Prev: Mac Update bundle is up.
Next: 17" MBP + VGA adapter - reliable?
From: R on 17 Mar 2010 05:19
I'm thinking of using Skype. It seems to be a simple
drag & drop app, which is good. Is there anything I
need to be wary of? E.g., will it set some process
running in the background that consumes bandwidth
even after closing the app?

Cheers,

R.
From: Peter Ceresole on 17 Mar 2010 05:36
R <me32(a)privacy.net> wrote:

> I'm thinking of using Skype. It seems to be a simple
> drag & drop app, which is good. Is there anything I
> need to be wary of? E.g., will it set some process
> running in the background that consumes bandwidth
> even after closing the app?

I use Skype 2.8.0.722 in OS 10.4.11. It works fine- it does share
bandwidth with other users, but I believe that's only while it's
running. Quality is excellent.

Just one thing; if I use it while running iChat (which I keep running
because I have a lot of relatives with whom I do video chats, and the
Buddy window tells me- and them- when we are on line) Skype is the only
app which has actually locked my iG5 solid. But if iChat isn't running,
it's okay. And there may be a later version anyway.
--
Peter
From: David Empson on 17 Mar 2010 06:58
Peter Ceresole <peter(a)cara.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> R <me32(a)privacy.net> wrote:
>
> > I'm thinking of using Skype. It seems to be a simple
> > drag & drop app, which is good. Is there anything I
> > need to be wary of? E.g., will it set some process
> > running in the background that consumes bandwidth
> > even after closing the app?
>
> I use Skype 2.8.0.722 in OS 10.4.11. It works fine- it does share
> bandwidth with other users, but I believe that's only while it's
> running. Quality is excellent.

Regarding the "share bandwidth" feature:

Skype has a mechanism whereby arbitrary running copies of Skype can be
designated as a "supernode" (which is done automatically by the Skype
servers and you have no control over it).

A supernode is responsible for holding directory information about a
group of Skype users, and responding to requests for information about
those users.

This does use a little bandwidth, but it should be negligible compared
to the amount used for an audio or video chat.

Your computer is not used to forward data for communication between two
other Skype users.

This is mentioned in the Wikipedia article on Skype, which also has a
link to a page on Skype's web site about setting up Skype for use in a
higher education institute, which briefly describes the supernode
concept.

> Just one thing; if I use it while running iChat (which I keep running
> because I have a lot of relatives with whom I do video chats, and the
> Buddy window tells me- and them- when we are on line) Skype is the only
> app which has actually locked my iG5 solid. But if iChat isn't running,
> it's okay. And there may be a later version anyway.

Your Skype is slightly out of date. The current version is 2.8.0.851.

I don't recall any other reports of this sort of lockup, and I know
several people who run iChat and Skype simultaneously, most of whom
would be on later versions of Mac OS X.

--
David Empson
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: Peter Ceresole on 17 Mar 2010 07:43
David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote:

> I don't recall any other reports of this sort of lockup, and I know
> several people who run iChat and Skype simultaneously, most of whom
> would be on later versions of Mac OS X.

It's done it to me several times- I notice because nothing else does it-
although it hasn't done it for some time, and it may have been curede by
one of the security updates. I'm sure it's a Skype/MacOS version number
feature. I bought a commercial installation DVD for 10.5 from Apple, and
I really ought to do the update, but 10.4.11 is working so well that I
keep on putting it off. I really ought to do it, though. All I have to
do is click on the 'upgrade' button.
--
Peter
From: R on 18 Mar 2010 04:08
Peter Ceresole <peter(a)cara.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I use Skype 2.8.0.722 in OS 10.4.11. It works fine- it does share
> bandwidth with other users, but I believe that's only while it's
> running. Quality is excellent.

Sounds positive. I think I'll be giving this thing a go, then.

> Just one thing; if I use it while running iChat (which I keep running
> because I have a lot of relatives with whom I do video chats, and the
> Buddy window tells me- and them- when we are on line) Skype is the only
> app which has actually locked my iG5 solid. But if iChat isn't running,
> it's okay. And there may be a later version anyway.

David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
> Your computer is not used to forward data for communication between two
> other Skype users.

That's good to hear. I wouldn't like the idea of other strange
machines (they might have germs!) doing goodness knows
what with my machine.

Thank you both,

R.
 | 
Pages: 1
Prev: Mac Update bundle is up.
Next: 17" MBP + VGA adapter - reliable?