The Google+ Hangout yesterday with a group of fellow bloggers was a lot of fun and worked extremely well. It was a learning experience for everyone I’m sure as we had 8 people simultaneously on the video call. Technically, everything worked well except for a couple of microphone ‘muting’ problems and George’s poor WiFi in his park. Also, Janna got bounced out before we even started as her Internet service crashed a few hours before our scheduled hangout session.
From bottom left: Allen D, John H, Nan T, Paul G, Me, Rick M(x2), Sue M
One of the problems with videoconferencing has always been situations where you need the person on the other end to see what’s on your computer screen. In G+ Hangouts, there’s a perfect tool for that! It’s called Screenshare. With just a few clicks, I was able to show exactly what was on my computer screen just as if everyone was in the room looking over my shoulder. An added bonus, of course, was the fact that my face disappeared to be replaced by my Google+ homepage!
Using Screenshare, everyone could see how to create a new G+ Circle
Screenshare was an ideal and simple way for me to show a few of the techniques for creating and managing Circles live on my computer screen. I created a new Circle called the Hangout Group and showed how to send a message in G+ just to that group of 7 people while nobody in any of my other Circles ever gets to see it.
Fictitious Education: Choosing to share only with RV Bloggers Circle 
We also spent some time discussing our Google+ Profiles. A lot of folks are rightly concerned about privacy and here is where Google+ really shines. While a Google+ Profile is Public your full name is the only required information that will be displayed on your profile; you are able to edit or remove any other information that you don’t want to share. That includes work history, contact information, personal history, location, education, gender, birthdate or marital status etc.
Thanks to all who participated in yesterday’s Hangout! |
In my blog yesterday, I mentioned that I might record the Hangout Session so that others could watch it either on YouTube or in Google+. After giving that some additional thought, I decided against it as I hadn’t consulted in advance with the other Hangout participants. Since this would be a “live-streaming event” it simply came down to a question of privacy as well as courtesy. To record an event for a live, or even later, broadcast would have to be approved, in advance, by all folks involved in the hangout! That’s my policy and I’m stickin’ to it!
We celebrated Victoria Day by grilling a couple of steaks for dinner
As for future Hangout sessions – I’m all for it, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be about computer topics either. After all, we’re all RV’ers so there must be something we could find to talk about. All we need is a volunteer to light a campfire in front of a computer screen and we’re all set! If anyone has a topic of any kind they’d like to see discussed, let’s hear it and I’m sure we’ll be able to get a crowd of folks to sit around and chat – daytime or an evening!
How about this Weber Q dinner, George (aka Weber Q Man of Blogland?
To celebrate the Victoria Day holiday yesterday, I grilled up a couple of steaks, Paulette wrapped up some new, small potatoes in tin foil and put them on the grill so we enjoyed a great dinner last night. Tomorrow, we’re off to Victoria to pick up Carrie then I’m dropping her and Paulette off at Sears to pick out a baby crib. I'll find some place to walk with Molly and Rylie while the baby crib shopping is on.
Have a great Tuesday, and thanks again for visiting!
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