Skype is designed for personal and business communication at any time, in any circumstances, on any devices, such as mobile phones , computers or Alexa. Unique features voice and video calls, as well as text messages on Skype, help you communicate and work together. It is suitable for making one-on-one and group calls.

You can host Skype meetings and get-togethers with colleagues, share experiences and celebrate holidays with friends and family, and learn new skills with a teacher. Skype - free application . You can send messages, make audio and video calls, including in groups of up to 50 people!

And having made some money to your account, you can call to regular phones and send SMS messages. You can only pay for calls you've already made or subscribe to a calling plan, whichever suits you best.

Download Skype today and start adding friends, family and colleagues to your contact list. Finding them on Skype will not be difficult, because Skype has been used for a long time for a variety of purposes hundreds of millions people.

Contacts

Skype was founded in 2003 and today is a division of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) with headquarters in Luxembourg.

websitecommunications SARL
23-29 Rives de Clausen
L-2165 (Luxembourg)
Company registration number: R.C.S. Luxembourg B100.468
Authorized Representative: Lauri Paal
VAT code: LU 20981643

Nowadays, few people do not know about such a concept as Skype. This technology has become so firmly established in our lives that we sometimes don’t even try to understand how it works? Do you need to tell your family some urgent news, or ask a specialist friend for advice, or just chat, what do we do in this case? That's right, we open the Internet, look for the person we need and write him a message. But is this form of communication convenient? Of course not! It is for your convenience that the Skype program was created.

But let's try to figure out what it is? Where can I find this program and how to install it? You and I will find out everything if we read the article to the end.

People have learned to use the Internet to communicate at a distance for a very long time. But only one program made it truly convenient and simple - Skype. It allowed not only to correspond via SMS, but also to make phone calls and even transfer video.

Skype (or Skype) is a great, absolutely free program, which is very convenient to use when communicating via the Internet with your colleagues, friends, and relatives around the world. The program was developed by the company Skype Limited.

The program allows you to perform the following actions:
Conduct individual correspondence, exchange messages with friends and relatives, just like in other programs such as ICQ, QIP or Agent.
If you have a microphone and headphones (or speakers), you can call a friend from the next door, city or country and just talk as if you were talking on the phone. Of course, provided that he (or she) also has Skype installed.
If you have a webcam, a microphone and headphones (or speakers), then you can conduct a video conference, see the interlocutor, hear him and answer, you can call it a video phone.

To summarize the above, the program operates in three modes:
Chat text messaging in " live" You type what you want to say and get an instant response. It's something like SMS communication.
Call-voice communication, that is, the same as on the phone. You hear your interlocutor and he hears you. To do this you will need a microphone, headphones or speakers, as well as quite fast internet. Modern laptops, tablets and smartphones usually have both a microphone and speakers.
Video call- voice communication + video broadcast. You both hear your interlocutor and see him. To do this you need to have a special camera. It's called a webcam

A webcam (also webcam) is a small-sized digital video or photo camera capable of capturing images in real time for further transmission over the Internet (in programs such as Skype, Instant Messenger or any other video application).

And it is built into every modern laptop, tablet or smartphone. For personal computer it can be purchased separately. As with voice communication, the Internet must be fast, preferably unlimited.

But that was a digression, and now let’s move on to downloading and installing Skype. First of all, let’s go to the official website of the program by clicking on the blue button below.

Once downloaded, find the file, usually it is in the “Downloads” folder. By the way, it can be opened using the combination Ctrl+J. Next comes installation. Select a language, accept the terms of the agreement, then in the new window uncheck the box next to the line “ Install Click plugin to Call from Skype" and click on the button " Continue" At the next stage, you will need to choose, or rather refuse, integration of the Bing search engine into the browser and home page MSN. These are Microsoft services that they actively promote, but these services are not interesting and not needed, and therefore, we remove the checkboxes from the “ Make Bing search engine Default" and "Set MSN as Homepage". The installer will now install the program. The installation will take approximately 2-3 minutes. When the installation is complete, the programs will not appear, and Skype itself will automatically start.

In order to run Skype program and start communicating, you need to register in the system by coming up with your unique login, which will be the so-called number in the Skype system.

