Do I need Skype? Thread poster: keshab
|
|---|
keshab 
Local time: 23:00
Member (2006)
English to Bengali
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Hello All,
All knows that skype is a great software for file transfer, instant messaging and telephone call internationally.
At this moment I have no skype but have yahoo messenger and msn messenger. And I think these softwares do every job that skype does.
In spite of those messengers, do I need skype anymore or do I overlook some extra features that skype offers? Is it more helpful in business? Please advise.
TIA,
Keshab.
| | | |
Laura Gómez
Spain
Local time: 19:30
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Dear Keshab,
I do use skype and I find it very useful. It makes easier communication and the quality is better, at least for me, specially for telephone calls. Also, you can create an account in order to call other telephones (the other person does not need to be connected on skype in that moment) at very good prices.
I do recommend it to you, at least the free version.
Regards and good luck!
Laura
| | | |
| Yes you need it | Feb 17, 2008 |
Because many of your potential clients already have it and if they won't be able to contact you on Skype they may choose someone else who has this program.
[Edited at 2008-02-17 19:08]
| | | |
gianfranco
Brazil
Local time: 14:30
Member (2001)
English to Italian
+ ...
| Advantages of Skype | Feb 17, 2008 |
I prefer skype to other services because the quality of the voice conversation PC-PC with other computer users is higher, the communication is reliable.
It works, not always, but most of times.
Also, there are some services available, such as:
Skype out: you can contact anyone at their telephone (PC-telephone) even if they are not skype users. It costs very little. I use it for family, friends and business.
Skype in: you can pay a yearly subs... See more I prefer skype to other services because the quality of the voice conversation PC-PC with other computer users is higher, the communication is reliable.
It works, not always, but most of times.
Also, there are some services available, such as:
Skype out: you can contact anyone at their telephone (PC-telephone) even if they are not skype users. It costs very little. I use it for family, friends and business.
Skype in: you can pay a yearly subscription and purchase a telephone number, or more than one. I do not use this service yet, but some colleagues that I know have a local phone number in the US, another in the UK, and some have several numbers.
Their customers are happy to contact them with a local call, which is received on the user's PC, with the usual good skype quality.
Gianfranco ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 19:30
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Skype is unreliable | Feb 17, 2008 |
keshab wrote:
All knows that skype is a great software for file transfer, instant messaging and telephone call internationally.
GoogleTalk offers all of those, and it far more reliable.
| | | |
| You can always have more than just one | Feb 18, 2008 |
communicator, even if Google Talk is great (probably it is), you can use both of them or even more than just 2. It makes you more flexible.
Cheers
Stanislaw
| | | |
| Yes, get Skype | Feb 18, 2008 |
I've used it for several years to talk to my mother (who lives in Amsterdam, I live in the US). She still has a rotary (!) phone and Skype connects to that without any problems, and at $0.02 a minute (if you have Skypeout). I usually plop $10 into that account once in a while and I'm set.
Skype also offers unlimited calling in the US and Canada for $3 a month.
Because of Skype, I could do away with my separate business phone line (at $25 a month).
I also f... See more I've used it for several years to talk to my mother (who lives in Amsterdam, I live in the US). She still has a rotary (!) phone and Skype connects to that without any problems, and at $0.02 a minute (if you have Skypeout). I usually plop $10 into that account once in a while and I'm set.
Skype also offers unlimited calling in the US and Canada for $3 a month.
Because of Skype, I could do away with my separate business phone line (at $25 a month).
I also found it is cheaper than VoIp services like Vonage, because you don't have a to pay a minimum amount every month, you just pay that $3 and whatever you spend for calling outside of the US (in my case). ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Samuel Murray wrote: keshab wrote:
All knows that skype is a great software for file transfer, instant messaging and telephone call internationally. GoogleTalk offers all of those, and it far more reliable.
GTalk is not available for the Mac....
However I have access to my Gtalk account (except for the telephony part) via a standalone "chat consolidator" called Adium.
| | |
|
|
|
Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 20:30
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
| Never could make it to work | Feb 18, 2008 |
I don't know why but I never managed to make a internet call, neither with Skype or with other systems. I have a 4 Mb broadband connection and just once again installed a new Skype on my system, but it does not even hear my microphone (I have a rather new headset). There used to be a testfunction which recorded your voice and playd it back, but even that I don't find anymore.
But it is not important to me, I do not phone much.
Cheers
Heinrich
| | | |
| Depens on your purpose... | Feb 18, 2008 |
Samuel Murray wrote: keshab wrote:
All knows that skype is a great software for file transfer, instant messaging and telephone call internationally. GoogleTalk offers all of those, and it far more reliable.
Yeah, but it's a moot point if your goal is to be reachable by other Skype users.
