Say "Cheese!"


Last week I told you about sending your voice out over the Internet. If you don't want to quit there, how about a mug shot as well!

Now I don't want to talk about digital snap shot cameras. They are great gadgets and they're getting cheaper all the time but too much money is still involved for my liking. Besides which, I have a good film camera and also a scanner. What Dee and I did treat ourselves to is a Webcam. They are a lot of fun and a lot cheaper!.

Ours is a Compro Dcam and comes with an 8-foot cable that plugs directly into the printer port. A pass through box is also provided so that the printer remains connected. Here's a review of this type and an idea of what's available. We use it mostly for still pictures but it does have some video capability as well. All the necessary software is provided, including a TWAIN driver. (TWAIN stands for Technology Without An Interesting Name... how about that!) This little program is what actually captures the images.

My topic's not about spending money but if you did start a shopping list last week, or a wish list - remember the guy in red will be coming quite soon - you might like to add this item. In my article on "voice" I did also mention some fine print about your system being powerful enough and this applies even more so with pictures. Last week the buzz word was Multimedia. This week, Videoconferencing. And now we get to the free stuff!


Having set things up properly and started to see your own face on the screen now, you want to get it out there! One collaboration program that comes to mind is NetMeeting. This is a "chat" program that handles voice and video images as well. It's one that I've had mixed results with. As seems to be the case with a lot of Microsoft programs, it's great provided it likes the configuration of your particular system. If it doesn't, and there's no logical reason why when it doesn't, you'll probably dump the program in sheer frustration! Another one on this list that I like and is well known is CU-seeMe. This one is particularly useful if you have friends with Macs.

In the chat category Visual IRC '97 appeals to me and uses a different technology. With every apology if I'm spoiling you for choice I also see good reports of Intel Internet Video Phone

The copyright of the article Say "Cheese!" in Free Computer Software is owned by Brian Hughes. Permission to republish Say "Cheese!" in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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