A Full-Time 2-Way Video Link To Grandparents? 240
uid7306m writes "We have elderly parents who live a long way off. However, my technological radar tells me that it's possible to set up a 24/7 video link between our kitchen and theirs. It'd be good for our kids and good for the parents, and we can now get pretty cheap nearly unlimited broadband connections at this end (UK). What's the best way to do it? Has anyone tried it? On the far end, it ought to have, in Dilbert's(TM) immortal words 'One big button on it, and we push it for you in the factory.'"
hmm (Score:5, Funny)
24/7? Guess no more going out to the kitchen in your undies for a late night snack.
Bad idea (Score:5, Funny)
Unless you want your kids to see grandpa giving it to grandma over the kitchen sink, I wouldn't recommend it.
Re:Bad idea (Score:5, Funny)
Wait. I think there's a channel dedicated to that kink.
Re:Bad idea (Score:2, Funny)
Imagine the trauma your kids will suffer... (Score:5, Funny)
Simple (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Skype (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I have a suggestion... (Score:3, Funny)
"It's a sad commentary on the "state of the art" of supposed Nerds here, too true."
Don't you have 100 tacos to buy and a Doctor Who marathon to watch?
Re:hmm (Score:5, Funny)
That's not an issue. In the UK, it's pretty chilly most of the year, so there's very little incentive to wander around in much less than a furry bathrobe.
Re:Skype... (Score:5, Funny)
I told you never to call me on this wall!
Re:Imagine the trauma your kids will suffer... (Score:5, Funny)
There's something about the concept of "passing away live" that confuses me...
24/7? Nofreakingway (Score:5, Funny)
On behalf of my fellow elderlies (I'm only honorary, at 53, but I'm in training), you do not want a 24/7 link. It needs to have a call siggnal and an on/off switch. You, and we, do not need to deal with your trauma of seeing grandpa bending grandma over the sink for a sneak-up quickie.
Don't think we don't. You don't want to think about it at all, so consider the reasons why you don't want to.
If you want a global on switch, fine. Let us have an override off switch. Put an hour delay cut-off on it if you like. We're old, it takes us more than the 10 minutes you kids take. (Just wait until you get to enjoy that aspect). And we're gladly admit that an hour is plenty, and we should be looked in on after that. Especially if we spend the whole hour.
On the other hand, I've heard said "We wouldn't even bother to do it anymore, but the kids like to watch." If your elders have that mindset, go ahead and give them the means to offer you instruction 24/7. You don't think they haven't learned a few novel tricks in 40 or so years?
Got a problem with this? Get over yourself. You're halfway to this age yourself, and I'm betting when you get there you'll have no plans on stopping.
Go ahead and mod this funny, since you don't have a "+1 elders' wisdom" mod.
Re:Apple iChat (Score:5, Funny)
Just because you ask: I think some of us don't like a 12MB encrypted binary executable file running on our system that nobody except the creators know what it does.
Well, if disk space is an issue, just gzip it or something. But, gosh, for 12MB... You should delete a few things, man.
Re:Skype... (Score:4, Funny)
And change the combination on my luggage!
Re:Imagine the trauma your kids will suffer... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:In the us unlimited broadband may be going away (Score:5, Funny)
Considering the depths this thread has gone to, did you misspell streaming on purpose?
Re:I have a suggestion... (Score:4, Funny)
I bet you have an automatic machine that chases whipper-snappers off your lawn.
Re:Apple iChat (Score:5, Funny)
Just because you ask: I think some of us don't like a 12MB encrypted binary executable file running on our system that nobody [blackhat.com] except the creators know what it does.
It appears to make phone calls over the Internet and to POTS phones. Mystery solved.
Re:Imagine the trauma your kids will suffer... (Score:5, Funny)
This is the UK. Grandma and Gramps are probably, what, 32? 33?
Re:Apple iChat (Score:4, Funny)
As it is also good at managing to bypass firewalls (as I understand) who knows what else it can do, does, or could be made to do?
"What makes Skype so terrifying, said the FCC, is the fact that no program needs to be exchanged for a new computer to be infected. It can be spread through the existing e-mail systems of the InterNet. Once a computer is infected, one of several things can happen. If the computer contains a hard drive, that will most likely be destroyed. If the program is not stopped, the computer's processor will be placed in an nth-complexity infinite binary loop - which can severely damage the processor if left running that way too long. Unfortunately, most novice computer users will not realize what is happening until it is far too late. "
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)