OT: Just had a Webcam Call with my son -- from LONDON

[Old No7]

Who said technology isn't helpful at times???

4 or 5 years ago, when my daughter studied for a semester in Barcelona, Spain, "we" spent about the cost of a decent Marlin on "her" international calls back to the States. Well worth it, of course... (But a new levergun would have been pretty neat too... )

Anyway, fast forward all those years, and my son has just started a 4-month Study Abroad program at LMU, London Metropolitan University. To keep in touch, he got us an inexpensive (< $40.00) little webcam, the MS LifeCam. (And it's watching me as I type this.........)

We just finished a FREE CALL with him, as we're using our standard internet connection -- and it worked really slick!!! The pictures were pretty decent and the sound was OK too. My wife loves the fact that she can see him and how he's doing, and he can see us -- and of course, we had to hold up the cats and dog too. It's not the best quality, and we didn't pose for it, but to prove to us that it's working, I hit "print screen" while we were talking and it saved that frame as a j-peg (see below). Now all the other family members want to get a web camera too... Pretty cool technology...

And did I say it's CHEAP?!?!?!

So who knows, maybe one of these days, instead of a cat, I can hold up a nice new Marlin on a future call -- since I'm not putting that money into the phone company's pocket.

Hug your kids if you can -- but get a webcam if you can't!

Cheers!

Old No7

[bigbore442001]

That is great. I am curious as to what he is studying in London?

[gamekeeper]

If he ever comes over to Winchester (city not rifle) I can show him some good English pubs!

[2ndovc]

It's amazing isn't it.

I've been able to keep in touch wth my Dad on his boat in the Carribbean and my Sister in
Singapore via the internet / webcam-phone sites.


jb

London Rocks by the way!!
Can't wait to go back!

[Tycer]

Yeppers, pretty cool stuff.

[Modoc ED]

Cool. It's great for you but it's expecially good for Mama.

[Grizz]

yup we use skype and love it and get better audio than the cell phones have and get the pics too and it's good for file transfer and it's free

[Mike D.]

Our youngest did her entire third year at Reading University. Using our home phone and SureWest, the average 30 minute call cost about a buck. She loved it over there and even worked part time in a pub to earn extra cash. Last year she went for a month back to visit friends, and this year they came here to spend a month. She took them all over CA and NV.

[JReed]

Yep they are cool. In my line of work we are never near mine or my wifes folks so web cams let us chat with them and the kids like to see their grandfolks more then talk with them on the phone.

[Old No7]

Thanks all. It is really neat technology!

As for your questions…

bigbore44: That is great. I am curious as to what he is studying in London?

He’s a film student, with a focus on writing and directing. He’s written, staged, acted-in, produced and directed many of his own movies over the years. Then he edits them on the PC and adds music, sound effects and titles, etc. And bloopers at the end too! At first, they were take-offs based on real movies, but then he got into writing his own screenplays. Watch for the movie “Misfitz” some day, but he’s also talked about making new movies about the sinking of the Tirpitz or the Bismark. Now those would be COOL!

game keeper: If he ever comes over to Winchester (city not rifle) I can show him some good English pubs!

Well, "we" just might have to take you up on that, as I may try to get over there in early April. I’m thinking I’d like to get up to Saffron Walden to see my late father’s WWII fighter base at Debden. You can only walk the old runways (i.e. English farmland!), as the base is now home to the RAF’s Bomb Disposal Unit. And they don’t take kindly to visitors, even sons of Yanks who served in the Eagle Squadrons (drat!). But, if we head south towards Portsmouth for a day trip, then maybe I’ll check in with you along the way (Will give you advance notice). Sure would be neat to share a pint with a brother lever-gunner from across the pond. (Don't think I'll bring any levers with me though...)

Modoc Ed: …but it's especially good for Mama

Oh yeah, you got that right!

So even if I don’t get a new Marlin out of this -- -- the peace of mind for us is PRICELESS.

Cheers!

Old No7

[Curiousgb]

While my wife was deployed we used web cams to communicate. Don't know how we would have made it for 2.5 years without them.

[gamekeeper]

Old No 7,

If you're going to Portsmouth you could have a pint in the Golden Lion at Southwick pronounced "Suthick" it was Gen. Eisenhower's watering hole before D-Day.

It's about 6 or 7 miles north of Portsmouth and where all the invasion plans were made.

[Mike D.]

If you are in London and want to visit a great pub try the Lamb and Flag, in Covent Garden. It's a little hard to find, but worth the effort. Off Floral St. on Rose Lane, it's 300 yrs of history make it a neat place to stop and have a cool Bombardier, or whatever beverage you like.

[Poohgyrr]

Wow, I am always amazed at how communications has changed since about 1960. And I don't have quite the Seniority of some folks, although I am getting there, and hope to enjoy the ride along the way.

I remember party lines, and when many folks here didn't have a home phone. Good neighbors should be able to borrow or lend use of their phone, since most neighbors were generally respectful to each other - even if they didn't quite get along.

You could dial "0" for information and get a living breathing Operator, who was a Lady and generally pretty helpful. She would answer questions, and even open one of her phonebooks and lookup phone numbers for you - since not everyone had a phone book. She would connect you to the Fire Department or Police if you had to report an emergency.

When calling long distance, like to the other side of your State, or far away to a different State, it was cheaper to dial direct if you could. Otherwise you dialed the Operator again (nice Ladies) and asked for a station to station call (cheaper), or a person to person call for something important (more expensive) If someone in the house answered the phone and said you had a person to person call, you hurried up and took it because it must be important and long distance was expensive.

I'm not sure I remember anyone calling to another country, except maybe for the active duty military folks.

Airmail really was a faster way to get letters across the country, and required for international mail.

We had three, and then four, TV channels here (3, 10, 13, and then 40). Rabbit ears would work, but a good antennae on your roof was better.

Now Star Trek communicators (flip open cell phones) are becoming old and we can watch television on cell phones.

And those big room sized computers, well they have shrunk and can do a LOT more things. And they fit under your desk, and have webcams even! Not only calling across the Atlantic, but you can see each other too. Wow!

I think I will pull out a good Lever to wipe down and watch True Grit one more time.