Why Don't People Use FREE Skype ?

C

cascaderailroad

New member
Why Don't People Use FREE Skype ?

Skype is FREE, and is a perfect Instant Message program

You can drop a CDP right into the typing dialg box, and send it to someone

You can be running a train, or be building a route, and talk to other people worldwide

You can view their screen, or they can view your screen, for tutorial lessons

Skype has video phone calls, worldwide, for FREE

The most you ever need is an optional webcam, and a microphone by placing them on your desk

I find Skype to be a perfect communication device while using Trainz

What other communications program do YOU use ? (besides Teamspeak, which I believe is payware) ?
 
cascaderailroad said:
Why Don't People Use FREE Skype ?

Skype is FREE, and is a perfect Instant Message program

You can drop a CDP right into the typing dialg box, and send it to someone

You can be running a train, or be building a route, and talk to other people worldwide

You can view their screen, or they can view your screen, for tutorial lessons

Skype has video phone calls, worldwide, for FREE

The most you ever need is an optional webcam, and a microphone by placing them on your desk

I find Skype to be a perfect communication device while using Trainz

What other communications program do YOU use ? (besides Teamspeak, which I believe is payware) ?
Click to expand...

I've used it in the past, but due to some internal bandwidth issues, I got yelled at and don't bother anymore. I agree it's great for sharing and communicating.

What I don't like about it?

It's in your face, literally. I have an outlook.com, which I use to access Microsoft-related accounts and my OneDrive. The problem is Skype is now integrated into that so if I log in to upload or download a file, I get pinged by people on Skype! With Windows 8.1 and up, it's also integrated into the Windows setup so the application is ready to pounce on and bring up pop-ups whenever someone you know connects. I had to uninstall it so it wouldn't be bothersome. The options in this version are not the same as those for the old one where you could turn this crap off. There's nothing like being busy doing something else, like editing a route, only to have a pop-up appear on the screen about someone you know has connected.

I would probably be more interested in it if, 1) I didn't get my ear chewed off about the bandwidth issues every time I used it, and 2) If it wasn't always ready to pounce and interrupt me whenever I'm doing something.

The thing is I don't mind being connected, but I want to do this on my time and my convenience and not because I have to be connected all the time. I'm not a 13 year-old teeny bopper who has to send text messages ad infinitum every minute of my life.

John
 
But I myself said to myself (and never got no answers) ... Hey Self ... What the heck is Skype ? That's a silly name ... must be a silly IM program like Yahoo IM and AOL IM ... But then someone said to me ... Hey ME ... Try Skype, It is great ... then I found out for myself that Skype is quite handy ... much like the "Dick Tracy Two-Way Wrist Radio" would be (which they promised us back in 1960, but we never got i the device) ... And I said: "I like it, I like it allot" ! Trainzers get Skype ... I see very few Trainzers with a Skype IM symbol next to their name ... I have one !

Skype UN: cascaderailroad
 
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I don't see what memory it could possibly use, as I always erase my history periodically.

Just like E-Mail ... if you read it months ago, or don't plan on reading it ... delete the old E-Mails
 
I have one of the lowest end, antiquated, 2GB RAM, integrated graphics laptops, and TRS2006 takes up 75% of my disc space, and Skype runs great on it
 
For one person, at least. Also, all you need is a microphone, a webcam isn't required as you can still talk without one. For me, I use a pair of Apple earbuds with a builtin microphone.
 
paulhobbs said:
Screen sharing in Skype isn't free, at least the last time I looked.

Paul
Click to expand...

I think it is free with two in a conversation but not three or more. Screen sharing is really good for explaining an issue and especially for content creators.

I've used Skype with a few Trainz people but mostly for personal reasons. But I don't logon to Skype unless expecting a pre-arranged call for some of the reasons identified by John.
 
Skype is pretty handy. I only wish formatting options worked for me... probably my OS though. Eh.

Screen-share is definitely free for 1-on-1 calls, but I'm not so sure about 3 person+ calls - I've been in some where screen share worked, but someone may have had a premium thing and- I don't know.

Either way, it is pretty nice, and things like the smilies and noises can be tinkered with in the options - I've turned those smilies off - they're too childish and annoying.
Anyone is free to add me as long as you put who you are in the first message it asks you to send upon a request!

Cheers,
SM
 
Skype is now owned by Microsoft, if you try and install it under win 8.1 it demands a Microsoft email address sorry a whatever account. If you download it and install it from the web site it willl install without a Microsoft account even under win 8.1. I think the idea is to tie you into the Microsoft world. I sue Skype heavily but I looking for a replacement that isn't quite so Microsoft orientated and whilst I realise that if you live in the US all your communications get monitored by NSA when I'm calling a UK phone from Skype they apparently can now access the call. Microsoft made a change to the way Skype works so the calls are set up on Microsoft servers unlike the original system where things were dispersed. I don't use Skype with video just voice and these days I find I'm calling more phones than other Skype users.

Any one suggest an alternative? I prefer te use paypal for paying for my phone calls by the way rather than a credit card.

Thanks

Cheerio John
 
Different time zones do not want to be out of bed at 3am to talk to you :)


Data bandwidth is an issue - video chat uses lots of Internet bandwidth - I live in Rural Australia I am just lucky to get ADSL speed when it works, there is a data limit for both up and down and it is rather costly.
 
NSWGR_46Class said:
Different time zones do not want to be out of bed at 3am to talk to you :)


Data bandwidth is an issue - video chat uses lots of Internet bandwidth - I live in Rural Australia I am just lucky to get ADSL speed when it works, there is a data limit for both up and down and it is rather costly.
Click to expand...

What I found out is the video chat is still there even if you don't enable it, even without a camera, which to me is a lame idea. These should be disabled when there isn't a camera connected or not used. Text and voice isn't so bad, but this video data is a big hog and this causes awful network problems for others that share the same network in your own house. I suppose this isn't an issue for those that just browse the internet for fun (like me now), but for those that require a network connection for business this can be an issue. My brother, who pays the internet bill, uses a huge database of fonts as part of a program for his graphics business. This database goes out and downloads and updates when he's searching for a specific font. This process is very network intensive, and while I was Skype'ing with another couple of Trainzers one afternoon, it caused his network to lock up. I got the short end of the stick in this case and decided it wasn't worth the aggravation anymore.

John
 
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