h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That was, of course, a post related to something, probably 10 pages back, now, about hair....

I know what you meant though - and we look forward to some "streaky" pics!

Yesterday, cl zoomer, Anhaga, Taliesin and I had moderate success in chatting (as in speaking to each other) in a conference-call using Skype*.

Aside from the fact that cl has a touch of bronchitis and sounded like he was underwater because he had no headset, and that Taliesin could only hear us, and I was echoing because of cl's lack of headset, it was actually a promising start.

We were thinking that it might be easy enough and kind of fun to have a mini-meet using Skype.

* http://skype.com/helloagain.html

Oojakapiv (The Artist Formerly Known As Gosho) mentioned Skype a while ago. I downloaded but, since the people you call need to have Skype, too, it was sitting there unused.

For the uninitiated.....

Skype is free and enables you to talk free over the internet. You can also call phones anywhere in the world (not free), and use the chat feature (also free). Like MSN and other instant messaging, you can control who you talk to and keep personal information personal.

It is easy to install and, a snap to use.

You can speak one-on-one or conference-call, and you can chat using the IM feature, either one-on-one or for group chats.

You can send files or images.

I highly recommend using a headphone set, with microphone and I believe that Mac users may have to use a USb connected mic, but zoomer can tell you more about that.

I have also just gotten off a long (and lovely) chat with az! Again, it might be best to have a headset, but she liked using the mic. For me, it was a strain to hear her because of some static, but that might have been her mic.

Az and I chatted for 34 minutes... all for free!

Sounds good! I'm already on skype, but have not used it yet as noone I know has it... You can send attachments up to 4 GB!

Sounds good, yes.

That sounds *really* cool, Mudhooks!

Does it work with modem or do you need high-speed connection?

I think it works with anything, not tried it yet, myself! Once I get home to my headphones, I'll give it a go, though!

For the few, the brave, the weird using Debian GNU/Linux, skype is available via apt-get or aptitude or symantic.

Add the following to your sources list --

deb http://www.bootsplash.de/files/debian unstable main

Much easier than installing from the package file on the skype site

It was 34 minutes??? Wow, time flies . . .

Anyhoodle, I set this thing up and then suddenly Mudhooks was ringing me and I couldn't find my headphone set so I grabbed the mike I used the other day to make a tape for one of my students . . . phew!

I could hear Mudhooks perfectly through my speakers but she said I sounded a bit 'fuzzy'. On the other hand, I do have a rather 'wimpy' voice, so it might have been that.

I kinda liked holding the mike, told Mudhooks it made me feel a bit like Frank Sinatra . . .

A very cool idea.


az

I think I'll install it, if only because I want to hear what it *really* sounds like when az says "GAaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Trust me, it's worth it . . .


az

'symantic' that should be 'synaptic'

'I want to hear what it *really* sounds like when az says "GAaaaaaaaaaaaa!"'

Just make sure you turn the volume down

Why didn'T I *bring* my mike? Can we record the GAAAAH to use as an error sound?

I was thinking of recording it to terrorize my cat with, full volume. Might convince her to puke up her hairballs *outside*, rather than eating grass and then coming into the house to give me a present. *sigh*

Do you have to pay for the 'voice mail' feature on Skype?

MoG, I have the softest and sweetest voice ever, even when I'm going gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, so I'd never be able to scare your cat - gawd knows it never works with mine . . .


az

Yes... just the basic phone (inc, the conference calls) and chat features are free.

Got my Mom the phone az, as well as a scannerv for myself.