Let's talk Skype! What are your views on Skype? Do you use this?
By Andrew
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
United Kingdom
April 2, 2010 12:58am CST
I have just signed up with Skype and I'm fairly new to the service. This is an interesting discussion in that I'm looking for your views on this but I'm also making a unique request!! I have all these friends on My Lot and I'm thinking that it's time to get serious with this friendship thing! For any of my My Lot friends that are interested in having conversations from time to time via skype then you can instant message me with your skype details and I will give you mine. I think it's a good way of communicating with everyone, if they want to that is!
. Well, this discussion is a bit of an experiment I guess! Hope to hear from you! Andrew
. Well, this discussion is a bit of an experiment I guess! Hope to hear from you! Andrew1 person likes this
6 responses
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
11 Apr 10
Hi Andrew. I'm not exactly sure what Skype is. My daughter has it apparently and so we are able to communicate via our web cams, monitors and the internet. We don't do it too often but I remember the first time...we were blown away and we just laughed and giggled as we pulled faces at one another...her 2 daughters were with her. It's great fun.
If you want to talk to someone do you just call them up on Skype as you would a phone? Too bad if they are in the middle of something important.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
12 Apr 10
Hi, yes that's the way it works! You just open up the skype application and then you can initiate a call and the other person can respond or decline. The web camera idea seems pretty good although I don't have one of those at present. I guess it's in the pipeline to eventually pick one up. Andrew
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
3 Apr 10
I love Skype. I use it almost daily to share links or chat quickly via the instant messaging. 
I also use it regularly to video call friends and family who live interstate a long way from me. It is great to be able to talk face to face with them and to see their surroundings and everything. I even talked to my sister this way when she was on the other side of the world. As most laptops have web-cams built in to them, this is great for people who are travelling to stay in touch with family and friends. 
If anyone reading this does not know about Skype, there is a banner on my profile page which leads to their site where you can download it for free. 
I also use it regularly to video call friends and family who live interstate a long way from me. It is great to be able to talk face to face with them and to see their surroundings and everything. I even talked to my sister this way when she was on the other side of the world. As most laptops have web-cams built in to them, this is great for people who are travelling to stay in touch with family and friends.
If anyone reading this does not know about Skype, there is a banner on my profile page which leads to their site where you can download it for free. @AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
3 Apr 10
I just love all those beeps and ringtone as well as dialing tone sounds that come with skype!. I'm still relatively new to it and I'm hoping to use it a lot more over the coming days. It's nice to make calls and not have to actually hold a phone earpiece to your ears anymore! I like the fact that it's free and I guess more and more people will be signing up to skype over the coming years. Thanks for your thoughts. Andrew
. I'm still relatively new to it and I'm hoping to use it a lot more over the coming days. It's nice to make calls and not have to actually hold a phone earpiece to your ears anymore! I like the fact that it's free and I guess more and more people will be signing up to skype over the coming years. Thanks for your thoughts. Andrew@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
4 Apr 10
No worries.
You need to get set up with video as that is what makes Skype so great in my opinion.
You need to get set up with video as that is what makes Skype so great in my opinion. 
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
2 Apr 10
Hi Andrew; I have a skype account as well but since I am in Canada, we are not given the opportunity to buy a number yet so I haven't been using it. I find that without a number that i can be called at, what's the use? I wanted it for people to call me from their landlines if they wanted to and for me to call land lines.
In that case the video calls would be irrelevant unles those you were calling also had skype, in which case one wouldn't require a cost. If the party being called doesn't use skype, video calls may not be possible.
I am new at skype and am unsure of all the possibilities of it's workings. I do know that there are a few companies that are offering Canadian Skype numbers for a cost. I haven't gone that route as of yet, obviously. Holding out for when Skype themselves is able to offer them. The delay has something to do with I think the FCC or the like. Apparently cost ... I haven't logged in for a bit to my Skype but may do so today to see what if any, new transitions have been made.
We'll see.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
2 Apr 10
Hi EvrWonder, how are things? It's great that you are on skype as well. As far as I understand it you don't need to buy a number of any sort. As long as both parties are on skype then you can communicate via voice chat through the use of a headset. I don't have video chat ability as I don't have a web camera right now but I guess I will be purchasing one of these real soon! Anyway, if you are interested then you are very welcome to instant message me and give me your skype details and I will do the same! Ok, take care. Andrew
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
4 Apr 10
Hi Andrew, things are good thank you and Happy Easter Bunnies to you!
I do not use skype that much and yes if the other party is on Skype as well then I do not need that number I spoke about but in order to call landlines I would need one and is why i wanted to use Skype in the first place. I wanted to be able to keep in touch with family and friends who do not use Skype as I do not have a landline and the cell phone costs a huge amount for long distance. Web cams can be a lot of fun but be aware that it opens ports so to listen for incoming which can tend to be more than your parties video feed. Not to scare you but it's the risk we take when we run these sort of apps, right?
If you run on an admin account with your operating system, perhaps create a user account when you use your cam. This way your admin and main control panel to the inner workings of your PC, that is hopefully password protected, will not be affected should any lurkers come knocking.
Hey that would be neat to share details.
I am out of town right now and no cam but is something I will consider.
I think it would be fun.
We will be in touch.
Thank you for your comment. have a great week end!
@rajaiv0810 (1012)
• Philippines
2 Apr 10
Skype is a good way to communicate with other people whom you can't easily speak with over the telephone. I have been using it since 2003 or 2004 but it was not that famous then because YM (yahoo messenger) dominated the instant messaging market. But at this time, I think there are already a lot of people who use it, not just for instant messaging but to speak with one another and to see each other through web cams. What makes it even more wonderful is that it is cost free. I am using it when I am teaching online. We can also use skype to call landlines and mobile phones, and send sms too, provided you have skype credits which you can load by using your credit card or paypal. I believe that this kind of technology has made family and friends closer despite distances between them.
makes it even more wonderful is that it is cost free. I am using it when I am teaching online. We can also use skype to call landlines and mobile phones, and send sms too, provided you have skype credits which you can load by using your credit card or paypal. I believe that this kind of technology has made family and friends closer despite distances between them. @AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
2 Apr 10
Yes, I'm beginning to love skype! I'm still relatively new to it and I'm still finding my way around but I really like what I have seen so far. I don't have video chat available yet as I don't have a web camera, it's in the pipeline to pick up one of those! Anyway, thanks for your thoughts on this. Andrew
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
3 Apr 10
I'm only using skype with the headset and microphone at present and I don't have a web camera for video chat but I may purchase a web camera in the coming days. I love technology and ways of communicating are becoming that much easier and convenient. It's early days, I will see how I handle things. Andrew
@rinzgca (316)
• Philippines
3 Apr 10
I love skype for video calls. It shows real time video and does not lag unless something's really wrong. I like it better than YM since YM sometimes has blurred picture and slow motion, lagging video. The sound is also better. What I don't like about it though is the chat thing. If it's just for chatting I would rather use YM or Msn, like surveysprofit said. This is because with YM and MSn, the chat box looks cleaner. Only the texts that you have typed are written there. With Skype, it doesn't seem so neat.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
3 Apr 10
I have yet to make video calls using skype but I'm pretty sure that will be next on the agenda! All this technology has been around for a while and I'm only becoming accustomed with it now! This is funny!. I guess you have to keep up with technology otherwise you get left behind! Thanks for your thoughts. Andrew
. I guess you have to keep up with technology otherwise you get left behind! Thanks for your thoughts. Andrew