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When I first used WebCams... - A Suburbs Boy Living a Country Life

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March 30th, 2009
08:26 am

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When I first used WebCams...
...they were still so rare that it was a novelty at best. I ended up meeting folks at random on the net--often all we had in common is that we thought communicating with video over the net was neat. Some of those folks I'm still in touch with, today.

Now we use WebCams regularly with our faraway relatives--Q & N's grandparents in SW VA and Great Aunt in MN, for example.

Do you use a cam? If so, how?

Poll #1374796 WebCam chatting
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 34

Do you ever use a directly attached PC camera (WebCam)?

View Answers
Yes
19(57.6%)
No
14(42.4%)

If so, what software or service do you use for communicating by WebCam?

View Answers
Skype
4(20.0%)
Yahoo! Instant Messenger
1(5.0%)
AOL Instant Messenger
2(10.0%)
ooVoo
0(0.0%)
CU-SeeMe [Wow, that's "Old School!"]
0(0.0%)
Other, discuss in comments
4(20.0%)

Current Mood: curiouscurious

(14 comments | Leave a comment)

Comments
 
[User Picture]
From:awfief
Date:March 30th, 2009 01:00 pm (UTC)
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I used to have a laptop with one built in. I also have external ones but it's a pain to take around with me -- I have had the SheeriCam since before the turn of the millenium, and right now it's dark, but it has its times. If I ever get a Desktop again (which might happen soon) I will probably attach one of my webcams to it. If I get a laptop with a webcam again, I'll set the SheeriCam up again.

Once these are attached, I have no problem using it for video chat, and I use Skype. I used ooVoo for a while, because one client used it, but they're no longer with us.
[User Picture]
From:datavortex
Date:March 30th, 2009 01:04 pm (UTC)
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Gmail
[User Picture]
From:amylgam
Date:March 30th, 2009 09:04 pm (UTC)
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seconded. We'd tried several ways to get my parents' PC to do video chat with our mac, in a way that was compatible with Mom's tech know-how (moderate) that didn't break their ISP by requiring "unusual" ports (their tech support's words). Gmail is the first one to do that on a consistent basis.
[User Picture]
From:happypete
Date:March 31st, 2009 02:41 am (UTC)

silly me...

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I've even used GMail's video...When I made the poll, I kept going "there's one I'm forgetting..." Sure enough, there was.
[User Picture]
From:kellibunny
Date:March 30th, 2009 01:15 pm (UTC)
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My MacBook has one built-in but i don't have any reason to use it. Family is close by and i take a million pictures and post them on Facebook.
[User Picture]
From:sidhne
Date:March 30th, 2009 01:39 pm (UTC)
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i just use mine to take pictures.
[User Picture]
From:unquietsoul5
Date:March 30th, 2009 01:59 pm (UTC)
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I have one built in (Macbook Pro) but I don't currently use it. I find the lighting in my home to be sub-optimal for any kind of camera use, and leaves me looking like a shady Italian mobster type.

[User Picture]
From:ckd
Date:March 30th, 2009 02:50 pm (UTC)
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I use iChat-over-AIM mostly since that's what my brother and parents use, Skype on occasion because it manages to get through whatever messed up router my sister-in-law has, and iChat-over-XMPP (Google Talk/LJtalk) should work but I haven't tried it.

CU-SeeMe...ah, those were the days.
[User Picture]
From:lordlnyc
Date:March 30th, 2009 04:20 pm (UTC)
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I have one built in to my laptop [Acer], ok my work's laptop, but I don't use it. Maybe later but not now.
[User Picture]
From:born_to_me
Date:March 30th, 2009 05:10 pm (UTC)
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gundo and I each have one, and we mainly use them for when we're apart for long periods of time. Sometimes on workdays he'll want to see Gabriel and I (which I think is SO sweet). We usually use YM for that. He also uses his for Skype calls with his Mother every few weeks, primarily so she can see Gabriel (she's in the Philippines).

Also, we are on Plurk, and there's a weekly PlurkTalk which we log in to - some folks just type and others use their cams and mics and talk. We use Stickam for that.
[User Picture]
From:nightstalker
Date:March 30th, 2009 07:59 pm (UTC)
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I just got myself a netbook with a built in camera, so I'd like to learn about this too.
[User Picture]
From:c4bl3fl4m3
Date:March 31st, 2009 01:47 am (UTC)
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I've been using my webcam more and more often lately. I've done it before "having fun" with people I've met on fetish websites, but lately I've been using it to communicate with my boyfriend in Toronto. We video chat almost every night, and for long hours on the weekends. It's almost like actually being there with him... except for the inability to touch, which is sad. And I've been starting to Skype with my other friends who have Skype, and using the webcam there.

It's like the webcam has gone from a novelty to a real bonafide way of bringing people closer together. And that's just <3.
[User Picture]
From:wordwelder
Date:March 31st, 2009 11:04 pm (UTC)
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Don't get to use it much as my online time is a bit limited these days. Would really enjoy running into you thisaway one of these days!
[User Picture]
From:happypete
Date:July 20th, 2011 07:32 pm (UTC)

call me on the phone ;)

(Link)
it's the old-fashioned voice chat technique!
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