Skype for what this program is needed. What is Skype? What is skype and how to use it

Communication is one of the main components of our life. The development of technology pushed letters written by hand to the “backyard”, giving the palm to IT tools. The latter include mobile communications and the Internet. With their help, you can freely communicate, being hundreds of thousands of kilometers apart. Now we do not run to the mailbox - we rush to the computer as fast as we can, when the Skype call begins to ring melodiously and loudly in it.

Leading communication tool

Without exaggeration, we can say that this program is a kind of symbol of freedom on the Internet. Many users of this utility are seriously interested in how Skype was created and who was its founder? There are many opinions about this issue. And most of them are false. Interestingly, many Danes and Swedes declare with absolute certainty that the developers of Skype are their compatriots. However, this is not entirely true. This article talks about who really invented Skype and how this utility has gained recognition around the world.

Estonian roots

Everyone probably knows a small beautiful European country whose name automatically raises a smile - Estonia. For some reason, the population of the former Soviet Union associates this state exclusively with the slowness and slowness of its citizens. Imagine the surprise of many when it becomes known that the creation of Skype is the work of the Estonian guys. Agree, it is incredible that this country with a slow pace of life is home to one of the fastest programs for communication on the Internet. This fact contains a seemingly hidden allusion to an absolutely false idea of the temperament and character of Estonians.

The origin and development of the utility

The history of Skype began in 2003. It was then, about 11 years ago, that the Estonian guys Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu and Jan Tallinn developed the initial code, which was the foundation of the future program. At that time, they were also working on a file sharing utility between Internet users. This program is called KaZaa. Together with Estonian young people, the founders of the described file hosting service also worked on this project: Dane Janus Friis and Swede Nicholas Zenstorm. In the process of work, not even slow guys designed the code, which became the basis for the future interactive program.

In parallel with how Skype was created, programmers studied the requirements and wishes of users of the World Wide Web. It became clear that people no longer have enough of a simple chat. Therefore, the team of creators decided to endow the utility with all possible functions that will facilitate not only written communication, but also video communication, as well as the exchange of various data.

Name choice

The original name for the utility was the expression "Sky peer-to-peer", which means "Across the sky with each other." The team then settled on a shortened version of "Skyper". However, in the process of registering domains on the World Wide Web, it was discovered that this name was already taken on many resources. As a result, young people "threw" the last letter "r" from the name and opted for a simple and concise "Skype". This name selection process took several months. The final decision was made in April 2003. The result was the successful registration of domain names Skype.net and Skype.com.

Full version and rise in popularity

In August of the same year, an official program was made available on the Internet, which had almost all the functionality planned by the developers. The so-called beta version was released to the network in order to obtain detailed information about errors and malfunctions. While Skype was being created, the programmers decided in the future, as far as possible, to introduce into their “brainchild” the functions that consumers want to see. It is thanks to the beta version that the developers have collected enough information about the tastes and preferences of users, which allowed them to create a fast utility equipped with various modes.

The first full version became available to users in autumn 2003. It is noteworthy that in a few months the number of users of this program has grown hundreds of thousands of times. A huge number of people thanked those talented programmers who came up with Skype.

Advantages of the utility

What attracted users to this program?

For starters, it's free to use. The minimum and necessary set of functions for communication is available for free. Remarkably, among them the leading position is occupied by video communication. For many people who live hundreds of thousands of miles apart, this mode is a great opportunity to be closer to each other.

The second point is quick registration. In order to become a member of the large "Skype family" it is enough to enter your mailbox address in the field, select a nickname and password. And that's all. Now you can enjoy.

This utility also has a convenient and intuitive interface. Thanks to the well-designed toolbar, you can easily switch modes, change tabs and customize the program. The fourth point is a convenient and quick search for an interlocutor. Just go to the "Contacts" tab and click "Add Contact". We enter a name for the search and in the window that appears, select the one we need. A request to be added to the contact list will be sent at the same time.

Of course, the huge advantage of Skype over other programs for communication is the presence of a large number of different functions. The first and most common (like all similar and similar utilities) is the ability to send and receive simple text messages. The presence of video calls has made Skype the leading application for contacting distant interlocutors. In addition, using the program, you can share various files: send photos, documents, music, videos, and more.

First problem

Two years after the release of the program, the first unpleasant event for developers occurred. Trying to introduce the population of China to the new mobile version of the utility, a team of young programmers received serious resistance from local telecommunications companies. The reason for this was the fear of Asian corporations to lose control over the conquered market segments. Only a few Chinese companies made concessions and agreed to add the SkypeOut application to their mobile phones.

