I don’t think Zoom has any significant technology advantage. I literally use 5 different video conferencing solutions every work day - Zoom, Blue Jeans, WebEx, Teams, Skype for Business, etc…
OT with this comment: I am not an investment person so will not comment on the viability of investment in Zoom. My daughter, currently stuck in US because her school is closed, flights canceled, has experience using Zoom in China. You have to use Chrome to use Zoom. You cannot use Chrome in China without a VPN. That is not easy for her students to use/access. Over half her students don’t have a VPN and for some that do, the internet goes in and out (poor VPN package).
So it may be a great product for some, but it does have some limitations.
Heather is using Skype and WeChat (from google: http://www.wechat.comhttps://www.wechat.com/en/ Available for all kinds of platforms; enjoy group chat; support voice, photo, video and text messages. /// Does China spy on WeChat? Yes, it does. The local government has access to all the chats and monitors. Not only over WeChat, but also QQ, all the searches on Baidu / Sogou / 360, all the video apps and so on), plus she makes videos she puts on ManageBac (ManageBac: Platform for the Modern IB Continuum School https://www.managebac.com/ ManageBac is the leading planning, assessment and reporting platform for IB PYP, MYP and diploma schools.)
The Chinese teachers at her school are all using CCTalk.
Regarding ZM’s usability in China, I have a different take. Lst evening, I spent some time on Baidu site (Chinese version of GOOGLE) to get a feel of Zoom’s usage in China. From what I saw, Zoom is far more popular that all of its Chinese counterparts, including CCTALK.
One thing speaks volume about Zoom’s superiority over other products: The Chinese government banned ZM in Sept. of 2019. There was news article discussing that the event may provide an good opportunity for Chines companies to catch up with Zoom.
Most recently, however, the ban on Zoom was lifted in China. Why? The COVID-19 caused all the universities to cancel conventional classroom classes, and instead, students take Viode-Conf. Classes at home. Zoom is needed for this purpose.
One thing caught my eyes was that the government is prompting a collaborate project between Zoom and the Chinese Educational Network (???) to provide free video conf. classroom platform for all the universities. If you read chines, you can check it out:
Re: “I’m sure this is happening at other schools and universities, too”
Yes, it is. My sister is a professor at another major university in Northern California. She just shared with me the communication they received today from their leadership team - signed by the Provost, the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, and their Director, Center for Teaching and Learning.
Here is a snapshot of that communication:
"For the educational benefit of our students, the following are recommendations provided by faculty colleagues for your immediate consideration and implementation:
Familiarize yourself with Zoom. Zoom can be used for both real time online/video lectures as well as a way for students to meet with you or each other. If possible, consider recording your lecture using Zoom and distribute it to impacted student(s) via Canvas."
They (the faculty group) also have a google doc being shared among all professors, basically a checklist, titled “Campus Closure, Are You Ready?” Literally the first thing listed under “THINGS YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO DO” is “Used Zoom.”
Hope this helps!
Staying invested in ZM and have been buying more during these 10+% dips.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, University of Washington has suspended in person classes starting Monday, March 9. Instructors are being asked to hold classes and exams remotely.
Here is an excerpt from the above article:
At the UW, several courses already include virtual components, said UW spokesperson Victor Balta, such as online lectures and assignment portals. The university purchased a $200,000 license for Zoom Pro, a video and audio conferencing application, and is encouraging faculty to host virtual lectures and seminars. “It’s really a matter of scaling up what is already being done,” he said.
I told Heather about the lift on the Zoom ban. She said some of these comments made sense now. Her experience was last year, I believe. She tried to use Safari in China. A post here said they had no problem, but I think the ban in China must have been the real problem. Not only that, but the internet is really, really bad in China. Spotty usage, coming and going almost every day.
FYI outside the Zoom discussion –
re: her return to China. Her school in Jiaxing, China has asked the teachers to return by March 20. Heather spent about 4 hours trying to find a flight from Atlanta to Shanghai. Her direct non stop Delta flight was canceled back in February and they couldn’t get a ticket for her now. A 19 hour flight is now 37 hours with two layovers. She chose flights that had slightly longer layovers because she almost missed her connecting flight in Moscow one time (2 hours wasn’t enough!) and she didn’t want to miss her next flights.