How to register for Skype.

To register in Skype, click on the “Register” button in the program window, or on the official website at home page, click on the green circle that says “Registration”. To register with Skype you will need to enter some data or do it using your social account Facebook networks(if you are registered there) by clicking on the appropriate menu. To register in the system yourself, you need to enter several data. In this case, those fields marked with an asterisk are required for entry.

Then you will need to come up with a Skype Login - a name in the Skype system. Your name in the system must be unique, that is, not occupied by another user in the system, so it is possible that you will need some time to come up with a login. If the name you entered is already used by the user, the system will inform you about this and offer its options. After the login is selected, proceed to entering the password for the account. The password for Skype must be complex, that is, not include your date of birth, phone number, etc. The password combination must include Latin letters and numbers. The password length must be from 6 to 20 characters, while large and small letters are not considered the same, they are different.

At the end, you will need to indicate the method of communication to be informed by the system: SMS messages or email, and then enter the text that is shown in the picture (protection from robots). After entering all the required information, click on the " I agree - further».

How to launch and configure Skype

After registration, return to the Skype window and enter your username and password there, then the system will prompt you to install again automatic start programs when the system boots. By selecting automatic or manual loading, click on the “Login” button. In order to launch Skype the next time, if you have not set the program to start automatically, an icon has been installed on the desktop; it will also be placed in the Start menu.

So, you are in Skype and now you need to configure it, it will take a couple of minutes. For Skype settings you will need to select in the top menu of the program - “ Tools", and then - " Settings" and you will see the following window:

There are quite a lot of settings here, but all you need to do is adjust the audio and video. To do this, go to the “ Sound settings" After this, connect a headset or speakers with a webcam (if its microphone will be used). In the sound settings, next to each device type, select the device that will be used for this. In addition, you can immediately test your chosen device and set the volume level. Next, go to the section “ Video settings" If your webcam is connected and configured correctly, the webcam image will appear in the window. If necessary, you can click on the " Webcam settings» for more precise settings.

To add a contact to Skype, in the left menu, click on the little man with a plus icon and in the field where the magnifying glass is located, enter the username or first and last name of the user you want to find. To add a found user, right-click on this contact and select the menu item “ Add user" To do this, you will need to send a request to the user to add you to their list. IN this request you can leave a standard phrase, or you can write something of your own.

In order to close the Skype program, and not minimize it, you need to right-click (bottom right part of the screen) on the Skype icon, and in the menu that appears, select “Exit”.

Well, that's all about the program. I hope you were able to do everything correctly and now you can enjoy communicating with your loved ones and friends. If you don’t understand something, write and I’ll help.

Skype in the modern world is the number one service for making voice and video calls. Since its inception in 2003, the messenger has gradually improved its interface to the point where anyone with basic skills can master it quickly.

It has paid and free versions. Latest version allows users to integrate their Skype and Facebook contacts. Such popularity of the messenger attracts special attention to the history of its creation.

First steps

The first question of any user who has been using the program for years and decided to take an interest in its history is “Who invented Skype?” The original founders of Skype were Scandinavians Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom, from Denmark and Sweden respectively. However, developers software there were three - Estonians Ahti Heinla, Priit Kazesalu and Jaan Tallinn, who created the previously famous file sharing site KaZaA.

These guys came up with a great idea - to give any user with an Internet connection the opportunity to communicate and talk with any other subscriber. But that's not all, it would all be completely free.

On August 29, 2003, the developers released the first official release application that instantly attracted the attention of thousands of users.

This was something surprising, especially for people from less developed countries where other means of communication were expensive, limited or completely impossible. People very quickly began to use Skype as a method of making free calls to anywhere in the world. In the blink of an eye, the application became popular throughout the world.

The founders' first earnings

After such rapid popularity and demand, the creators had to think that it was time for their product to generate income. They decided to start providing paid services– direct calls to regular phones from Skype and vice versa.

Moreover, they made it possible to make such calls at truly reduced prices, many times lower than regular landline or mobile calls.

In 2005, the messenger was actively used by more than 70 million people. Skype began to bring good money to its owners (about $35 million per quarter). But that was just the beginning.