Sale and returns

The rapid growth in popularity has attracted the attention of large companies to this program. In 2005, the developers sold their "brainchild". The buyer was eBay, which offered $2.6 billion for the interactive utility. After some time, the corporation, known worldwide for its online auctions and the PayPal payment system, paid bonus payments to the developers of the program, increasing the cost of Skype by 500 million. The history of the creation and modernization of the utility includes another owner. In 2011, eBay sold the rights to the program back to the developers and their attracted investor, Microsoft. The deal amounted to $8.5 billion.

At the moment, this is the full version of the story about how much the developers have yet to come. A huge number of plans are in front of programmers. We can only look forward to new and more advanced versions of the Skype interactive communication program.

There are many ways to communicate online. There are many software products that allow Internet users to contact each other. One of the most convenient is voice or video communication. And in conditions of excess supply, you need to somehow stand out from competitors. Launched in September 2003, the Skype program, created by a team of Estonian developers, has now become one of the main channels for exchanging information along with Internet messengers. Two years after the launch of the program, Skype was sold to eBay for $2.5 billion. And this despite the fact that the annual turnover was less than 100 million.

The main difference between Skype and its competitors lies in the technology of action. The program is built on the p2p principle, that is, the data is distributed among subscribers around the world. This allows you to maintain a huge database and at the same time not spend too much money on maintaining servers. In addition, this allows people who have relatively weak computers to use the program. For more or less high-quality sound, comparable to conventional telephone communication, a speed of 30-60 Kbps is sufficient.

For stable video communication - 200 Kbps and a processor frequency of at least 1 GHz.

Skype Features

The developers tried to take into account all the wishes of users, so Skype is fully equipped - calls, correspondence, sending files, etc.

Skype allows you to make conference calls (up to 25 voice subscribers, including the initiator), video calls (including video conferences up to 10 subscribers), and also provides text messaging (chat) and file transfer.

The product has constant problems with the law due to the fact that it provides services at low prices compared to mobile operators. Many special services are unhappy with the fact that they cannot listen to the conversations of subscribers and even prepared a ban on the use of the program. However, the Minister of Communications of the Russian Federation Igor Shchegolev completely denied the possibility of such a ban.

So, what is one of the most popular services for communication via the Internet?

Actually, Skype is much more than calls. This is an international project that brings together more than 100 million users around the world. The program has a huge number of opportunities for convenient communication between people.

First, it's ease of use. The program interface is clear and simple, and to use the main free functions, it is enough to briefly study the main window.

The two main buttons - "Call" and "Video Call" - catch your eye as soon as you select a contact from the list.

Secondly, wide functionality, united by a single interface. Contacts, call history and correspondence - everything is displayed in one window.

Thirdly, the possibilities of the service themselves are diverse. Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Regular calls. They can be both free and paid. It depends on who you want to call. If a Skype user who is online will not be charged for such a call. You can chat with friends living abroad all day long and not spend a dime. If you need to call a landline or mobile phone, then you can contact the required person for 1 cent per minute.

The price for using the Skype service does not depend on the country in which the addressee is located.

video calls. If you have a webcam, you can make video calls and chat with family, friends or colleagues as if you were there. After all, it is often important to see the face of the interlocutor.

Chat. You can just chat in a chat, which is sometimes faster and more convenient. Moreover, it has the ability to transfer files, such as photos or documents, which allows you to immediately share impressions or work together.

SMS. Through Skype, you can send text messages to any mobile phone for a relatively small fee.

Facebook News Feed. You can follow the news of your friends on Facebook. And this is not a complete list of features. There are also options for call forwarding and transfer. If you are offline or simply do not want to answer a call in the program, you can set it so that all calls are transferred to another number. Or, for example, when a friend calls you, you can connect him with someone else, acting as an intermediary. Convenient, since you do not need to add contacts and call again. There is a voice mail (in other words, an answering machine).

In Russia, MegaFon is actively fighting against Skype, trying to restrict access to Skype services in its networks and at the legislative level. MegaFon also charges a fee for using the service.

You are offline - your calls will be accepted and you can listen to them at any convenient time. There is also a wonderful opportunity to show an image on your screen via video link, for example, during various presentations and conferences. By the way, about conferences. They can be carried out both in audio and video format, depending on your preferences and the quality of the communication channel. You can also assign yourself a number so that subscribers of conventional telephone networks can call it. As you can see, at first glance, a small program with a more detailed study turns out to be a powerful complex with a variety of tools.

