About Skype

  • Thread starter Thread starter newbie
  • Start date Start date
newbie said:
Friends,
Please let me know whether it is advisable to install Skype or not.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well...I don't know your particular situation, or what you hope to
accomplish with Skype, so it's hard to give advice. However, I
personally have just converted from a traditional phone service
provider (Verizon) to VOIP (Vonage), which I use for outgoing domestic
calls and all incoming calls. I use Skype for outgoing international
calls, because the rates are marginally cheaper than Vonage's.

One aspect of Skype that may or may not be a negative for you is that
you can't use a regular telephone with it. I use headphones and a small
Radio Shack condenser microphone, but there is equipment you can buy
(integrated headphone/mic sets, USB phones) that you might find to
provide a more convenient experience.

I wouldn't recommend using Skype as one's sole telephone service
provider. Your computer has to be on in order for you to be able to
make calls, and they don't yet have 911 service. They do offer an
optional (paid) service called SkypeIn, which allows you to receive
calls from phones (as opposed to computers only), but it's in beta, so
I'm avoiding it for now.

With Skype, you can call other Skype users for free, which might be an
incentive if you happen to know any other Skype users. Unfortunately, I
don't.

I haven't used Skype a whole lot yet. I did have one experience where I
made a call, and the recipient said she was hearing a distracting echo
on my voice. I just hung up and called again, and this time the
connection was fine.
 
I use Skype. If the person you want to talk with has also loaded Skype
then your call will be free. If there are people you want to talk with
that don't have Skype loaded then you have to pay a small fee. It is
called "Skype Out". I put 10 bucks on my credit card with them 6
months ago and I've still got 5 left. I've called a lot of people and
the rates are really low.

That is the good news. Here is a bit of bad news... If you don't have
a microphone on your computer you will need to get one. If you have a
webcam and it has a microphone on it then it will probably work but the
sound is latent (delay) and it causes clumbsy conversations.
Therefore, I bought a usb headphone for about 20 bucks and it resolved
the issue. You get a really nice headphone for that price.

That is it!! Skype is worth a try. I think it is going to grow and be
a big thing. I have no doubt that eventually the telephone is going
away and people will just use computers.

If you have questions you can call me. Also, I have a couple of BLOGS
you might be interested in... I'll list them below, so check them out
and let me know what you think!

Sincerely,
Mighty Joe

http://mightyjoefirefox.blogspot.com/
http://mightyjoesfree.blogspot.com/
http://mightyjoesgoogle.blogspot.com/
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote:
|| newbie wrote:
||
||| Friends,
||| Please let me know whether it is advisable to install Skype or not.
||| Thanks.
||
|| Yes

Thanks.
 
Joe Silver wrote:
|| newbie wrote:
||| Friends,
||| Please let me know whether it is advisable to install Skype or not.
||| Thanks.
||
|| Well...I don't know your particular situation, or what you hope to
|| accomplish with Skype, so it's hard to give advice. However, I
|| personally have just converted from a traditional phone service
|| provider (Verizon) to VOIP (Vonage), which I use for outgoing
|| domestic calls and all incoming calls. I use Skype for outgoing
|| international calls, because the rates are marginally cheaper than
|| Vonage's.
||
|| One aspect of Skype that may or may not be a negative for you is that
|| you can't use a regular telephone with it. I use headphones and a
|| small Radio Shack condenser microphone, but there is equipment you
|| can buy (integrated headphone/mic sets, USB phones) that you might
|| find to provide a more convenient experience.
||
|| I wouldn't recommend using Skype as one's sole telephone service
|| provider. Your computer has to be on in order for you to be able to
|| make calls, and they don't yet have 911 service. They do offer an
|| optional (paid) service called SkypeIn, which allows you to receive
|| calls from phones (as opposed to computers only), but it's in beta,
|| so I'm avoiding it for now.
||
|| With Skype, you can call other Skype users for free, which might be
|| an incentive if you happen to know any other Skype users.
|| Unfortunately, I don't.
||
|| I haven't used Skype a whole lot yet. I did have one experience
|| where I made a call, and the recipient said she was hearing a
|| distracting echo on my voice. I just hung up and called again, and
|| this time the connection was fine.

