General Features


This section covers the features that are central to understanding and using Skype. These features include Skype contacts, online status icons, user authorizations, privacy management features, and your Personal Profile.

Note

You might notice slight differences between what's covered here and the particular version of Skype you are using. Skype Technologies continually adds new features to update the look and feel of the Skype application and Skype Web site. You may also notice differences depending on which operating system you are using, because Skype has been designed to work with many operating platforms.


Skype Contacts

Contacts are people in the Skype network with whom you want to communicate. Your Contacts List is the list of Skype Names in your Skype application that comprise your personal set of contacts.

For instructions on how to add a contact to your Contacts List, please refer to Chapter 4.

Send a Contact to Another Skype User

You can send a contact from your Contacts List to another Skype user. If your sister joins Skype and wants your cousin's Skype Name, you can send it to her so that she can call your cousin directly.

To send a contact to another Skype user, follow these steps:

1.

Choose Contacts > Send Contacts.

2.

Type the Skype Name(s) of the recipient(s).

3.

Select the contacts you wish to send; click Add; and then click Send (see Figure 5-1).

Alternatively, you can right-click a contact and select Send Contacts from the context menu. (Mac users: Control-click and select Send Contacts from the context menu.)

Figure 5-1. Send contacts


Invite Someone to Use Skype

To invite someone you know to join the Skype network (so he can be added to your Contacts List), choose Tools > Share Skype with a Friend.(Mac users: Choose Contacts > Share Skype with a Friend.) This will launch a Web page where you can send an e-mail invitation to multiple people with a link to download Skype.

Delete a Contact

To remove a contact from your Contacts List, right-click the Skype Name, and select Remove from Contacts from the context menu. (Mac users: Control-click, and select Remove from Contacts from the context menu.) Deleting a contact only removes the contact's information from your Contacts List; it does not prevent someone from contacting you.

Block a Contact

Blocking a contact prevents someone from contacting you. To block a contact, right-click the Skype Name, and select Block User from the context menu. (Mac users: Control-click the Skype Name, and select Block from the context menu.) Skype users who have been blocked will not be able to contact you in any way.

To unblock a user, choose Tools > Options > Privacy, and click the Manage Blocked Users link. Select the Skype Name of the person you want to unblock, and click Unblock. (Mac users: Choose Contacts > Manage Blocked Users. Select the Skype Name of the person you want to unblock, and click Unblock User.)

Note

You can also set your privacy settings to manage who is allowed to contact you. See the "Privacy Features" section later in this chapter for more information.


Contact Groups

Skype for Windows gives you the option of putting your contacts into groups so you can see your contacts organized in ways that make sense to you (such as Work, Friends, or Family). You have the option of creating your own groups or using Skype's predefined categories.

Having contact groups helps organize your Contacts List and makes it easy to start a regular conference call or multiperson chat.

Note

The contact-group feature currently is available only for Skype for Windows. Check the Skype Web site for ongoing updates to Skype for other operating systems.


Create a Group

To create your own Skype group, follow these steps:

1.

Choose View > Show Contact Groups.

2.

Click the + icon in the group box to create a new group.

3.

Enter a title for the group, and press Enter.

You will see the group in the list.

4.

To add contacts to the group, select a Skype Name from your Contacts List, and drag it to a group in the list.

You will see a number to the right of the group name, indicating how many contacts are in that group (see Figure 5-2).

Figure 5-2. Create a new group


Display a Group

To view a Skype group, follow these steps:

1.

Choose View > Show Contact Groups.

2.

If the group list is not expanded, click the bottom of the group box to expand the list.

3.

Double-click the group name to display the group.

The contacts in the group will be displayed in your Contacts List in the Skype main window.

Alternatively, you can choose View > Show Contact Groups; click the >> icon; and select a group from the list (see Figure 5-3).

Figure 5-3. Display a group


Remove a Contact from a Group

To remove a contact from a particular group, follow these steps:

1.

Display the group.

2.

Right-click the Skype Name of the person you want to remove from the Contacts List, and select Remove from Group Name from the context menu.

For Group Name, substitute the name of the actual group.

Delete a Group

To delete a group, follow these steps:

1.

Display the group.

2.

Right-click the group name, and select Remove Group from the context menu.

Display All Contacts (Ungrouped)

To view all your contacts (ungrouped), open the View menu, and deselect Show Contact Groups (see Figure 5-4).

Figure 5-4. Display all contacts


Display a Skype Predefined Group

To view a predefined group, follow these steps:

1.

Choose View > Show Contact Groups.

2.