Buying Skype on eBay

Also in 2005, the largest and most popular on the planet eBay auction buys Skype for a then astonishing $2.6 billion. The auction owners did not fully understand why they this development, but they considered the deal big and profitable.

The very next year, 2006, Skype's revenue doubled and amounted to about $195 million. The number of active users also quickly grew to 171 million. In 2007, revenue reached $381 million, and there were already 278 million users.

During those four years that the messenger was owned by Ebay, the service became truly popular and in demand all over the world. The number of active users during this time increased from 55 to 400 million.

In November 2009, the program was sold again. eBay announced that they sold a 70% stake in the company for $2.5 billion. Moreover, the very first owners, those who created the program, received a 14% stake in the service and a seat on the board of directors. Without investing a penny in the development of the service. They simply promised in return that Ebay would not be sued for illegal use of their patent.

Microsoft era

In 2010, Skype's user base reached 663 million and revenue rose 20% to $860 million. But the company is still losing money, despite an annual loss of only $7 million.

In 2011, Microsoft announced that they were buying Skype and were willing to pay a whopping $8.5 billion for the deal. This was the largest acquisition that Windows developers ever done.

Microsoft executives felt comfortable paying this amount because they had big plans. They planned to integrate Skype in their applications such as Windows, MS office, etc.

Skype is now available on devices running Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8 and Windows phones. In addition, for gadgets from Apple and Play Station Portable Sony.

Development of application versions

Skype 4.1 was launched in 2009. By 2010, Skype 4.1 was rooted on Windows, Mac and Linux. Skype is targeting the mobile market for devices such as Android, iPhone and iPad. Early versions only allowed voice calls. In December 2010, Skype video calling became available to iPhone users. By June 2011, Androids are using the same access.

Skype continues to expand into new markets, becoming available for applications such as Linux, smart TVs, and game consoles. In May 2011, after taking over Microsoft, version 5.3 was released. It includes Facebook integration and group video calls.

The program was dynamic and greatly exceeded the original design. A large number of consumers have started switching to the new platform with group calling, unlimited national calling and the promise of an ad-free interface.

In November 2012, Microsoft announced that Skype would become its primary messaging service. Users can sign in with their Microsoft account. The Bing search bar was also included in the installer.

The messenger is gradually adapting to the general Microsoft style.

Skype has already established itself as a leading platform for video and voice calling, instant messaging, file sharing and collaborative chats. Microsoft has turned Skype into a winning investment and an amazing online voice and video communication program. Its creator can be proud of his creation.

What is Skype? What is Skype and how to use it? Skype is one of the most popular programs for communicating on the Internet. https://site/ip-telefoniya/chto-takoe-skaip https://site/@@site-logo/logo.svg

What is Skype? What is Skype and how to use it?

Skype is one of the most popular programs for communicating on the Internet.

What is Skype and how to use it?

Skype(read Skype) - this is simple computer program(already Russified), thanks to which you can call other Skype subscribers all over the world for free. Those. provides free encrypted voice and video communications over the Internet between computers (VoIP), as well as paid services for communication with subscribers of regular and mobile telephone networks. It is possible to organize a conference call (up to 25 subscribers, including the initiator), transfer text messages, files, show your desktop, as well as video communication (currently when using standard client- up to two subscribers, and when using plug-ins from third-party manufacturers, their number is limited only by the channel bandwidth).

What is Skype? Skype offers many communication methods:

On Skype you will find many useful functions, thanks to which you will always be in touch with friends, family and colleagues, you will be able to share your thoughts and receive the necessary information.

Skype can be used on both your computer and mobile phone, so you can stay connected even on the go without changing your plans. Skype works on many mobile phones and devices such as the PlayStation® Portable (PSP®). There's also a huge selection of WiFi phones and cordless phones with Skype built-in.

To get started, try sending instant messages to someone on your contact list or open a group chat where several interlocutors can communicate at once. You can set up a conference call to discuss an upcoming meeting with friends, then use the Business Review Search™ to find the perfect place to host it.

Plus, you have great video calling capabilities. All you need is a webcam, which will allow you not only to use free video calls, but also to take photographs of yourself, so that you can later use these photos on Skype.