Of course, there cannot be only positive aspects in the service. There are several downsides. Firstly, many useful features are paid. Of course, their price is rather symbolic, but still. Secondly, the program can increase CPU and memory usage even when you are not using it. This is because if you have a wide enough channel and you are online for a long time, your computer can be assigned as a server. Thirdly, Skype is a rather complex and closed system that can become a carrier of malware. And fourthly, you cannot call emergency assistance through Skype, so the service cannot completely replace the phone. This is constantly warned on the official website of the program. In Russia, of course, it is popular, but in America, for example, there are many people who do not mind changing their regular phone to Skype.

Contained on the servers of Microsoft, which is its current developer. This means that the user cannot completely delete their message. You can turn off its display, but the interlocutor will still see the information that there was a message before. Editing is still available, also marked. However, all messages can be exported to a separate file.

The need to save data appears when transferring the program to another computer, this function will also be useful when using multiple accounts or for cataloging data.

Access to user data in Skype

You can access Skype data on your own computer or laptop by exporting messages to a CSV file. But there is a separate main.db document, messages are also recorded in it. It will come in handy when reinstalling a system or program.

Option 1: Separate program file

There is a special file where Skype stores the history of user correspondence. It is located in a hidden category that cannot be viewed unless special settings have been made.

But you can get to it with a quick call. Click
, and then in the text field paste %AppData%,
then confirm. Expand the Roaming or Local directory, and then Skype and go to the Username folder. The main.db document is located there.

You can view it in the program SkypeLogView or similar software. If you plan to reinstall the program, then transfer the file to a convenient folder, and then return it to its place.

Option 2: Export using Skype

All received and sent messages, Skype history, on the account can be combined into one file and saved on the user's computer. This can be done from Skype itself. Launch the program and go to the settings menu from the "Tools" tab.
Expand the "Chats and SMS" section, and then "Chat Settings". Click on the advanced settings item.

Activate the "Export chat history" option. Then you need to specify the future location and name for the file. It is saved in CSV format. You can open it for viewing using a special program or web resource. The easiest way to visit the site convertcsv.com, upload a file there and view its contents.

Attention: not all data will be displayed correctly, various symbols and incomprehensible codes may appear. Some posts cannot be displayed due to links or emoticons.

Skype is a popular application for communicating over the Internet. A very important point is the presence of video communication, thanks to which you can see the face of the interlocutor. It is also possible to conduct video conferences with up to 10 participants. To do this, your device must be equipped with a video camera and microphone. To start using the program, you need to download it, install it and go through the registration process. How this is done, we will now tell.

The first step is to install Skype on your computer or phone

The first thing you need to do to successfully use the program is to install it on your device. This is nothing complicated, the main thing is to follow the instructions correctly and perform all actions with accuracy, as well as bypass suspicious resources. Skype is downloaded from official sites for free.

Installing Skype on a PC

Go to the official website of the application and download Skype from it. After a successful procedure, a blue tab with the English letter “S” will appear on the PC desktop.
To start the installation process, double-click the right mouse button on the installation file.
A window will open on the screen where you can select the language that is convenient for you. The default is Russian.
In the advanced settings, you can specify the path where you want to save the program, if this is not done, it will automatically be installed on the "C:" drive.
Next, the system will offer to launch the messenger when the computer boots up, if you plan to use it often, check the appropriate box.
Read the license agreement and click "I agree".
If you need a plugin, check this box.
Click the "Continue" button.
Wait for the installation to complete.
Now you need to enter your username and password to enter the program, if you do not have them, you should register.
After the done procedure, check the sound and video, and also add an avatar.

Install Skype on your phone

Go to the Play Market app store from your device.
Enter the name of the program in the search bar.
From the list of suggested options, select the required one.
Click "Download".
Wait for the application to download and install on your desktop.
Launch the messenger and enter your profile details.

The next step is registration in the application.

To become a full-fledged user of Skype, you must register in it. If the client is installed on the computer, this is done as follows:

Run the program.
Click the "Register" button, after which you will find yourself on the official website of the application.
Fill out the form with your personal information. Fields with an asterisk are considered mandatory (first name, last name, email, language, login, password). You can skip the date of birth, place of residence and the purpose of using the messenger.

Registration in Skype via phone is as follows:

Log in to the downloaded client.
Click the "Create an account" button.
Read the user terms and click Continue.
If you wish to receive news from the application, check the box at the bottom.
Enter your name, login, password, e-mail. Repeat the password again.
You will receive a confirmation to the email address provided.