Thanks.
 
mightyjoe wrote:
|| I use Skype. If the person you want to talk with has also loaded
|| Skype then your call will be free. If there are people you want to
|| talk with that don't have Skype loaded then you have to pay a small
|| fee. It is called "Skype Out". I put 10 bucks on my credit card
|| with them 6 months ago and I've still got 5 left. I've called a lot
|| of people and the rates are really low.
||
|| That is the good news. Here is a bit of bad news... If you don't
|| have a microphone on your computer you will need to get one. If you
|| have a webcam and it has a microphone on it then it will probably
|| work but the sound is latent (delay) and it causes clumbsy
|| conversations. Therefore, I bought a usb headphone for about 20
|| bucks and it resolved the issue. You get a really nice headphone
|| for that price.
||
|| That is it!! Skype is worth a try. I think it is going to grow and
|| be a big thing. I have no doubt that eventually the telephone is
|| going away and people will just use computers.
||
|| If you have questions you can call me. Also, I have a couple of
|| BLOGS you might be interested in... I'll list them below, so check
|| them out and let me know what you think!
||
|| Sincerely,
|| Mighty Joe
||
|| http://mightyjoefirefox.blogspot.com/
|| http://mightyjoesfree.blogspot.com/
|| http://mightyjoesgoogle.blogspot.com/

Thanks.
 
I use Skype all the time to talk with my family in Europe. I live in
New Mexico. We all have Skype installed and we talk for as long as we
want to for free. It works really well now that I have high-speed
Internet. When I had dial-up, it was too frustrating with the lag
time. So then we text chatted.

I have never used Skype as a regular dial-phone, but the Skype-to-Skype
sessions are great. It makes my laptop behave like a speaker phone. I
can move around the room and do stuff while I talk.

I have another friend who also has family in another country and she's
tried Skype, but keeps having installation problems. Somehow it
interferes with the settings on her PC, so she has had in uninstalled.
But hey, it's free to give it a try!

Betsy
 
I have no doubt that eventually the telephone is going
away and people will just use computers.
Click to expand...

When? In 2095?

Computers aren't 7/24/366 devices and until they are, hag on to your phone.
 
When? In 2095?

Computers aren't 7/24/366 devices and until they are, hag on to your phone.
Click to expand...

Coulda fooled me, mine is. Let's see, the last time I turned it off ws
..... well, does a reboot for a program update count??? //al
 
newbie - 27.03.2006 03:35 :
Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm shure, as a newbie you are willing and learnable:

please do not fullquote all again. Shorten the quote as far as possible.
There is no need for fullquoting.

Because most people are usual using ">" quoting-markers, a mixture with
"|" makes the reading especially of longer threads confused.

THX in advance for your kind understanding.
 
kazee said:
Ever reboot your phone?
Click to expand...

Yes. Every time I turn my cellphone on:-))

Lou
I eat my peas with honey.
I've done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny.
But it keeps them on my knife.
 
newbie said:
Joe Silver wrote:
|| newbie wrote:
||| Friends,
||| Please let me know whether it is advisable to install Skype or not.
||| Thanks.
||
|| Well...I don't know your particular situation, or what you hope to
|| accomplish with Skype, so it's hard to give advice. However, I
|| personally have just converted from a traditional phone service
|| provider (Verizon) to VOIP (Vonage), which I use for outgoing
|| domestic calls and all incoming calls. I use Skype for outgoing
|| international calls, because the rates are marginally cheaper than
|| Vonage's.
||
|| One aspect of Skype that may or may not be a negative for you is that
|| you can't use a regular telephone with it. I use headphones and a
|| small Radio Shack condenser microphone, but there is equipment you
|| can buy (integrated headphone/mic sets, USB phones) that you might
|| find to provide a more convenient experience.
||
|| I wouldn't recommend using Skype as one's sole telephone service
|| provider. Your computer has to be on in order for you to be able to
|| make calls, and they don't yet have 911 service. They do offer an
|| optional (paid) service called SkypeIn, which allows you to receive
|| calls from phones (as opposed to computers only), but it's in beta,
|| so I'm avoiding it for now.
||
|| With Skype, you can call other Skype users for free, which might be
|| an incentive if you happen to know any other Skype users.
|| Unfortunately, I don't.
||
|| I haven't used Skype a whole lot yet. I did have one experience
|| where I made a call, and the recipient said she was hearing a
|| distracting echo on my voice. I just hung up and called again, and
|| this time the connection was fine.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I had this problem, solved by simply moving the microphone further away.
They seem to have improved with later versions.