Skype is not intended for emergency calls

Skype is not a replacement for a regular telephone and cannot be used to make emergency calls

Finding friends on Skype

If you use Microsoft Outlook®, Outlook Express® or email Yahoo mail!, you can import data from these applications into your Skype notebook. If your friends don't have Skype yet, you can send them an invitation to download Skype, and then you can chat for free. Don't be surprised if they send you a bouquet of flowers and chocolate: these are your grateful friends. And you deserve it.

Know other MySpace users? Convince them to download Skype or MySpaceIM from Skype. Then add them to your Skype address book, and your circle of contacts will significantly expand. Just find the name of the person you need in MySpaceIM.

Adding a new friend to your address book is easy. You can also add contacts to Skype who don't already have Skype and call them on landlines and mobile phones at low rates anywhere in the world.

If you have phone numbers stored in your Microsoft Outlook® address book, they will appear in your contacts list and you can easily dial them directly from Skype. To call landlines or mobile phones, you need Skype Credit or a monthly subscription.

How to use Skype at work?

Are you an individual entrepreneur? Or an employee of a multinational holding? No matter how small or impressive your company's staff may be, with Skype you can save time and money and, most importantly, always stay one step ahead of the competition.

Skype allows businesses to find their unique way of working, no matter what their goals are or where their employees are located.
Voice, chat, video conferencing and even calling and texting on mobile phones - you choose how best to convey information to your colleagues and clients. Whatever your company, download the business version of Skype and take the first step towards minimizing costs and increasing profitability.
And if stopping there is not your plan, especially for you is Skype Manager, a system for centralized management of the use of Skype throughout the entire enterprise.

Skype Manager simplifies and optimizes the exchange of business information. With just one simple online tool, you can connect colleagues to your network and give them access to the information they need. functionality Skype and save money at the same time with our very competitive rates.

Where does Skype work?

Skype works on the following operating systems Mac systems OS X, GNU/Linux, Windows, Windows Phone, iPhone, Windows Mobile, Google Android, PSP, Symbian.

Skype works on TV. Free video communication on a big screen right in your living room is quite possible thanks to the latest developments from companies such as LG, Panasonic and Samsung: the latest models of TVs from these manufacturers are designed to work with Skype in high definition.

Where can I download Skype?

Just follow the link for your operating system:

How to pay for Skype services?

You can deposit money into your Skype account using Diners, MasterCard or Visa. Usage payment system Moneybookers Allows you to use your credit card, debit card or bank account to securely purchase Skype products. You can also pay for purchases on Skype through the system WebMoney. SkypeOut services can also be paid through Yandex.Money. Thanks to the company PayByCash You can pay for purchases on Skype using the payment methods used in your country, so you can do without a credit card.

When and by whom was Skype created?

The creators of Skype are Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis.

The first Skype appeared in September 2003.

In October 2005, the company was purchased by eBay for approximately $2.6 billion (an additional $500 million was later paid), although the company's annual turnover was less than $100 million. In April 2009, eBay executives announced that in the first In the middle of 2010, Skype will be sold on the stock exchange, since the activities of this company do not fit well with the online auction business.

The company's headquarters are located in Luxembourg, with branches in London, Prague, San Jose and Tallinn.

Events

2003

• Founding of the company

2005

• The company was bought by eBay for $2.7 billion

2007

• March: Skype 3.1 released, new features added, including Skype Find and Skype Prime. Skype 3.2 beta has also become available with new features that allow you to send money via PayPal to other users.
• August: Skype 3.5 for Windows was released, now there is support for video in the profile, as well as the ability to insert video into a chat; transfer a call to another user or group; auto repeat call.
• August 15: Skype 2.7.0.49 (beta) for Mac OS.
• August 16-17: “Black Tuesday”, as a result of a failure Skype did not work for more than a day.

