We have two options available for hosting workshops: BigBlueButton or Jitsi. 

BigBlueButton (BBB)

BBB, is designed for education and workshops. It allows sharing of text, slides, a shared whiteboard, breakout groups, text chat and video chatting.  Users can also share their screens. Sharing system audio is slightly more complicated and instructions on how to do so have been posted to: https://docs.nixnet.services/BigBlueButton#Using_system_audio

We have two servers available. You are free to choose either, but please make accounts on both. While we don’t anticipate any tech problems having accounts on both servers will make it smoother to switch servers in case of unforeseen outages.

Our North American server is: https://meet.nixnet.services/b

Our UK server is: https://bbb.fo.am/b

Please email us with your username once you’ve made an account on the UK server so that we can get it activated. Once your accounts are activated, please make a room for your workshop on both servers.

Both servers can accommodate up to 20 users who are sending video and audio. Of course, users can take turns having these off and on.

Documentation about getting started with BigBlueButton, including how to make rooms, is available as tutorial videos at https://bigbluebutton.org/html5/ or text at https://docs.nixnet.services/BigBlueButton

BigBlueButton reportedly works very well with Chrom/ium and Chrome based browsers. It often works well with Firefox. Some Safari users have reported problems.

Jitsi

Users who require fewer features, may also be interested in Jitsi Meet which allows video and audio connections and screen sharing. Sharing system audio in Jitsi is somewhat more straightforward than in BBB. Browser recommendations and video and audio directions are the same as they are for BBB.  If you wish to test Jitsi Meet, please have a look at their flagship server, meet.jit.si.

If you run into problems or wish to discuss your platform options further, please let us know.

Code of Conduct

Workshop leaders must agree to abide by and enforce the Code of Conduct: https://networkmusicfestival.org/info/code-of-conduct/. We will be allocating a moderator to you workshop to enforce the Code of Conduct and manage any problems in the unlikely event that one of the participants violates the code.  Should you receive any complaints or take any actions in relation to the code, could you please send us an email saying briefly what happened and what action you took.

Live Stream

To facilitate broader participation in the workshops we intend to live stream the workshops to our video streaming channel hosted on the website to reach a larger number of passive viewers than can be accommodated in BBB. If you do not wish us to also live stream your workshop please let us know.