Skype intrusion!

[mm23292]

Having discovered DH had turned my computer off when I nipped upstairs for a minute, without closing it down properly etc. and therefore saving the files...I lost 4 hours of work, at the worst time possible. Hence, **** hath no fury...and having rampaged back and forth from computer to kitchen, establishing that yes, the machine had just been simply 'switched off because it was on' I almost burst a blood vessel in the process, and while I ranted like a banshee, DH calmly watched, and then turned to the face on our kitchen TV, and said, 'sorry Mum, I'll be back in a minute'!!! Aside from the embarrassment, I'm now feeling like these impromptu skype sessions are becoming a bit like an intruder lurking in the house. Having endured this regular visitor on our kitchen table as I stumble in for my early morning cuppa and the shock of seeing your own 'bed head' caught on camera, not to mention the time I was caught fully frothed in the bath while doing the 'take a look at the new bathroom' tour ...I'm beginning to feel like I need to start laying down some 'skype' rules. Afterall, it's not as 'discreet' as picking up the phone...and sometimes, not always as obvious. So does anyone else have an OH who keeps in touch with family via skype, and have you ever been 'skyped' against your better intentions?!

[hermanmunster]

hmmm reckon skype should be kept to confined times and places - there is something to be said for the times when the phone was attached by a cord to the wall and there was only one of them in the house ......... maybe skype should be the same?

[Okanagan]

I could have been worse - at least you did have bubbles to preserve your modesty in the bath!

[Fran17]

We have a strict rule in the house. If anyone want to use skype they have to make it known to everyone in the house, in order to avoid any embarrassing scenarios. I was feeling a distinct loss of much cherished privacy within my own home and felt it necessary to make a stand.

[mike1880]

The solution is as fran and herman say: courtesy and consideration for other members of the family and some strict rules about when and where sessions can take place.

But if that gets you nowhere, if you're technically inclined you should be able to log into the admin page of your router and block the port numbers used by Skype...

Mike

[scarlett]

I was getting fed up with a little box popping up announcing so and so was online and ready for chatting. Presumably they knew I was online too. I don't want everyone to know my addiction to this place. I pressed a few random buttons and I seem to have solved that problem. DH has a Canadian friend who I'm forced to converse with from time to time...its most unnatural.I just don't like Skype...mainly because I don't look my most attractive in that little, lit up screen.

[marigold]

I have removed skype from my lap top as my mother was able to see when I was on line, skyping, and then when I answered would make comments along the lines of " Why aren't you dressed yet? Is that washing up I can see in the sink " etc etc. I often ignored the skype call but she would then phone and say " I know you are there, why didn't you answer ? " Bloomin Silver Surfers.

I did think of re- installing when my daughter went off to university but she had quite a wobbly start and I thought that conversations when she could see us all cosy and comfy while she was sad and alone in a university room may have sent her running for the next MegaBus. We got by with frequent texts, you can't see the tears in a text.

[hermanmunster]

occasional university skypes are fine but have to be at the right moment and not too long !

You can make yourself unavailable in skype... in the same way as a google talk. In GT the people who I really want to talk to know that when it says "not available - busy cooking " it means I actually am available but only to them..

[ourmaminhavana]

I absolutely loathe Skype, mainly because the only time I have to catch up on phone calls is in the bath!

[Tinkers]

Skype has not yet appeared in this household, by the sound of it that's a good thing.

Far too sociable for either DH or me, far too techie for DH, (he has only just given in and got a mobile in the last year, and he rarely uses it to phone or text) and DD uses iMessage on her ipad or email. I know some of her friends have it though so I'm waiting for her to ask...