2008

• January 30: Skype releases a version for Sony PSP.
• March 13: Skype 2.0 for Linux is released with video conferencing support.
• July 9: Skype 4.0 Beta released, in the fourth version new interface programs.
• September 1: Skype closes SkypeCasts.
• September 12: at unlimited tariff Unlimited Europe for $5.95 now, in addition to calls to landlines in 21 European countries, includes Russian cities - St. Petersburg and Moscow.
• December 26: Skype releases version 1.0.0 for Nokia Nst-4 in system pack v1.0.0

2009

• February 3: Skype 4.0 (Windows) released.
• March 31: Skype released a version for the Apple iPhone.
• May 12: Skype stopped supporting conferencing.
• September 1: eBay announced the sale of a 65% stake in Skype to Andreessen Horowitz investor group for $2 billion.
• November 9: Skype releases toolbar for MS Outlook

2010

• January 19: Skype is another client of the Russian company SPIRIT in the field of IP telephony. The quality of sound transmission has been significantly improved.
• February 19: Skype ends support for Skype Lite (Skype for Java phones) and Skype for Windows Mobile.
• April 31: Skype released a version for the Apple iPad.
• August 9: Skype files for its first share issue. The company plans to raise $100 million during the placement of shares.
• September 2: Skype adds support for offline chat messages.
• October 5: Release of a full-fledged Skype client for Android.
• October 14: Skype 5.0 (Windows) was released, the fifth version has a new program interface and the ability to make group video calls has been added.
• December 22-23: Skype crashes worldwide.
• December 23, 18:20 Moscow time: Skype has been restored.

2011

2012

The program release dated January 10, 2013 introduced integration with the Outlook email client.

On January 29, 2013, Microsoft stopped supporting Windows Live Messenger, completely switching to the development of Skype.

In the version for Windows 8 dated February 22, 2013, the ability to sharing files, allowing users to exchange documents via instant messaging.

Released on February 27, 2013, version 3.2 for Android platforms adapted for 7-inch tablets.

On April 7, 2014, Microsoft announced the creation of Skype TX, a special Skype-based solution for television studios and radio stations. Since April 29, 2014, group video conferencing has become free. In September 2014, support for phones running the Symbian platform was discontinued.

What is Skype technology?

Unlike many other IP telephony programs, Skype uses a P2P architecture for data transmission. The Skype user directory is distributed across the computers of Skype network users, which allows the network to easily scale to very large sizes (currently more than 100 million users, 10-15 million online) without an expensive infrastructure of centralized servers. In addition, Skype can route calls through other users' computers. This allows users behind a NAT or firewall to connect to each other, but creates additional load on the computers and channels of users connected directly to the Internet.

The only central element for Skype is the identity server, which stores user accounts and backups their contact lists. The central server is needed only to establish communication. Once the connection is established, the computers send voice data directly to each other (if there is a direct connection between them), or through a Skype intermediary (a supernode - a computer that has an external IP address and an open TCP port for Skype). In particular, if two computers located inside the same local network, have established a Skype connection with each other, then the connection with the Internet can be interrupted, and the conversation will continue until it is completed by the users or there is some kind of communication failure within the local network.

Thanks to the codecs used by Skype (data compression algorithms) SVOPC (16 kHz), AMR-WB (16 kHz), G.729 (8 kHz) and G.711 (ILBC and ISAC were also previously used) and with sufficient Internet connection speed ( 30-60 kbit/s) in most cases the sound quality exceeds the quality of regular telephone communication.

When establishing a connection between PCs, the data is encrypted using AES-256, which in turn uses a 1024-bit RSA key to transmit the key.

The Skype VoIP protocol is closed and is used only by the original Skype software. Using the API, third-party programs can access its functions.

There are no cases of decryption and/or interception of data on Skype officially confirmed by the developer.

For stable use of video communication, an Internet connection speed of 200 kbit/s is required and is desirable clock frequency processor from 1 GHz.

What is the history of Skype?

The first versions (versions 0.97, 0.98) of the program appeared in September-October 2003. The program simultaneously supported 10 languages ​​and had a simple, logical interface, initially adapted (unlike ICQ and MS-Messenger) for voice communication. During installation, Skype itself chose the Windows localization language and made login registration easier and faster than in competing programs. It was the ease of installation, learning and use of the program that quickly attracted attention to it large number users. In version 1.2, an answering machine (Voicemail) appeared for the first time, and starting from 1.3, any of its owners could leave messages to other users, even if they did not use this service. 1.2 also introduced the SkypeIn feature, which allows you to link your Skype account to a phone number.

