-----Original Message-----
From: main@TechTalk.groups.io <main@TechTalk.groups.io> On Behalf Of Sharon Hooley
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2020 8:17 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] number of people acceptable to keep everyone unmuted during a meeting?

The thing I don't like about automatic muting and then allowing unmuting one at a time is that it makes me feel isolated. I agree that if someone is making noise, I would ask him or her to mute or I do that, and if it was for business, I'd want to mute automatically at the beginning, but in a casual setting, I like the environment to be as realistic as long as we can each be heard, with a bunch of people laughing at a joke and a little bit of cutting in, like being in a room in person.



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On Aug 24, 2020, at 8:57 AM, Gene <gsasner@gmail.com> wrote:

Its much simpler for the host to mute everyone and explain that people can unmute themselves if they want to talk. I don't know what the families are like in this large group, but maybe with babies crying, dogs barking, phones ringing, and maybe doing other things like having snacks, and rustling bags continually, to name things that are likely In large family groups, makes the host muting everyone the easiest thing to do. I believe that that should be the default in the first place. It was the default for Talking Communities. I think the Zoom default is one more example of technology designers putting convenience before common sense and what would be the best benefit to users.

All the host has to do is explain at the start of the meeting that she has muted everyone and that they can unmute themselves or temporarily unmute themselves by pressing and holding the space bar to talk.

Gene
-----Original Message----- From: Blaster
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2020 8:49 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] number of people acceptable to keep everyone unmuted during a meeting?

Ann totally nailed it, I'll just add this, Most people just don't know
their being rude or disruptive with all of the everyday noise in their
environment. It's just easier to explain that all of the background
noise from all of the participants can make it hard to hear what's
going on, so everyone should self mute and unmute at all times. If you
lay down the ground rules from the start, nobody should feel like
their being picked on.

Blaster

On 8/24/20, Sharon Hooley <shooley42@gmail.com> wrote:
Oh Anne,


You had a fun way of explaining this, so much that i had to read it
more than once! I like that style of learning things.


Thanks,

On 8/24/2020 5:57 AM, Ann Parsons wrote:
Hi all,

It depends on the group and its purpose. If you are getting
together as a family for chatting and exchanging news, then you want
to keep everyone unmuted unless somebody's being disruptive. Just
ask people to be mindful that others may want to speak too. If Aunt
Zelda keeps hogging the mike, remind her gently that little Janet wants to speak.
If Uncle Brad starts swearing like usual mute him! If shy Cindy
wants to tell about her new kitten, let her do that and tell
everybody else to shut-up! If cousin Warren is banging around in
the kitchen, mute him, or ask him to mute himself if he's going to
load the dishwasher cuz people can't hear. Family gatherings need a
moderator with a strong hand on the helm. Hey, if it really gets
bad, mute everybody and make them raise their hands.

Ann P.