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Background

I read a very interesting article about the State of Hessen in Germany that failed to implement a customized Jitsi instance and had to temporarily switch to Webex. The article can be found on the German IT magazine heise. The reason for the delay was not clear.

This sparked my curiosity about Jitsi and its capabilities.

Jitsi Introduction

Jitsi is an open-source video conferencing platform that runs directly in your browser, requiring no accounts or software installation. It offers features like screen sharing, chat, and end-to-end encryption, making it a free and privacy-focused alternative to proprietary tools.

Unique Features

Jitsi stands out with several key features:

  • Browser-based, no accounts required: Easy setup without installations.
  • Open source and free: Fully customizable and transparent.
  • Self-hosting: Full control over data and GDPR compliance.
  • Privacy-focused: End-to-end encryption and no data tracking.
  • Efficient scaling: Handles large meetings via Jitsi Videobridge.

Free to use Jitsi Instances

There are several free Jitsi instances available. For example the TU Ilemnau hosts a instance everybody can use. However, some institutions, such as the Goethe University Frankfurt, have migrated to other tools, likely due to technical or operational challenges.

First Impression

I play around a little bit with the instance of TU Ilemnau. I really like the look and feel of Jitsi.

I explored the TU Ilmenau Jitsi instance and was impressed by its user-friendly interface and functionality. It feels intuitive and modern, making it easy to set up meetings without additional software or accounts.

Conclusion

My first impression of Jitsi was very positive. In the future, I plan to explore its capabilities further, including hosting my own instance using Podman, a container management tool similar to Docker.

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