Click the >> icon.

3.

Select Predefined Groups.

4.

Select the group you want to display.

The contacts in the group will be displayed in your Contacts List in the Skype main window (see Figure 5-5).

Figure 5-5. Display a predefined group


Make a Conference Call, Start a Multiperson Chat, or Send a File to a Group

To make a call, start a chat, or send a file to one of your groups, right-click the group, and select the action you want to take from the context menu (see Figure 5-6).

Figure 5-6. Make a conference call to a group


Online Status Icons

Each contact in your Contacts List will have an icon next to the name that indicates online status. This status tells you whether the contact is logged into Skype and available for communicating. Table 5-1 lists the Skype online statuses.

Table 5-1 . Online Status Options

Status

Icon

Description

Online

User is logged into Skype and is available for contact. (This is the Skype default.)

SkypeMe

User is logged into Skype, is available for contact, and wants to be contacted by anyone in the Skype network. This is a good way for users in a local area to find one another, because the Skype search tool has a special search for people in SkypeMe mode. (In SkypeMe mode, the user's privacy settings are disabled so that anyone can initiate contact. These settings are restored as soon as the user changes to any other status.)

Away

User is logged into Skype but is not currently using it. Default is set to 20 minutes. To change this time, go to your Skype preferences.

Not Available

User is logged into Skype but is not currently using it. Default is set to 60 minutes. To change this time, go to your Skype preferences.

Do Not Disturb

User is logged in but does not want to be disturbed. Do Not Disturb status disables the pop-up feature for new chat messages. New messages are stored for later viewing in the Missed Events area.

Invisible

User will appear offline to other Skype users but is actually logged into Skype.

Not Yet Authorized

User has not yet granted you permission to see her contact details and online status.

Offline

User is not logged into Skype (or has chosen to be invisible). Please note: An offline user can go back online simply by changing the status. Therefore, if you leave your computer (especially in a public place), it is important that you actually log off Skype so that no one can use your Skype account on your computer without your knowledge. To log off, choose File >Log Off.

Offline (Call Forwarding Activated)

User is offline and has activated call forwarding.

SkypeOut

User is a SkypeOut contact.


Your own online status is displayed at the bottom of your Skype main window. To change your online status at any given moment, click your Status icon, and select a new status from the drop-down menu, or choose File > Change Online Status, and select a new status. (Mac users: Choose Account > Change Status.)

To protect your privacy, Skype shows your online status only to those users whom you have explicitly authorized to see this information. See the "Authorizations and Online Status" section later in this chapter for more information.

Note

When you change your online status, Skype will maintain this status until you change it again. If you change your status to SkypeMe, for example, when you log off and log back on again, your Skype will once again show your status as Skype Me.


Authorizations and Online Status

When you add a contact to your Contacts List, Skype will automatically ask you whether you want to share your contact details with that person. When you share your contact details with someone, you authorize him to see your full name, your profile information, and your online status.

To send your contact details, fill out the Send Contact Details screen (which you display by clicking Add Selected Contact), and select the option you want, as shown in Figure 5-7.

Figure 5-7. Send contact details (Microsoft Windows)


The contact will be notified that he has been added to your Contacts List and will, in turn, be asked whether he wants to share his contact details with you (see Figure 5-8).

Figure 5-8. Respond to request


A contact's online status will be displayed as a question mark (?) until you are authorized to see it. You will not be able to see a contact's online status unless he explicitly authorizes you to see his contact details.

To ask someone to resend contact details, right-click the Skype Name, and select Request Contact Details from the context menu. (Mac users: Control-click the Skype Name, and select Request Authorization from the context menu.)

Privacy Features

In addition to being able to choose who can see your online status, you have the option of specifying who can contact you (see Figure 5-9).

Figure 5-9. Privacy options


You can choose to allow calls from:

  • Anyone in the Skype network

  • Only people on your Contacts List

  • Only people you have authorized to see your online status

You also have the option of allowing IMs from:

  • Anyone in the Skype network

  • Only people on your Contacts List

  • Only people you have authorized to see your online status

These two options are set separately, so you can configure your Skype to suit your individual preferences and needs. Choose Tools > Options > Privacy to configure these settings. (Mac users: Choose Skype > Preferences > Privacy.)

Again, Skype allows you to block a user completely from communicating with you, if necessary. For more information, see the "Block a Contact" section earlier in this chapter.

