Chatting using Skype

[Farren]

Anyone else here use Skype (http://www.skype.com/)?

I just tested it out with a friend and the voice quality was excellent across a 56K link and 107km distance. I'm interested to see what international quality is like.

You need a headset to use it without feedback. Its pretty goddamn cool cuz you can send files, text chat, voice chat and conference call for free.

If anyone wants to chat to me on Skype pop open the spoiler below for my handle (spoilered to foil any Skype handle collecting spider things, if they exist, or drive-by wierdos, because I've already had one bizarre call in a foreign language from a complete stranger):


farrenhayden


My end will ring when you call, although not too loud because its a headset, so I more or less have to be in the room to hear it.

[Corona688]

I *hatehatehatehate* skype.

It was cool for about 5 minutes when I got it working, especially since it worked on my odd computer(triply odd -- linux 2-processor 64-bit), but then I realized that, despite it's layout being roughly modelled after cellphones, people don't treat it like a telephone call. They treat it like an IM window instead, but don't seem to realize that IM windows don't give people heartattacks and forecfully divert them from other tasks. They call me just to waste my time, and it pisses me off.

Skype: RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING
Me: Aaaaaaaaaaaaah! *pickup* I mean hi.
Friend: Hi!
*long, awkward pause*
Me: So what's up?
Friend: Absolutely jack squat.
Me: Right then. Any particular reason you called me?
Friend: Absolutely none at all!
Me: *hangs up*
Skype: RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING
Me: Hello!
Friend: WASUUUUUUUUUUUUP!
Me: What the hell is wrong with you? Don't make me put you on ignore.
Friend: Gee, if that's really how you feel... *hangs up*

If my friends ever used skype for anything but this, I might like it a bit better, but all it's been so far is a loud time-wasting machine. Blood pressure rising...


Say, this reminds me of an idea I had for less annoying internet voice-chat. Model it after CB radio instead of telephones; people come and go and speak as they please.

[Corona688]

You need a headset to use it without feedback. Or a decent cardioid mic. Rule of thumb: If you get a mic free with anything, it's an omnidirectional mic and will recieve sound from all directions. Doesn't matter which way you point it. Cardioids, on the other hand, if you don't point them at your speakers, feedback will be more or less minimized.

[Farren]

Sounds like a job for Captain Protocol!

Skype: RIIIIIING
Me: *Picks up*
Friend: Hi -
Me: I'm busy for the next X hours. Can I call you?
Friend: OK

Problem solved. Most people don't like fobbing people off but when you're completely clear and honest I find most don't take offence. Its exactly the same as cell phones. They can be really intrusive but as a habit I pick up and simply tell people I don't want to talk rather than ignoring calls.

It gets easier when you're confident you're being reasonable and don't let the subconscious anxiety that you're being rude compel you to have pointless conversations or just lengthy interruptions while you're busy.

[Corona688]

Sounds like a job for Captain Protocol!

Skype: RIIIIIING
Me: *Picks up*
Friend: Hi -
Me: I'm busy for the next X hours. Can I call you?
Friend: OK

Problem solved. Most people don't like fobbing people off but when you're completely clear and honest I find most don't take offence. Its exactly the same as cell phones. They can be really intrusive but as a habit I pick up and simply tell people I don't want to talk rather than ignoring calls.

It gets easier when you're confident you're being reasonable and don't let the subconscious anxiety that you're being rude compel you to have pointless conversations or just lengthy interruptions while you're busy. It's not that; it's more the synchronous nature of the calls that make them a problem. You get a dedicated connection between you and someone else, and while the connection persists you can't do anything else at all because they can hear you type and hear you talk to other people. This is great for private conversations and important notifications, but horrible for sparse chat; I can code and chat through IM more or less simultaneously, but I have to drop everything for a skype call.

Something more like CB radio where you can turn the mic on and off, and only transmit intermittently, would be better for chat.

[Farren]

You need a headset to use it without feedback. Or a decent cardioid mic. Rule of thumb: If you get a mic free with anything, it's an omnidirectional mic and will recieve sound from all directions. Doesn't matter which way you point it. Cardioids, on the other hand, if you don't point them at your speakers, feedback will be more or less minimized.

Good point.

