OT: Wengo/Skype/Gizmo/etc ... why?

[Graham]

On Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:35:16 -0700
Paul Lemmons <paul at lemmons.name> wrote:

> For those of you that use the SIP or Skype services this may be a
> stupid question. But why? Using any number of instant messaging
> clients I can talk to another person using that same client.
[snipped]

No, I can't talk to them, but I can write to them.  This may seem like
semantics but I can't hear my step grand daughter "gurgle" (she is just
three weeks old), I can't hear the inflections in a voice caused by
emotion, etc., unless I am connected by phone or next to them in person.

IM-ing is a reasonable alternative to email, and more instant, but
speaking to a person even if you can't see them is the next best thing
to actually being with them.

Why do I use the service?  I was bought a wi-fi Skype handset and I can
make calls on it any time it is connected to a wi-fi hotspot.  I use it
when I am at Uni and they allow voip connections over their campus
wireless system.  Since I had been bought it, I looked into other
providers but found that I was bound to my PC or laptop to use them as
I can't find an equivalent wi-fi handset for SIP use in the UK.

Even using Skype, the saving in costs over telephone or mobile phone
calls is great, but I wish there was a SIP based wi-fi service.

Many of my friends - even my daughter - will not communicate with
anybody by computer but I can ring her at home from my Skype handset at
about half to a third of the cost of normal landline calls.  Now, if
they were going to have to communicate with me by IM they would have to
use their computer at the same time as I was on my PC, but they can
take their mobile phones around and even communicate with me through
Skype.

That is why I use Skype and Gizmo and Freespeech.

-- 

Graham