SKYPE?

[RDPipes]

Has anyone thought of doing this, I mean for those of us who'd like to meet each other and have a bowl but, are too far apart to travel. This Skype thing is fairly new to me beings I've never had a camera on my PC till my daughter bought me a new laptop for Christmas last year so she and I can visit using it. Seems pretty neat but, I know many may not like it because of privacy issues. I didn't like the idea either at first but, who can say no to there daughter? What's your opinion's?

 

[puros_bran]

My mother and pops use it to talk to their daughter and their other three sons... Not real sure what that says... Lol.

I'm not real familiar with Skype but I know google hangouts used to permit multiple cam chats.. Don't know if they still do.

 

[Brewdude]

No Skype here.

And not to go all Yak here, but have read that it gives away ones ability to control when it's on or off. IOW it could be used to spy on you when you think it's switched off.

:evil:

Cheers?

RR

 

[RDPipes]

No Skype here.

And not to go all Yak here, but have read that it gives away ones ability to control when it's on or off. IOW it could be used to spy on you when you think it's switched off.

:evil:

Cheers?

RR

PB, Gotcha

BD, And I thought of that myself and that's why when I'm using my laptop I flip off the monitor from time to time or just put a piece of black electricians tape over the camera.

 

[Brewdude]

No Skype here.

And not to go all Yak here, but have read that it gives away ones ability to control when it's on or off. IOW it could be used to spy on you when you think it's switched off.

:evil:

Cheers?

RR

PB, Gotcha  

BD, And I thought of that myself and that's why when I'm using my laptop I flip off the monitor from time to time or just put a piece of black electricians tape over the camera.

Yes, but the audio is still on. Supposedly. Whether or not the unit is on or off.

Just sayin'....


:no:


Cheers,

RR

 

[TMacphersonNH]

I use FaceTime on my iPad all the time to communicate with family and friends here in the hospital. I love it and makes so easy to see everyone and feel like your spending time together. I highly recommend it.

 

[RDPipes]

No Skype here.

And not to go all Yak here, but have read that it gives away ones ability to control when it's on or off. IOW it could be used to spy on you when you think it's switched off.

:evil:

Cheers?

RR

PB, Gotcha  

BD, And I thought of that myself and that's why when I'm using my laptop I flip off the monitor from time to time or just put a piece of black electricians tape over the camera.

Yes, but the audio is still on. Supposedly. Whether or not the unit is on or off.

Just sayin'....


:no:


Cheers,

RR

Mic is right next door to the camera and it gets the tape anyway. Besides, in your conversation are you giving out secret details on government projects or maybe talking about illegal activities? Just say'en, I see no threat to me, I never dance naked in front of my laptop and I only use it to Skype and play Solitaire. My main PC is where I do my secret stuff and it hasn't a camera.

 

[RDPipes]

I use FaceTime on my iPad all the time to communicate with family and friends here in the hospital. I love it and makes so easy to see everyone and feel like your spending time together. I highly recommend it.

That's great you have a way to communicate like that, I haven't a cell phone, though the daughter wants me to get one. :fpalm:
She has Skype so to keep it K.I.S.S. we'll just stay with it.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I Skype with a friend of ours in Finland. Works great. Other than that, I don't use it much..

 

[MisterE]

Skype is good. Maybe put your Skype ID in your profile so people here can connect with you.

 

[Dutch]

Ron, we can still do the death bed estate pipe sell off by Skype when the time is right. By the time the NSA ciphers thru all our personal records, we should already be in the ground and able to avoid prosecution.

In the meantime, keep the electrical tape ready for quick draw.

 

[puros_bran]

The thought of the NSA spying on my with a internet enabled camera and microphones is horrifyingly troublesome. Oh wait, they don't need Skype or a search warrant to do it anymore. Patriot Act, War on Terror, etc etc.

They can and do trace your phones, your computer usage, your credit card and bank transactions, id imagine with all the electronic doohickey on my car they probably even trace that......

BUT.


While I detest invasion of privacy and believe it should be stopped and all records destroyed.. I'm not real sure NSA spends much time watching me lay here while they listen to the infomercials in the background as I yell at this little dog.

 

[joshoowah]

No Skype here.

And not to go all Yak here, but have read that it gives away ones ability to control when it's on or off. IOW it could be used to spy on you when you think it's switched off.

:evil:

Cheers?

RR

PB, Gotcha  

BD, And I thought of that myself and that's why when I'm using my laptop I flip off the monitor from time to time or just put a piece of black electricians tape over the camera.

