Roger saved everyone from Zoom with Linode and open source!

How I Use Linode

Along with everyone else the Milwaukee Linux Users Group (MLUG) had to pivot to virtual meetings due to COVID-19. After a member criticized me for using Zoom instead an Open Source video conferencing solution I decided to take on the challenge and learn while installing a Jitsi Meet server. After shopping around for a Virtual Private Server (VPS) provider I decided to try Linode. 

Using a $5.00/month VPS plus the $2.00/month backup service I brought up a Jitsi Meet server after a few less than totally successful tries I supported several MLUG meetings before I decided to learn Nextcloud. 

We now use Nextcloud Talk for video calls for the MLUG meetings. By the way I religiously take a snapshot before any change which has saved me when I borked a change to the Nextcloud server the day before a MLUG meeting. 

This was a non-issue after restoring the snapshot and not making the same mistake.