Tsk, tsk, all this typing. It's not really necessary anymore. Download
Skype 3.0 Beta from:
http://skype.com/download/skype/wind...ding_beta.html

You MUST be running Win2000 or WinXP on some kind of broadband, not
dialup, internet. Wifi works fine from the boat. The instructions, if
this is your first Skype install, are on the webpage. For those who have
Skype 1 or 2, simply turn them off and follow the directions to install
3.0b. I can find no bugs at all.

Now the good news.....

Skype 3 has "LIVE", a Live Chat mode! Just like a live typing chatroom,
except it's live VOICE! How cool is that? Click the LIVE tab on Skype
3.0b and it will download the current menu of open chats. Chatrooms are
listed for 5 hours, then disappear off the server, even if the chatroom
stays open for 10. It's the way they clear the server if the net gets
hosed. To pick a room to open, simply click the TALK/LISTEN green phone
on the right side of the room's line. Click "more info" to see what the
room is about, typed by the moderator who started it. ANYONE can be a
moderator, not just the chosen few. To be a moderator, you simply open a
new room and YOU'RE IT! The moderator can open the room up so that when
you logon everyone already can talk, but most rooms are setup so you must
click the request button (upper right corner) which switches you from a
LISTENER to AWAITING the moderator's click. The moderator simply kicks
off any troublemakers, temporarily or permanently. It's his chatroom,
after all.

Everyone who is a TALKER can all talk, in full duplex, at once...just as
if you were sitting around a table at your favorite bar. There is no
passing it around, different from what goes on at the table. Everyone
can hear everyone else...unless you press the MUTE button, a little
button at the lower left with a slash through a microphone....in case you
have to yell at the wife for more beer...or she starts yelling at you to
get off the damned computer and take out the garbage. The headphone
button allows you to adjust headphone volume, and take Skype off
automatic gain control on the mic to reduce background noise. EVERYONE
on a chat room like this should be running HEADPHONES, not speakers, to
make sure there are no echos.

Last night, I checked into a chat moderated by the guy who runs
911blog.org, which also had online (until almost 3AM) the last guy who
escaped the WTC, a couple of former firemen who are now not afraid of
being fired for talking about it, a couple of other 911 website operators
and quite a few interested parties. It was a very interesting chat with
the people who were really there with first-hand information about molten
column supports where metal was running like water and internal
explosions going off BELOW them.

Now, wouldn't it be interesting to have a BOATER live chat so we can all
hear how odd each other really sound....say, TONIGHT at 8PM? Get Skype
today and let's see how it goes.......Bring your own beverages, though...
(c;

Larry
--
Halloween candy sure has dropped in price, lately!

Larry wrote in news:Xns98808300B43E0noonehomecom@
208.49.80.253:

Now the good news.....


Now the bad news....

If you speak ENGLISH, you don't check into an ENGLISH skypecast. There
were LOTS of checkins but only TWO spoke English, passably.

I guess it was a bust. I gave up.....

It has great potential, though. Maybe another time. I dumped it.



Larry
--
Halloween candy sure has dropped in price, lately!

Larry wrote:
Tsk, tsk, all this typing. It's not really necessary anymore. Download
Skype 3.0 Beta from:
http://skype.com/download/skype/wind...ding_beta.html
Larry

HI Larry:

You sounded great !

Also solved a tech problem Ive been knawing on for over 12 years.
Thank you!!

Cheep, easy, and lots of voice mail storage too.

Thanks again. SO when are you going to be broadcasting again??
AKA Bob

"Bob" wrote in news:1163988514.716969.213430
@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com:


Larry wrote:
Tsk, tsk, all this typing. It's not really necessary anymore.
Download
Skype 3.0 Beta from:
http://skype.com/download/skype/wind...ding_beta.html
Larry

HI Larry:

You sounded great !

Also solved a tech problem Ive been knawing on for over 12 years.
Thank you!!

Cheep, easy, and lots of voice mail storage too.

Thanks again. SO when are you going to be broadcasting again??
AKA Bob



We've got to put up a sign ENGLISH ONLY, next time. Two of the guests
spoke a language I don't think I ever heard before, and I've heard a lot.
I put them back in listening without saying anything, trying to get
something about BOATS into the conversation, which wasn't too successful.

We'll call it BOATING, or something like that next time. I'm afraid I'm
not much of a talkshow host...(c; They used to let me FIX the
microphones, but not get to near them when they were on the air...hee
hee. They ALWAYS let me fix the transmitters and antenna because the on-
air "talent" was deathly afraid of electrocution, something us engineers
fed by walking into the studio with lit florescent tubes not connected to
anything or by making a big arc jump out of the antenna phasing
network....(c; NONE of "them" would go down into the basement where the
cabling was buzzing away...hee hee.

