add extra levels of confusion. My immediate thought was a new Rasberry Pi- and folks there are desparately trying to get it working optimally- rather than just adequately. This is important as schools are running classes over Zoom. See. https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=254367 If you find a way of running it on an Osborne 1- do send me the links. ClemRutter (talk) 10:09, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

@Redrose64: There are Zoom apps for Android and iOS if that helps. Or you can use it on a computer without video enabled, which may work on older machines. the wub "?!" 11:39, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

Skype Another program (sic) with a mind of its own. last Wednesdays version in my Ubuntu repos- dicided did not do conference call. At their suggestion I watched the promo documentation- and it told me to press New conference call button- on a hunch I deinstalled- powered down and reinstalled. Still no conference call button! But there was now a new button- call Meetup, and that worked. I haven't used it yet- three am is not good time to send unsolicited calls. Hope that helps. Can anyone send me a meetup invite. Skype I am :clemrutter. Email clemrutter@bcs.org.uk Zoom I just need the linksClemRutter (talk) 10:09, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

Zoom, I can host. I've got a Zoom subscription, so can avoid the 40 minute time limit. Will send out invites via Wikimedia user email to anyone who is signed up on Meetup/London/153, it looks like everyone has that set up. the wub "?!" 11:08, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

Okay, invites have been sent out. Check your emails! the wub "?!" 12:03, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

• Thanks the wub for hosting this, and sending me an invite. Unfortunately I ended up unable to attend, but will try to join next month, assuming it happens again and we're still locked down then! Cheers all Amakuru (talk) 21:49, 12 April 2020 (UTC)

154 - Sunday 10 May

Since holding the meetup on Zoom seemed to work out well, and people agreed we should have another, I've created Meetup/London/154 for Sunday 10 May. Please sign up there if interested! There is also a discussion at w:Wikipedia talk:UK Wikipedians' notice board#Digital meetups about other potential digital meetups. the wub "?!" 22:54, 16 April 2020 (UTC)