How to set up sound and camera on Skype

After successfully registering an account, you should perform sound and video settings. To do this, you need to follow this path:

Go to "Tools".
Select the "Settings" section.
The "Sound Settings" window will open in front of you, where you need to set your audio device, indicating what will be responsible for audio input, audio output and calls.
To test the microphone, make a test call in Skype.
Next, click Save.
Go back to "Settings" and select "Video Settings".
In the window that opens, in the "Select camera" field, specify the video device that you will use.
Then test your webcam and adjust the image quality by changing brightness, hue, saturation, and more.
Save your settings.

Search and add friends

Everything is set up, everything is checked. Now is the time to find friends to chat with.

Go to the "Contacts" section.
Select Search Skype Callers.
You can search by name, email address or nickname.
Having found the necessary person, add him to your list by clicking on the "Add to contact list" button.
The subscriber will receive a notification that you want to add him as a friend, and after confirming the request, you will be able to communicate without obstacles.

We hope that after reading the above material, you figured out how to work with Skype and saw that it is not at all difficult. Happy use.

Now, few people do not know about such a thing as Skype. This technology has become so firmly established in our lives that sometimes we don’t even try to understand how it works? Do you need to tell your family about 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! For your convenience, the Skype program was created.

But let's try to figure out what it is? Where can I find this program and how can I install it? We 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 really convenient and simple - Skype. She allowed not only to correspond via SMS, but also to make calls, like by phone and even transmit video.

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

The program allows you to do the following:
Make 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 a neighboring entrance, 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 say this is a video phone.

To summarize the above, the program works in three modes:
Chat live text messaging. You type what you want to say and get an instant response. It's kind of like text messaging.
call- voice communication, that is, the same as by telephone. You hear the interlocutor and he hears you. This will require a microphone, headphones or speakers, as well as a fairly fast Internet connection. Modern laptops, tablets and smartphones usually have both a microphone and speakers.
Video call- voice communication + video broadcasting. You both hear the interlocutor and see him. To do this, you need to have a special camera. It's called a webcam

Webcam (also webcam) - 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 built into every modern laptop, tablet or smartphone. For a personal computer, it can be purchased separately. As for voice communication, the Internet must be fast, preferably unlimited.

But this 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.

Downloaded, find the file, as a rule it is in the "Downloads" folder. By the way, it can be opened with a combination Ctrl+J. Next comes the installation. Choose the language, accept the terms of the agreement, then in the new window uncheck the box next to the line " Install Skype Click to Call Plugin” and press the button “ Continue". At the next stage, you will need to choose, or rather refuse to integrate the Bing search engine and the MSN home page into the browser. These are Microsoft services that they actively promote, but these services are not interesting and are not needed, and therefore, we uncheck the boxes “ Make Bing your default search engine" and "Make MSN your home page". The installer will now install the program. The installation will take approximately 2-3 minutes. When the installation is complete, the program will appear, and Skype itself will automatically start.

In order to launch the Skype program and start communication, you need to register in the system by inventing your unique login, which will be the so-called number in the Skype system.

How to sign up for Skype.

To register in Skype, click on the "Register" button in the program window, or on the official website on the main page, click on the green circle with the inscription "Registration". To register on Skype, you will need to enter some data or do it using your account on the social network Facebook (if you are registered there), by clicking on the appropriate menu. For self-registration in the system, you need to enter some data. The fields marked with an asterisk are required to be entered.

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 be taken 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 in use by the user, the system will inform you about this and offer its own options. After the login is selected, we proceed to enter the password for the account. The password for Skype must be complex, that is, it must not include the date of birth, phone number, etc. The password combination must include Latin letters and numbers. The length of the password must be from 6 to 20 characters, while uppercase and lowercase letters are not considered the same, they are different.

At the end, you will need to specify the method of communication for informing 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 (-on) - next».

How to launch and set up Skype

After registration, we return to the Skype window and enter the username and password there, then the system will prompt you again to set the program to automatically start when the system boots. After choosing automatic or manual download, click on the "Login" button. In order to start Skype the next time, if you did not set the program to start automatically, an icon was installed on the desktop, it will also be placed in the Start menu.

So, you are in the Skype program and now you need to configure it, it will take a couple of minutes. To configure Skype, 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 few settings here, but you just need to adjust the sound and video. To do this, go to the " Sound settings". After that, connect a headset or speakers with a webcam (if its microphone will be used). In the sound settings, opposite each type of device, select the device that will be used for this. In addition, you can immediately test the device of your choice 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 button Webcam settings» for more precise settings.

To add a contact to Skype, in the left menu, click on the plus sign 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. In order 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 the standard phrase, or you can write something from yourself.

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

Well, that's all about the program. I hope you managed to do everything right and now you can enjoy communication with family and friends. If you do not understand something, write, I will help.