Starting with version 1.4, it became possible to redirect calls to other Skype accounts, as well as to regular phones.

In version 2.0, for the first time, the possibility of video communication appeared, and in 2.5 - the ability to send SMS, organize Skypecasts (this technology has been officially disabled since September 1, 2008) and integration with Microsoft Outlook.

In version 3, a service (SkypeFind) appeared that allows users to create a list of companies and give a description of them. Nowadays it is filled to a large extent with spam.

Skype 3.5, version for Nokia Nst-4 The Skype client can be installed on a compatible phone or PDA, resulting in significant cost savings due to the low tariffs of the system. However, mobile operators do not want to lose excess profits and are slowing down the process in every possible way. T-Mobile is the largest provider cellular communication in Germany - stated that it would block Skype Internet telephony traffic on iPhone smartphones. It comes to the point that the lobby mobile operators is trying to ban Skype, and at the same time ICQ, in Russia.

What are Skype services? What are paid Skype services?

SkypeOut tariffs as of March 2006 in US dollars per minute of conversation SkypeOut Allows you to make outgoing calls to landlines and mobile phones in most countries of the world. Payment is per minute, differentiated. Calls to toll-free numbers (such as +1 800 in the US) are free, and even users who have not paid for the SkypeOut service can use them. Also, through SkypeOut, incoming Skype calls are made to the phone from mobile application Skype Lite. 180 days after last call SkypeOut balance is running out. SkypeIn Allows you to receive phone calls from users of traditional telephone networks. In this case, the participant receives a telephone number in one of the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia, France, Great Britain, USA, Japan and Hong Kong (China). All incoming calls to this number will be sent to your Skype account, and if the account is positive, calls can be forwarded to any phone number. As a bonus to phone number Skype provides a free answering machine for the entire time you use the number. Skype Voicemail Free services Main article: Skypecast Screenshot Skype programs when participating in SkypecastSkypeCast (from the English Skype - VoIP and broadcasting program) - broadcasting, sometimes the abbreviated “cast” is used) - a type of voice communication between a group of Skype users (up to 150 people). Outwardly similar to a conference call, however, unlike it, it is established through a central server, as a result of which it does not place high demands on the channel bandwidth of the user who initiated the conversation.

What are Skype gadgets and products?

Skype produces and sells various products for the Skype program. For example, cordless phone RTX Dualphone 3088 for calls without a computer. The phone allows you to make and receive calls both via Skype and on a regular telephone network without a computer. Skype also releases Freetalk Wireless headsets - wireless headphones with a USB transmitter for wireless communication via Skype, equipment for video calls (Freetalk Buddy Pack) and webcams (Freetalk Connect 2).

Attempts to ban Skype

The Commission on Telecommunications and Information Technologies of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) is preparing recommendations on banning Skype in Russia. The interests of telecom operators participating in the RSPP are clear: thanks to the presence of Skype, millions of Internet users in Russia have the opportunity to bypass the existing high tariffs for international telephone communications. In addition, the initiators of the ban and the FSB claim that Skype is difficult to eavesdrop on due to its lack of connection to SORM.

In Belarus, all calls over the network must go through the state operator, and the use of other international networks, including Skype, is considered a violation of the law.

Europe's largest telecommunications company, Deutsche Telekom, said it would block Skype when people try to use it on an iPhone.

Access to Skype may be blocked by hardware. Verso Technologies and Cisco Systems have similar solutions. In particular, they are used by the largest Chinese provider China Telecom. Similarly, Skype is blocked in the UAE.

In response to attempts to ban Skype, its developers began to introduce traffic masking tools into the program to bypass VoIP blocking. In addition, Skype can work with proxy servers, VPN and Tor, which practically negates the effectiveness of its blocking.

Number of Skype users.

