[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Special Meeting Computer and Technology Group

Robert Primak bobprimak at yahoo.com
Wed Jul 7 11:24:33 PDT 2021


 There's also the Town's Technology Commission. Separate entity, and some very talented and experienced people there. We've heard from one of their members when he spoke to our group over Zoom not long ago. (This was different from the Recycling guy.)
And totally agree we do not have to wait for anyone else to act if we have workable solutions we can and want to implement on our own. 
-- Bob Primak
    On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, 01:55:53 PM EDT, George Gamota <ggamota at stma-llc.com> wrote:  
 
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I will contact David Pinsonnault, the DPW head, and hopefully, he can steer me to the right person.

George

  

From: john rudy <jjrudy1 at comcast.net> 
Sent: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 1:37 PM
To: 'George Gamota' <ggamota at stma-llc.com>; 'Robert Primak' <bobprimak at yahoo.com>; 'Lex Computer Group' <lctg at lists.toku.us>; 'Ken Pogran' <pogran at alum.mit.edu>
Subject: RE: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Special Meeting Computer and Technology Group

  

George, Ken and Harry (I left the others on distribution to follow the process)

  

Would one of you please contact the town and determine who their technical person or persons are for this job.  That person should be invited for Wednesday morning.  Harry is away, so I would suggest that George take the item.

John

  

John Rudy

781-861-0402

781-718-8334 (cell)

John.rudy at alum.mit.edu 

  

13 Hawthorne Lane

Bedford, MA  01730-1047



  

From: LCTG <lctg-bounces+jjrudy1=comcast.net at lists.toku.us> On Behalf Of George Gamota
Sent: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 1:22 PM
To: 'Robert Primak' <bobprimak at yahoo.com>; 'Lex Computer Group' <lctg at lists.toku.us>; 'Ken Pogran' <pogran at alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Special Meeting Computer and Technology Group

  

We should indeed find out what the Town is planning to do and when. However, this group has a lot of talent and experience, and in no way should we sit back and wait.  

We have a lot of experience within this group, and we can offer suggestions on improving our meetings.

As Harry has mentioned, mostly he and I (lesser) made recommendations for the wiring of the Community Center. The Town accepted some ideas, but many did not, such as in-wall wiring in the two conference rooms to install additional monitors to let people sitting in the back see better.

We should hear from those who teach and learn how they adapted to the ZOOM age. Our schools have used hybrid classes. What works, what does not are questions. 

Lastly, other groups in Town can benefit from our conclusions/suggestions: Historical Society, Garden Club, church groups, and other non-profits.

George

  

From: LCTG <lctg-bounces+ggamota=stma-llc.com at lists.toku.us> On Behalf Of Robert Primak
Sent: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 9:48 AM
To: Lex Computer Group <lctg at lists.toku.us>; Ken Pogran <pogran at alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Special Meeting Computer and Technology Group

  

Ken -- 

  

Keep us up to date on the Town's Technology Committee and other plans which affect hybrid meetings Town-wide. That's important info and offers us important opportunities to get the equipment and expertise we will need, at little or no cost to our own members. And in exchange, we as tech-savvy group members can offer our help and knowledge to complement the Town's efforts not just for the CC, but Town-wide. Sounds like a win-win strategy.

  

But as always, too many engineers may result in an overly-complex solution. Sometimes the best solutions are simpler and less costly to implement. 

  

That's where those of us who like me are common end-users (what Woody Leonard affectionately calls "dummies") come into play. We get to "road test" the ideas as the experts roll them out. And to beta-test before official rollout. It's called Quality Control, and the Town will need some of that as we all move forward. 

  

I've been on some "road tests" of Jitsi Meet, and open-source alternative to Zoom. It has been a rocky road at times, especially since this happens under Linux, but it has been rewarding. And reassuring, knowing we won't be spied on as Zoom allegedly may be doing. (The same way Google allegedly spies on Chrome and Amazon allegedly spies on Ring and Echo -- Alexa -- products.) 

  

Again let me point out that with Windows 11, Microsoft Teams (limited consumer edition) is becoming an integral part of the Windows platform. (Teams essentially will be replacing and augmenting Skype, which Microsoft has fully "Embraced, Extended, and Extinguished".)

  

-- Bob Primak  

  

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, 08:08:54 PM EDT, Ken Pogran <pogran at alum.mit.edu> wrote: 

  

  

My understanding is that the Town is looking into technology solutions to support hybrid (in-room + remote) public meetings.  The expectation is that, long term, there will be legislation amending the Public Meeting Law to permanently provide for in-person, hybrid, and fully remote public meetings.   Folks got a taste over the past year, and they're now demanding it.

The idea is to implement a solution that supports an in-person meeting in a conference room, provides good "coverage" of that meeting to remote attendees, and allows remote attendees to participate in the same level as though they were present in the room.  Several technology solutions are being investigated; multiple products that have come out to do this sort of thing. (Whether these technology solutions are compatible with the Zoom platform, or would be dependent on some other remote meting platform, is a good question)

I don't see why the principal meeting rooms at the Community Center wouldn't be (or, at least, shouldn't be) included in an eventual Town "buy" of such technology.

Ken Pogran

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