WEEK 5: PLAY -- Session with Michael Feeney & Skype's Ease of Use

I chatted with my partner for assignment 2, Michael Feeney, on Skype last night. Our discussion centred around Feeney's idea for our assignment's proposal on 3D printing.


Skype is the fundamental form of quick communication across a broad range of platforms. The service is available on tablet, phone, PC, Mac and television. Text, audio and video options are available, along with emoticons. The difference between Skype and other forms is its ease of use. Simply pick a contact and those there options are there in easy-to-find green buttons. Skype puts this instantaneous visual and audio communication at its forefront, whereas Facebook Chat and Google Talk put these services on a sidebar, as an add-on to their main applications and stripped of functions depending on which platform. Skype can be picked up by anyone. My grandfather at 88, still learning how to use a computer, learnt first and easiest how to use Skype.

The buttons are well designed to be universally understood:


The conversation between Feeney and I stayed mainly on course. We traded planning strategies and came up with a definite start point for our assignment, even if it is quite a while away. I am happy with how it turned out.

I'm not sure what else to say as the experience of using Skype is something I do daily. I remember MSN used to fulfil this gap of instantaneous discussion with friends and family that's quicker than email and without the brevity of Twitter (or Myspace as it was back then). I communicate with friends over audio, which is great, because we can participate in a program over the top of Skype's existing call. Ventrilo is the most streamlined version of this service, although you can't video chat. Skype's ease of video calling is where it scores the most points. It is the service of choice when I want to call up a friend (price is free PC to PC) and chat while doing something else, like playing a game or typing an assignment.


We have a beginning on our assignment using the service needed for the week 5 blog. Two birds, one stone.

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