Year (end of year) Registered users Online users
2005 74 million 10.8 million

Comparison of Skype with other programs

	Skype	Net2Phone	MSN Messenger, ICQ, AIM, Yahoo Messenger	Other clients for voice communication
Works with all firewalls No configuration required	V	X	X	X
Unlimited calls to other subscribers	V	V	V	Sometimes
Sound quality	Better, than by phone	Worse, than by phone	Worse, than by phone	Worse, than by phone
Security and encryption of connections	V	X	X	X
100% no ads	V	X	X	Sometimes

Now the time has come to tell you what Skype is and how to use it. We will also look at the main functions of Skype. In the century information technology, telephone conversations do not allow people to fully satisfy their communication needs. You can’t live without virtual communication in its various forms. Of course, both remedies have their strengths and weaknesses and successfully coexist with each other. The main disadvantage of telephone communication is its cost. Especially if we are talking about long-distance conversations, and even more so if about long-distance calls on a cell phone. Here the virtual way of talking is significantly ahead of its opponent.

After the good old email, the most popular means of communication on the Internet is instant messaging. One of the most common means of communication is the Skype service. The project began its existence back in 2003. The first versions attracted users with ease of installation and registration account. Today it is used all over the world for business and personal communication. The number of registered accounts is more than half a billion.

Download Skype

To work with the system, you need to install the system client, Skype, on your computer. Download installation file you can do it for free, and don’t forget about the page on my blog, which is located. Skype stores the message history, contact list and other information not on the user’s computer, but on its server. Thanks to this, you don’t have to worry about losing them due to problems like reinstalling the operating system and others. Also it does convenient work on several computers, for example, as is usually the case, at home and at work.

Skype allows you to communicate in four ways. But with any of them, before starting a conversation, you need to find an interlocutor in the system. This can be easily done using a unique ID, name or email address. Once found, the user is added to your contact list, after which it will be easy to resume communication. You will also see the status of the added user (“Online”, “Offline”, “Away”, “Do not disturb”).
The first and most common is instant text messaging. In this mode, you can create multi-user chats with a large number of participants or chat one-on-one. To add users to a conversation, you need to click the “Conversations” - “Add people” button in the menu.

After this, a window will appear in which you can select users from your contact list. You can also transfer files in this mode. You should not transfer large files (more than 50 MB), since the program is not intended for this and the procedure is not carried out effectively enough for large volumes. This function involves the rapid transfer of small files such as photographs, text documents, so to speak, without breaking away from the conversation. But I’ll tell you a secret, I was able to transfer files of almost 100 megabytes in size via Skype. The second method is voice communication. This means that if your computer is connected acoustic speakers and a microphone (or you have a laptop), then you can call your interlocutor using Skype. In this case, you will communicate in real time as you would on the phone. In this case, you can minimize the program window and continue doing your business at the computer. This can be very convenient when you need to explain to a friend how to use a program. The convenience is that you can open this program on both computers at the same time and study without being distracted by typing. In this mode you can also organize conferences. But the number of its participants is limited.

A separate sub-item is the very convenient ability to share your screen with your interlocutor. This function can be useful in the learning situation already mentioned above, or if your interlocutor is helping you solve a problem with your computer. To activate this feature during a voice call, you need to click in the “Calls” menu - “Screen sharing...”.

The third method of communication is video calling. With this method of communication, you not only hear, but also see the interlocutor, and he you. Naturally, for this your computers must be equipped with web cameras. Up to 5-10 people can participate in a video conference. During video and voice communication, the ability to send text messages and files also works. This can be useful for sending difficult to pronounce phrases, such as web links.

Fourth – calls to landlines. In order to use it, you need to credit money to your virtual account. To do this, click on the “Skype” menu - “Deposit money to your Skype account...”. Tariffs for calls to landlines from Skype are usually significantly more profitable than telephone calls.

But in each specific case (calling a landline or cell phone) you should always check the tariffs for a given country. Due to the peculiarities of legislation, the prices for Skype calls may be somewhat exaggerated. This function is very popular, and this is understandable given its convenience and benefits.

You can use Skype not only using a computer; there are also versions for phones and tablet computers.

So, we understand what Skype is, now we need to understand how to work with this program. I have already published information about this program on my blog several times. I think it will be useful to you:

News: Dear readers of the site, soon there will be mega interesting interviews on the blog from the program developers themselves (who will be visiting is still a secret). Negotiations are currently underway, and after a while you will be able to learn a lot more about them than anyone else. One thing I can say for now is that most users have these programs installed.

Glitch in Skype.