[Tom Burns]

For Keith or anyone else who can tell me more about this technology: Early this week while seeing clients at their store, the owners were talking with and seeing on their computer their daughter and grandchild. The video was quite good and full screen. The grandmother waved to the baby and the baby waved back. This is far different from the vague video I saw last a few years ago. I was very impressed.

[kharris]

For Keith or anyone else who can tell me more about this technology: Early this week while seeing clients at their store, the owners were talking with and seeing on their computer their daughter and grandchild. The video was quite good and full screen. The grandmother waved to the baby and the baby waved back. This is far different from the vague video I saw last a few years ago. I was very impressed.

Web cam technology has advanced considerably over the past several years. Soldiers overseas can easily talk to (and see) family on a regular basis. It has become increasingly popular to be used in conjunction with instant messaging programs.

[Tim]

Web cam technology has advanced considerably over the past several years. Soldiers overseas can easily talk to (and see) family on a regular basis. It has become increasingly popular to be used in conjunction with instant messaging programs.

I'm in Kobe, Japan - my nephew Justin is on tour in Europe. He was in Paris the other night and we did a video chat on Skype for 45 minutes - for free! I have a horse-and-buggy ISDN line (I know...) and we could see each other in real time with no lag. Incredible.

[Roger Kaputnik]

On tour? One-man Ionescu readings? Stand-up?


Skype was terrible not too long ago, and do you still get the free download to use it? Do you have to coordinate meeting times or can you leave a message?

[Tim]

On tour? One-man Ionescu readings? Stand-up?
Skype was terrible not too long ago, and do you still get the free download to use it? Do you have to coordinate meeting times or can you leave a message?

Justin's a bass guitarist in a band that's touring Europe right now. Skype is a free download - and it works amazingly great. I just stay logged in when I'm online and we try to catch each other - don't know about leaving a message.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Do you use the 20 buck cam with the USB2 connexion?

[Tim]

Do you use the 20 buck cam with the USB2 connexion?

I use the camera in my iMac.

[Roger Kaputnik]

iSee.

[Tom Burns]

Justin's a bass guitarist in a band that's touring Europe right now. Skype is a free download - and it works amazingly great. I just stay logged in when I'm online and we try to catch each other - don't know about leaving a message.

I talked with my client further today and he told me he had been using Skype in the example I saw. The last time I looked into
Skype which was several years ago, it used the resources of a participant's computer to forward audio and presumably video of callers and became a resource hog. I was advised not to use it for that reason. Buried in the contract I saw was stipulation that Skype did use subscribers' computers as forwarding devices. Has that changed?

[Tim]

I talked with my client further today and he told me he had been using Skype in the example I saw. The last time I looked into
Skype which was several years ago, it used the resources of a participant's computer to forward audio and presumably video of callers and became a resource hog. I was advised not to use it for that reason. Buried in the contract I saw was stipulation that Skype did use subscribers' computers as forwarding devices. Has that changed?

No idea - also not sure what you mean by "resource hog". Then again, I'm pretty non-technical. All I know is I was amazed at the quality of both sound and video in light of my thrilling-days-of-yesteryear ISDN line.

[kharris]

No idea - also not sure what you mean by "resource hog". Then again, I'm pretty non-technical. All I know is I was amazed at the quality of both sound and video in light of my thrilling-days-of-yesteryear ISDN line.

Resource hog would be the same as saying memory hog. I believe Skype is a program that by default will load and run everytime a computer is started and will continue to run in the background. That is why it is referred to as a memory or resource hog. As far as the program using the participants computer as a forwarding device ... I am sure it is much to do about nothing. If you think about it, the program is designed to forward audio and video, so I wouldn't be concerned if that is what it does.

[Tim]

Resource hog would be the same as saying memory hog. I believe Skype is a program that by default will load and run everytime a computer is started and will continue to run in the background. That is why it is referred to as a memory or resource hog. As far as the program using the participants computer as a forwarding device ... I am sure it is much to do about nothing. If you think about it, the program is designed to forward audio and video, so I wouldn't be concerned if that is what it does.

Thanks, I think you know my dad, Randy - right? Yeah - Skype starts up every time I start the iMac. I shut it down unless I plan to use it. My iMac has a big load of memroy though - hasn't been a problem.

[kharris]

Thanks, I think you know my dad, Randy - right? Yeah - Skype starts up every time I start the iMac. I shut it down unless I plan to use it. My iMac has a big load of memroy though - hasn't been a problem.

Yes, I have come to know your parents quite well ... in fact I will probably be having lunvh with them in another hour or so.

[ChickenCityRoller]

Yeah, all you need to do is right click on it and close and it won't run. It runs through port 80 which is a standard comm port and lot's of applications default to it. If you want to keep it on and open all the time, you might consider moving things around a little. But Skype runs really well on any modern machine, re: 2005 and newer.

[kharris]

Yes, I have come to know your parents quite well ... in fact I will probably be having lunvh with them in another hour or so.

Actially I was wrong ... did not have lunch with Randy & Lois today ... forgot they were going to be out of town.

[Tim]

Actially I was wrong ... did not have lunch with Randy & Lois today ... forgot they were going to be out of town.

Yeah - I was wondering how you were going to pull that off - unless you had a box lunch with them in the car.

[edgeywood]

... I was advised not to use it for that reason. Buried in the contract I saw was stipulation that Skype did use subscribers' computers as forwarding devices. Has that changed?

It's still in the end user agreement:

"3.3 Utilization of Your Computer:Skype Software may utilize the processor and bandwidth of the computer (or other applicable device) You are utilizing, for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between You and third parties. Skype will use its commercially reasonable efforts to protect the privacy and integrity of the computer resources (or other applicable device) You are utilizing and of Your communication, however Skype cannot give any warranties in this respect."

We used it at work to communicate within our group. I wouldn't recommend it for any customer related calling just because it is subject to the vagaries of the Internet.

It is a cheap ( or free in certain circumstances) phone/chat/video tool, especially for international calling.

[Tim]

I live in Japan, and spend at least 2 hours every Sunday talking to my parents in MC and any number of other people. Skype is a Godsend.