[Farren]

It's not that; it's more the synchronous nature of the calls that make them a problem. You get a dedicated connection between you and someone else, and while the connection persists you can't do anything else at all because they can hear you type and hear you talk to other people. This is great for private conversations and important notifications, but horrible for sparse chat; I can code and chat through IM more or less simultaneously, but I have to drop everything for a skype call.

Something more like CB radio where you can turn the mic on and off, and only transmit intermittently, would be better for chat.

Sure, but I'm saying its no different from someone calling you on your cell, so the appropriate response would be whatever you do with your cell rather than discard the technology - unless you hate cells too. The only distinction is that people can see your online status, but you can change that to "Invisible" or "away" if you wish.

[Corona688]

Sure, but I'm saying its no different from someone calling you on your cell, so the appropriate response would be whatever you do with your cell rather than discard the technology - unless you hate cells too. I don't love cells, but I don't hate them either. I've quickly come to appreciate they can be extremely convenient. So far I've been careful not to inconvenience others with it, though, turning it off during class and such.

Farren, the thing is, people don't call me on my cell for absolotely no reason other than they're bored and they want me to entertain them. Because they know full well that is rude. But somehow this knowledge flies out the window when you put a cellphone-like program in a computer.

[JoeP]

Anyone else here use Skype (http://www.skype.com/)?

I just tested it out with a friend and the voice quality was excellent across a 56K link and 107km distance. I'm interested to see what international quality is like.

You need a headset to use it without feedback. Its pretty goddamn cool cuz you can send files, text chat, voice chat and conference call for free.

If anyone wants to chat to me on Skype pop open the spoiler below for my handle (spoilered to foil any Skype handle collecting spider things, if they exist, or drive-by wierdos, because I've already had one bizarre call in a foreign language from a complete stranger):


farrenhayden


My end will ring when you call, although not too loud because its a headset, so I more or less have to be in the room to hear it.
Hmmm ... I don't know how a spider would identify skype handles - they don't seem to have any identifying format. But an automated tool is not going to be fooled by the spoiler tag. All it does is put in a <span> with style="DISPLAY: none". Your handle is still there in raw html. So you've protected yourself against wierdos smart enough to identify threads talking about skype handles, but not smart enough to click a button. Those people are well worth defending yourself against, of course.

Aaanyway ... do you realise this means cellphones are now "legacy technology"?

[Farren]

Hmmm ... I don't know how a spider would identify skype handles - they don't seem to have any identifying format. But an automated tool is not going to be fooled by the spoiler tag. All it does is put in a <span> with style="DISPLAY: none". Your handle is still there in raw html. So you've protected yourself against wierdos smart enough to identify threads talking about skype handles, but not smart enough to click a button. Those people are well worth defending yourself against, of course.

Aaanyway ... do you realise this means cellphones are now "legacy technology"?

I didn't really think that through much did I?

Oh well, hopefully someone will want to Skype eventually (if this thread doesn't sink into oblivion)

[Beth]

I downloaded skype to talk to out of state friends and family for free. After a minute or two, the connection is rather clear, but at first, very digital sounding. Cool service, though.

[Petra]

I don't have a working mic, but I'll get one soon and then I'll be happy to chat with you. :)

[Farren]

Petra will you PM or email me when you've got one (pref PM I'm terrible with email)

[Petra]

I most certainly will, Farren. I'd be delighted to voice chat with you. :)

It won't be for about a month, though. I'll be getting paid fortnightly, and the first weeks pay will be all on bills.


And if Skye doesn't work for me downunder, then we can always check out PalTalk. :yup:

[lpetrich]

So far, I've only used Skype to make a phone call I had to make -- it worked perfectly, and it has a very low long-distance rate.

But I run my Skype client only when I want to use it, as I do all my instant-messaging clents:

ICQ
Apple iChat (does AIM)
Yahoo Messenger
MSN Messenger

As to Corona688's callers' Skype etiquette problem, I suggest (1) using Skype's instant-messaging system to arrange calls -- and reject calls -- and (2) setting one's status to "Away" or "Not Available" or "Do Not Disturb" or "Invisible" or "Offline" (the other two statuses are "Online" and "Skype Me").

And I'm not sure if anyone here desperately wants to hear my voice.

[Beth]

I would use skype to chat with you guys, but, A) I am not sure that I have anything profound to say besides just shooting the breeze, and B) Dear Hubby may get kinda ticked if I start chatting it up with guys.

I thought that the chat room in here once allowed for voice chat, but last time I looked, I didn't see that option. I must have been wrong.