Lockdown changes

Well over six weeks of lockdown and what have we been doing.
I for one have managed various outside painting jobs and a few house maintance things.

I have continued to speak by skype and Zoom to my fellow director about the Message Works Trust a Charity helping pastors and leaders on an ongoing basis in addition to fraterals and denomination leaders meetings. We are a strictly confidential "ear" for those who want to speak and share about their work and ministry and use us as a sounding board or even to get it off their chest moment. one of our activities is to pray with those we meet.

We hope to set up a few meetings in the furure to invite pastors to, in private an open discussion.

Maybe I will come back about this later. In the meantime if you  or others you are aware of might be helped or appreciate this ministry you could get in contact. We cover the whole of the UK.

View near Inveralmond take while on a  recent walk.

I have been looking in to family history over the last few weeks. I discovered my cousin 27 times removed is William the Conquorer. That was a blow. So now I am supposely related to Robert the(de) Bruce and William both from France so I am not as Viking as I thought.

Family history can be gripping and time consuming. Like most activities that can be all consuming, one should focus on key objectives.

One of my busiest posts was Barter books! So does this mean people are still reading as well as all the electronic viewing that is taking place? 

Multi user video calls across continents, how easy on a Friday night?

With Windows 10  1803 update for 2018 08 available this week (KB4346783) I, while it downloaded and installed, started to consider the difficulties I had had last week.

Trying to have a video chat with more than 6 people including different continents turned out to be more of a challenge that first considered.

Skype claims 10 users possible
facebook messenger  (!?)
Google hang out 10
oovoo 12
Facetime is still generally one to one, but a version of Apples IOS ( 12) manages multi users. issued in US June 2018. Not out in UK yet. (no facetime for windows either)
Anymeeting 6 ( and you pay)
go to meeting 6( and you pay)

Now businesses can do a lot more but you have to pay for the facility.

So I am jobbing between messenger and hangouts as my best shot and a second attempt and engaging video, sound, several people and over more than one Continent. Make sure you do your own research.

Consider

• Your equipment 
• their equipment
• Operating systems
• Time of day
• User technical skills
• use of settings for plug in mic or ear phones. 
• What current users are using... familiarity to a system can greatly help.

If using Google hangout best all have a Google mail address. Invites to non Google accounts need to be also in the Google address book of the invitation sending person and the invitation needs to be accepted, before the transmission.

Shouting across the sea is not an option.