It it just me I often wonder, because my experience of Microsoft Teams is so bad that I wonder how it every got beyond R&D. Skype wasn't perfect, but how I miss it.

It is not that when it works it is terrible, it is perfectly capable and intuitive. Ok, there are times when the quality is questionable, picture pixelation or loss of picture, but I accept that this is more to do with the ISP than the Teams app itself. Having said that..

• I am unable to set up and initiate meetings. Clients or a third party service provider have to do that on my behalf, which adversely affects how I am viewed professionally ('Oh yes I would love to provide training services for you. Only can you go ahead and set up the meetings". As the provider the onus should be on me to do that)
• I often experience greying out of a muted microphone and camera and there is nothing I can do about it. So, why the hell does it connect me in the first place.
• On the few occasions I have tried to add clients the software insisted they go in the same team. Each one of my contacts are individual and working within the EU there are GDPR implications.

The former two from a software perspective are completely unacceptable and the third also from a regulatory perspective (assuming it worked properly) and I have no idea why it is so bad and if it is just me.

Of course some would say it's Microsoft and that is what it comes down to.

Where and when possible I do try to use alternatives, but I have to be swayed by client preference.

I do tend to be unlucky with my laptops. You may recall that the power cable is so flimsy on (current) Acer that I had to replace the power unit and even now the plug still falls out, even if the connection is good so long as I can keep the plug in. Just this weekend my Acer has also stopped shutting down properly and I am grappling with the issue. You might also recall that my HP Pavilion died after a software update as I experienced both The White Screen of Death and The Yellow Screen of Death. Believe me the Blue Screen of Death is nothing to worry about in comparison.

So maybe it is just me?

As always stay safe and well my friends