Your Personal Profile

Your Personal Profile is optional information that you choose to share with other Skype users so that they can locate you by using this information (see Figure 5-10). Please note that your Personal Profile data is stored in the shared Skype peer-to-peer (P2P) network on the Internet. You can always delete or change your Personal Profile information by choosing File > Edit My Profile. (Mac users: Choose Account > My Profile.)

Figure 5-10. Edit your profile


Add, Edit, or Delete the Text in Your Profile

To update your profile, simply change the information in your profile, and save it. To delete information in your profile, simply overwrite the existing information with blank spaces, and save it. Your profile is reestablished every time you log in and may disappear from the network if you don't log in for a long time.

Remember, your e-mail address is never displayed for others to see. If someone already knows your e-mail address, however, she can use it to search for you in the Skype network. Skype Technologies will use your e-mail address to send you a new password (if you forget it) and to communicate with you about your account.

For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you use a valid e-mail address in your Skype profile. If you do not put a valid e-mail address in your profile, and you forget your password, there is no way to get a new password. You will have to abandon your Skype Name and create a new account.

You can use your Personal Profile to present a public "persona" based on information you share about your life, such as where you live or your interests, profession, expertise, or aspects of your personality. Other Skype users can use this information to find you. And depending on the type of information you include, it can also provide the starting point for an interesting conversation. If you want to have multiple personas, you need to create a separate Skype account for each persona.

Although you can have multiple Skype Names (with unique Personal Profiles), you will not be able to use the same credit card to purchase services such as SkypeOut across multiple accounts. You will need to use a separate credit card for each Skype Name. This is a fraud-protection measure.

Add a Picture to Your Profile

You have the option of selecting a picture or uploading a bitmap or .JPEG file from your files. This picture is what callers will see when they Skype you.

To select a picture from the list, follow these steps:

1.

In the My Profile screen, click the Change button.

2.

Select a picture from the list, and click OK.

(Mac users: Click Set and then click Update to update your profile.)

Alternatively, you can click Get New Pictures to buy a photo from the Skype Web site.

To upload a personal image from your files, follow these steps:

1.

In the My Profile screen, click the Change button.

2.

Click Browse to select a photo of your own.

3.

Select the folder on your computer that holds your photo; click the name of the photo; and click Open.

You should see the photo in the list.

4.

Select the photo, and click OK.

Change Password

To change your password, follow these steps:

1.

Choose File > My Skype Account > Change Password.

(Mac users: Choose Account > Change Password.)

2.

Enter your old password; enter your new password; and confirm your new password by reentering it.

3.

Click Apply.

Change Skype into Another Language

The Skype application was developed in the English language, but you can choose another language, if you want. To change the language, choose Tools > Select Languages, and select your preferred language from the list. For instructions on how to edit the Skype user interfaces into a language that is not yet represented, see Appendix C.

If you call the echo123 answering service after changing the Skype language, you will hear the prompts in the language you have selected. The echo123 answering service is also available in Chinese, Mandarin, Taiwanese dialect (echo-chinese), and Japanese (soundtestjapanese).

Upload a Ringtone

You can buy a ringtone from the Skype Web site or upload a sound file of your own. To upload a file of your own, choose Tools > Options > Sounds.

Click the middle folder icon; select a .wav file from your collection; and click Open. Then click Save to save your changes. (Mac users: Choose Skype > Preferences > Events.)

Skype Toolbars (Optional)

The Skype toolbar for Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Outlook is an optional feature that you can download from the Skype Web site. The Skype toolbar allows you to launch various Skype functions from your browser or Outlook without having to open a Skype window. Specifically, you can see which of your contacts are online and make calls or start chats directly from the toolbar. It also includes a link for you to check your Skype account balances or go directly to the Skype Web site (see Figure 5-11).

Figure 5-11. Skype toolbar for Internet Explorer


If you open a Web page that has phone numbers on it, the Skype toolbar automatically converts the phone numbers to SkypeOut links so you can call a number, assuming that you have sufficient SkypeOut credit. Simply click the link to be connected immediately. If you open a Web page that has Skype Names on it, you can call, chat, or add contacts to your Contacts List quickly and easily.

The Skype toolbar also contains a text box for searching using Google or Yahoo!, so you do not have to install a search engine toolbar in addition to the Skype toolbar. For instructions on how to install the Skype toolbar, see Chapter 3.

Skype Widget for Mac OS X

For Mac users, Skype offers a widget for the Mac OS X Dashboard that lets you dial SkypeOut calls, look up country codes, and check calling rates. To download the widget, go to the Downloads section of the Skype Web site.




Skype. The Definitive Guide
Skype: The Definitive Guide
ISBN: 032140940X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 130

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net