If your main purpose is to flag your availability vs. other Skype users, or reach existing friends/clients who rely on Skype: go with Skype.
If you just want a decent voice/chat/webcam client in general, not considering the existing user base, there are a bunch of options.
AFAIK, GoogleTalk is just another Jabber-based client. I haven't used it myself, so I can't say in which way it stands out from the plethora of other Jabber clients:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jabber_client_software
Stanislaw Czech wrote:
Because many of your potential clients already have it and if they won't be able to contact you on Skype they may choose someone else who has this program.
Being on the buyer side, this argument is total nonsense to me!
When I source for a translator, I want to find the one that gives me "best bang for the buck". I e the right combination of topical knowledge, language skills, the right software and a decent price.
If I find this translator after milling through the Proz directory, would the absence of a Skype account deter me from contacting him/her? No way!
Really, which agency would be that "cheap" trying to save 0,50 EUR on an overseas phonecall, when most projects are worth a factor 100 or more?!
/J
| | | |
Anne Lee
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:30
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
| How to test your microphone | Feb 18, 2008 |
Heinrich, if you use Windows, go to Start, Control Panel, Sounds & Audio devices, Voice, Microphone test. Check under volume and remove the tick from 'mute'.
It would be a shame not to use your new headset because of a simple technical hitch that can be sorted in a few minutes.
I recommend Skype; it is a simple programme, does not occupy a lot of space on the computer and is invaluable to make cheap calls to people in other countries. It is definitely on the up; I get increasingly ... See more Heinrich, if you use Windows, go to Start, Control Panel, Sounds & Audio devices, Voice, Microphone test. Check under volume and remove the tick from 'mute'.
It would be a shame not to use your new headset because of a simple technical hitch that can be sorted in a few minutes.
I recommend Skype; it is a simple programme, does not occupy a lot of space on the computer and is invaluable to make cheap calls to people in other countries. It is definitely on the up; I get increasingly contacted by agencies that way. It is also a 'cleaner' form of communication at a time when our email inbox is jammed with spammers and junkmail. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 20:30
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
| Thanks, but... | Feb 18, 2008 |
Anne Lee wrote:
Heinrich, if you use Windows, go to Start, Control Panel, Sounds & Audio devices, Voice, Microphone test. Check under volume and remove the tick from 'mute'.
It would be a shame not to use your new headset because of a simple technical hitch that can be sorted in a few minutes.
There is only text to voice conversion, no microphone under Voice in the control panel. I should perhaps install something anew.
Regards
Heinrich
| | |
|
|
|
Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 20:30
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
| You should choose | Feb 18, 2008 |
your microphone as default device under Audio- "Sound recording" dropdown menu (does there stand C-Media Wave device for you at the moment?)
If if the menu is not there, you microphone is not installed. BTW, I was there when trying to use the headset with simple audio jacks (couldn't find the way to install that, Windoes didn't see that and these models doesn't come with installation CD), it also didn't show up in that menu, had to change that for USB headset (about 10 Euros). BTW, ... See more your microphone as default device under Audio- "Sound recording" dropdown menu (does there stand C-Media Wave device for you at the moment?)
If if the menu is not there, you microphone is not installed. BTW, I was there when trying to use the headset with simple audio jacks (couldn't find the way to install that, Windoes didn't see that and these models doesn't come with installation CD), it also didn't show up in that menu, had to change that for USB headset (about 10 Euros). BTW, also no voice recognition worked for me when I tried to use other, not USB headset.
Uldis
Heinrich Pesch wrote:
There is only text to voice conversion, no microphone under Voice in the control panel. I should perhaps install something anew.
Regards
Heinrich
[Rediģēts plkst. 2008-02-18 11:32] ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 10:30
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam | This is all very wonderful and cheap. What exactly is it good for? | Feb 18, 2008 |
Firstly, it's additional disruption.
Secondly, the sound quality sucketh. I prefer my land-line.
Moreover, people have figured out that they can access my toll free number from overseas. I get the bill.
| | | |
Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 20:30
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
| Simple explanation | Feb 21, 2008 |
Skype is No 1 at the moment. Most of my contacts with all my translators/clients (except by email) I uphold via Skype. About all of my clients use it. I don't use ICQ or other Instant messengers already for years (have not them even installed, discarded them few years ago, as a matter of fact). No need- just Skype it is. Sure, you can use whatever fancy communication device for your liking, however, to be effective, you have to use the most common. And that is Skype.
Uldis
Nicole Schnell wrote:
Firstly, it's additional disruption.
Secondly, the sound quality sucketh. I prefer my land-line.
Moreover, people have figured out that they can access my toll free number from overseas. I get the bill.
| | | |
Login to reply/comment 