Skype or not. If you have a camera it can be accessed from outside sources. The only way to avoid this is either 1) you have enough computer/security knowledge to prevent this (99% of us don't) or 2) you cover it up with something when you're not using it.

Back on topic. I use Skype, Google+, and FaceTime often. Mainly because we are in Kenya and like to keep in touch with folks. I'd be up for Skyping with whoever is willing, so long as I am available. Also, you can now video conference with more than one person in Skype.

I'll gladly give my Skype name out to anyone who wants to chat. Just shoot me a PM.

 

[juanmedusa]

Never used it. I'm not against it, though.

 

[RDPipes]

Well, I can certainly see that there are people who won't and will use it here and that's (pause to flip off camera) understandable. Myself, I'm still out on putting my Skype ID
out there were anyone can see it and contacting people that I really don't know.
So I reckon what I'm trying to say is, Never Mind, Bad Idea!

 

[juanmedusa]

My wife uses some kind of Facebook based feature to talk to her sister in law. Maybe there's an alternative to Skype. Do we have a resident BoB tech guru?

 

[Stick]

Well, I can certainly see that there are people who won't and will use it here and that's (pause to flip off camera) understandable. Myself, I'm still out on putting my Skype ID
out there were anyone can see it and contacting people that I really don't know.
So I reckon what I'm trying to say is, Never Mind, Bad Idea!

I don't think it's a bad idea Ron old chap.

I've been a Skype user for several years now, mainly to keep in touch with my parents who are over 5 hours' drive away in the UK. Those brothers who are interested could simply list themselves as Skype users on a dedicated BoB thread. If you wanted to Skype someone on the list simply pm them and ask for their Skype ID. The recipient can decline at this stage which means they maintain control. You can also list yourself as 'invisible' or 'offline' to your contracts so you don't end up being bothered when you don't want to be.

Personally I think the talk of being spied upon by your camera / mic is a bit of an urban myth. Yes, the capability is there, but that's different to actually excising it. If you were a hunted criminal by the authorities then you may be at risk, but your average Joe, I doubt it. If something like that was happening on a regular basis I'm sure the public would hear about it and there'd be an outcry. Anyway! If you can't trust the governments of the world, who can you trust?

 

[RDPipes]

Well, I can certainly see that there are people who won't and will use it here and that's (pause to flip off camera) understandable. Myself, I'm still out on putting my Skype ID
out there were anyone can see it and contacting people that I really don't know.
So I reckon what I'm trying to say is, Never Mind, Bad Idea!

I don't think it's a bad idea Ron old chap.

I've been a Skype user for several years now, mainly to keep in touch with my parents who are over 5 hours' drive away in the UK.  Those brothers who are interested could simply list themselves as Skype users on a dedicated BoB thread. If you wanted to Skype someone on the list simply pm them and ask for their Skype ID.  The recipient can decline at this stage which means they maintain control.  You can also list yourself as 'invisible' or 'offline' to your contracts so you don't end up being bothered when you don't want to be.  

Personally I think the talk of being spied upon by your camera / mic is a bit of an urban myth.  Yes, the capability is there, but that's different to actually excising it.  If you were a hunted criminal by the authorities then you may be at risk, but your average Joe, I doubt it.  If something like that was happening on a regular basis I'm sure the public would hear about it and there'd be an outcry.  Anyway!  If you can't trust the governments of the world, who can you trust?

I think your last statement say's it all sir. I don't trust any Government. :suspect:
And as much as I'd like to be able to trust everyone, that is an impossible dream.
And if someone here was to contact me wanting to Skype and I felt as though I didn't know them well enough and said no, the person asking may take undo offense which I would not intend. So after rethinking it all it's probably better to let a dead dog lie.
It's a pretty sticky subject, this asking to Skype and getting denied or excepted and may make unintentional enemies or hurt feelings.

 

[joshoowah]

You're overthinking this whole thing. Skype is a safe thing thing for those who want to be social. You'd only offend those who desire to be completely private in everything they do, including avoiding communicating with people. You, truly, need not worry about those whom you wish to Skype. Like another suggested, you could simply connect with them via PM to assure your privacy or reservations.

 

[Natch]

I use it when I'm out of country to talk to my wife, much cheaper than other options and depending on where I am, pretty reliable (Vietnam has great access and S. Korea has flaming fast wireless internet access). We also use it at my school for our on-line masters program. We can have a theses defense with committee and candidate anywhere they have internet access. I've got one student on a NOAA research vessel somewhere near Antarctica about now that we can access for his thesis proposal defense.

But if I had the choice, I'd still rather sit at the table with those I need to talk to across from me.

Natch