After killing the group, I checked into that Tokyo ham radio conference
and made friends with the host. I've been on his radio repeater system,
before on a similar, but simpler chat conference just for ham radio
licensees called Echolink.

Too bad none of the rest of the cruisers on here showed up. I'd like to
meet them and hear their voices....(sigh)....

Larry
--
Halloween candy sure has dropped in price, lately!

You're missing the entire point of newsgroups. They're text &
asynchronous. I like it that way. I also never use any of the instant
messenger type programs. No way in hell would I ever bother with an
instant chat type system on the net.


PDW

Larry wrote:
"Bob" wrote in news:1163988514.716969.213430
@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com:


Larry wrote:
Tsk, tsk, all this typing. It's not really necessary anymore.
Download
Skype 3.0 Beta from:
http://skype.com/download/skype/wind...ding_beta.html
Larry

HI Larry:

You sounded great !

Also solved a tech problem Ive been knawing on for over 12 years.
Thank you!!

Cheep, easy, and lots of voice mail storage too.

Thanks again. SO when are you going to be broadcasting again??
AKA Bob



We've got to put up a sign ENGLISH ONLY, next time. Two of the guests
spoke a language I don't think I ever heard before, and I've heard a lot.
I put them back in listening without saying anything, trying to get
something about BOATS into the conversation, which wasn't too successful.

We'll call it BOATING, or something like that next time. I'm afraid I'm
not much of a talkshow host...(c; They used to let me FIX the
microphones, but not get to near them when they were on the air...hee
hee. They ALWAYS let me fix the transmitters and antenna because the on-
air "talent" was deathly afraid of electrocution, something us engineers
fed by walking into the studio with lit florescent tubes not connected to
anything or by making a big arc jump out of the antenna phasing
network....(c; NONE of "them" would go down into the basement where the
cabling was buzzing away...hee hee.

After killing the group, I checked into that Tokyo ham radio conference
and made friends with the host. I've been on his radio repeater system,
before on a similar, but simpler chat conference just for ham radio
licensees called Echolink.

Too bad none of the rest of the cruisers on here showed up. I'd like to
meet them and hear their voices....(sigh)....

Larry
--
Halloween candy sure has dropped in price, lately!

Peter wrote:
You're missing the entire point of newsgroups. They're text &
asynchronous. I like it that way. I also never use any of the instant
messenger type programs. No way in hell would I ever bother with an
instant chat type system on the net.
PDW




Ouch!

Dont forget there are other people in this world too.

For me Skype Talk and its web based digital voice mail is a very useful
tool Ill use to help pay for my morning coffee while sitting in Hilo. I
tried K7 and a couple other programs but Skype is cheep, simple, and
works.

try this.............. your elbo deep in you engine. posted a couple
jpg and now some guy is talking you through your problem. Why is
conference talk useful? Its way faster than posting messages here,
waiting a day or two for info. Simply put insant feedback from a group.
Although I guess ya could use a cell phone too. It aint just a usless
hen party gab fest. But for thoes who dont need that tool, so be it.

AKA Bob

Bob wrote:
Peter wrote:
You're missing the entire point of newsgroups. They're text &
asynchronous. I like it that way. I also never use any of the instant
messenger type programs. No way in hell would I ever bother with an
instant chat type system on the net.
PDW




Ouch!

Dont forget there are other people in this world too.

For me Skype Talk and its web based digital voice mail is a very useful
tool Ill use to help pay for my morning coffee while sitting in Hilo. I
tried K7 and a couple other programs but Skype is cheep, simple, and
works.

try this.............. your elbo deep in you engine. posted a couple
jpg and now some guy is talking you through your problem. Why is
conference talk useful? Its way faster than posting messages here,
waiting a day or two for info. Simply put insant feedback from a group.
Although I guess ya could use a cell phone too. It aint just a usless
hen party gab fest. But for thoes who dont need that tool, so be it.

Look, I don't have any probs with any of that. Just Larry was touting
this as a superior thing to n/gs. It isn't. For starters, people have
to be in a reasonably similar timezone for it to be effective. The net
is global. For another, you can search archives for useful information
with n/gs. That isn't going to happen any time soon (if at all) with
chat.

I see it as a fringe element enhancement to communications. Now I've
got satellite broadband I expect I'll get a Skype account, but I can't
see it being a substitute for n/gs and email. I like the asynchronicity
and not having to reply/answer RIGHT NOW when I'm in the middle of
machining something. Hell, I turn my cellphone off the moment I get on
the boat so people can't ring me up, and only turn it back on if I want
to gloat....