===

Frank Bohan
¶ Let a fool hold his tongue and he will pass for a sage.
 
newbie said:
Joe Silver wrote:
|| newbie wrote:
||| Friends,
||| Please let me know whether it is advisable to install Skype or not.
||| Thanks.
||
|| Well...I don't know your particular situation, or what you hope to
|| accomplish with Skype, so it's hard to give advice. However, I
|| personally have just converted from a traditional phone service
|| provider (Verizon) to VOIP (Vonage), which I use for outgoing
|| domestic calls and all incoming calls. I use Skype for outgoing
|| international calls, because the rates are marginally cheaper than
|| Vonage's.
||
|| One aspect of Skype that may or may not be a negative for you is that
|| you can't use a regular telephone with it. I use headphones and a
|| small Radio Shack condenser microphone, but there is equipment you
|| can buy (integrated headphone/mic sets, USB phones) that you might
|| find to provide a more convenient experience.
||
|| I wouldn't recommend using Skype as one's sole telephone service
|| provider. Your computer has to be on in order for you to be able to
|| make calls, and they don't yet have 911 service. They do offer an
|| optional (paid) service called SkypeIn, which allows you to receive
|| calls from phones (as opposed to computers only), but it's in beta,
|| so I'm avoiding it for now.
||
|| With Skype, you can call other Skype users for free, which might be
|| an incentive if you happen to know any other Skype users.
|| Unfortunately, I don't.
||
|| I haven't used Skype a whole lot yet. I did have one experience
|| where I made a call, and the recipient said she was hearing a
|| distracting echo on my voice. I just hung up and called again, and
|| this time the connection was fine.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I had this problem, solved by simply moving the microphone further away.
They seem to have improved with later versions.

===

Frank Bohan
¶ Let a fool hold his tongue and he will pass for a sage.
 
I had this problem, solved by simply moving the microphone further away.
They seem to have improved with later versions.
Click to expand...
Many people seem to think that you must emulate pop stars and try to
give a head job to the microphone. Most microphones work best if they
are up to fifty centimetres (twenty inches) from your mouth. It does
depend, to a certain extent, on the sensitivity of the microphone but
that distance is a good place to start.
 
Yes. Every time I turn my cellphone on:-))

Lou
Click to expand...

Lou, you beat me to it -- I'm one of those people whose *only* phone is a
cell phone. So, yes, Kazee, I regularly reboot my phone, too. Especially
after an internet session on it ..... //al
 
newbie said:
Please let me know whether it is advisable to install Skype or not.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Skype is basically *hype* and insecure.

All of the worthwhile, secure a2a services failed.

Just goes to show the power of hype marketing, as usual.
 
Here are my experiences with Skype:
1) I installed Skype on my system running Windows 2000 Pro.
2) I got a Logitech headphone/webcam set for about US$50 and installed
it.
3) I searched for a few friends in other countries from within Skype.
4) I spoke with them through the microphone that comes in the headphone
and our conversations were crystal clear; no phase lag (using broadband
of course).
5) I speak daily with friends in Australia, India and Japan who also
have Skype installed on their PCs and we have no complaints at all.
6) I have not tried the PC to landline service for which you need to pay.

My conclusion is that you if you have a headphone, install Skype on your
system, make a Skype test call which is built into the Skype software.
In the test call, you speak a few words to a server in some country and
then listen to your voice yourself. If you can hear your voice OK, your
system works and you can communicate using Skype without problems. Go
for it.

HTH a bit.

honyakusha
 
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