Video messaging

I hope I've got the correct terminology here... but here's my request. I was watching Ideal World shopping channel at midnight last night, where they were selling the Acer One 150 running Windows. Anyway, they were doing a couple of demonstrations, but one in particular that I want on my machine and son's laptop. My Acer is Linux, son's laptop is windows. Anyway, the demonstration was a full screen video chat between two Acers in different parts of the building. Indeed the demonstrator said that she could be on the other side of the world and it would still work. She mentioned Skype (which I've heard of, but know nothing about) and said that it could be downloaded for free and that any video chatting costs nothing.

Can someone tell me a bit more about this, in baby terms, and tell me how I can get this up and running on my machines. And, how does it work?... Do you get in through MSN????

Sorry for very ignorant post, but I am a complete novice!

Any help would be gratefully received.

 

I've just installed Skype on my AAO.

It looks like a great piee of software and should work perfectly with the Aspire, with its built in webcam and microphone.

I went here:-
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/downloa ... 2956878430

Then downloaded Fedora 7.
It worked perfectly.
Sadly though, I haven't got any friends so I'll never be able to check it out.

:O(

Phil

 

Thanks for that, Phil ... Are you running linux or windows?
What's Fedora 7? :?

If I somehow get this installed on my linux Acer, can I interact with my son's windows laptop, or is it only workable betwen the same O.S's? :?

I'm getting lost!

 

Linux comes in lots of different flavours. The Acer Aspire One uses a flavour called Linpus BUT this is based on a more popular versions of Linux called Fedora.ell me how you ge
If you pick the Fedora version, then Skype will downoad and install without any problems.
Once installed, you should be able to register as a Skype user and start talking to any friends that you have.....and it doesn't matter whether they use Windows, Apple or Linux........or anything else I suppose.

Passing note.........I was in my local PC store yesterday and there were two people there with hearing problems, buying webcams so that they could use Skype and sign to each other.

Tt on.
Phil

 

Don't know whether MSN would work but I suspect that if you where prepared to fiddle, then it would.
Skype is a similar system but more of an alternative telephone and video conferencing system. It's great if you have friends or relatives living far away.....you can save a lot of money using Skype because it is free.
Phil

 

Thank you Phil... that makes it a fair bit clearer! I will download the Skype programme to both machines tomorrow and take it from there.

Cheers fella!

 

I downloaded Skype from here http://www.acer.com/aspireone/aspireone ... nnect.html which is Acer's own website and followed the instructions. Very easy really.

 

Fairnuf: I have downloaded the skype.sh.zip file and when I double click on it, it brings up a window called skype.sh.zip - archiver 0.4.9svn-r
In that file are 2 others... skype.sh and skype-ReleaseNote ... pdf. I can't see how to uncompress skype.sh. If I double click on it, nothing happens.

And, it says at the bottom of the page that all files downloaded to my downloads folder... BUT IT IS EMPTY!!!!!

Any advice please?

 

Make sure you download to your system. When you have downloaded it you will find that it WON'T appear in your 'My Downloads' file. Just search for it and then double click on it. It will automatically open with Xarchiver. Double click on the .sh file and that should install Skype. It did with me. The Skype icon appeared in the Connections part of the desktop.

I must say that the instructions on the download site aren't great, but it definitely worked for me.

 

Cheers fella ... finally got it to work. Funnily enough, I was doing exactly the same thing as I was when it didn't work this morning! ... But the files popped up into my download folder tonight, after several goes... and anyway, I have signed up and am ready to go ... well, I will be when I put skype on the son's laptop, so I have someone to communicate with!!

Fairnuf, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out on this.

Cheers matey!