PDW

"Bob" wrote in news:1164069575.559329.317190
@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com:

try this.............. your elbo deep in you engine. posted a couple
jpg and now some guy is talking you through your problem. Why is
conference talk useful? Its way faster than posting messages here,
waiting a day or two for info. Simply put insant feedback from a group.
Although I guess ya could use a cell phone too. It aint just a usless
hen party gab fest. But for thoes who dont need that tool, so be it.

A

I have a Russian friend, who is the ISP for his little town....

He called me on Skype to ask what I knew of Russian televisions with
tubes in them. I'm an old electronics technician. He said he had the
schematic and sent a large jpg of it through Skype's file transfer. He
had a rudementary analog multimeter and knew how to use it and already
had the TV apart when he called, confused at its circuits.

Within 20 minutes on Skype, he and I, across the planet from each other,
had found the arcing disc capacitor in his horizontal output amplifier.
He called me back after procuring what I thought would be a suitable
replacement from a ham radio operator he knew to say the picture was the
best he'd ever seen it.....now that the picture tube had all its high
voltage the way it was supposed to be....(c;

Skype is fantastic for such things. You can talk for some things, text
or copy/paste URLs and other non-voice-transferrable items better sent
through a text system and send and receive any files. The cruising
applications anywhere wifi is popping up because of yachties demanding it
makes it a real asset to have aboard...

Skip and I sorted out his M802 just this morning. He called me on Skype,
but I was still asleep so Skype forwarded my call to my cellphone. I
made a few suggestions, then called him back after I could see my
fingers, in focus, and sent him the URL of a webpage with the info he
needed. We chat often on Skype, but when you're able to solve a problem
in realtime with live communications...even if it weren't free...it's
invaluable.

Larry
--
Halloween candy sure has dropped in price, lately!

Peter wrote:
Look, I don't have any probs with any of that. Just Larry was touting
this as a superior thing to n/gs. It isn't.

Well, like most new found things its the the old "Yreka!" response.
Enthusastice responce or something like that.

For starters, people have
to be in a reasonably similar timezone for it to be effective. The net
is global.

Gotta agree there.

For another, you can search archives for useful information
with n/gs. That isn't going to happen any time soon (if at all) with
chat.

Absolutly! One of the things that ruffle my feathers is someone who
posts here and asks a question that was described in detail, debated,
and later agreed by obviously some way smater people than me. All that
new poster need do is a quick check of the amazing amount of extreamly
detailed info found here and electronics & building.



I see it as a fringe element enhancement to communications.

Car phones were fringe. I remember in the late 70s when I saw one and
then with Miami Vice hit it big.................. car phones and
disco....................... ugh! But now I take a phone smaller than a
size of Camels to the boat and like you, (lie) and turn it off and tell
my wife that I can not get good reception in the marina.

Now I've
got satellite broadband

Way cool ! Is it one of those seagoing type or a DishTV thing?

I expect I'll get a Skype account, but I can't
see it being a substitute for n/gs and email.

Agreed. Skype does a very few things very well.

I like the asynchronicity
and not having to reply/answer RIGHT NOW when I'm in the middle of
machining something.

So you are a machinest? Boy do I have a few questions for you. My skill
level limits me to a file, hacksaw blade, and a drill. Kinda stoneage


Hell, I turn my cellphone off the moment I get on
the boat so people can't ring me up, and only turn it back on if I want
to gloat....

You are not alone on that I suspect.

My last comment is dont throw the baby out when ya empty that
galvanized wash tub.

My wish list is for some cheep highseas broadband. Maybe in 10 years???

AKA Bob


PDW

Bob wrote:
Peter wrote:
Now I've
got satellite broadband

Way cool ! Is it one of those seagoing type or a DishTV thing?

It's a 1.2m dish on my workshop roof and I can get all the bandwidth I
want to pay for :-(

So you are a machinest? Boy do I have a few questions for you. My skill
level limits me to a file, hacksaw blade, and a drill. Kinda stoneage

Yeah, I have a pretty comprehensive machine shop at home. Ask away or
copy it to my hotmail addy. I check it every week or so.
Rec.crafts.metalworking is a good place to ask machinist type
questions, lotta good people hang out there. The S/N ratio can get a
bit average but a couple filters killing the OT postings makes a
difference.

My wish list is for some cheep highseas broadband. Maybe in 10 years???

One could hope, but there goes the excuse of being out of range. I'm
not sure, on balance, that this is a good thing. I have INMARSAT B,
Iridium & a Fleet77 comms system on my work ship which means that the
office people can track you down anywhere on the planet, and they
*know* you gotta be aboard, so there's no way of avoiding the call.

Think carefully about what you wish for. You might get it.

PDW