Skype Information for Starting a Chat

According to Skype, there are a variety of ways to communicate with people who use Skype. These include telephone calls, video calling, and instant messaging, or chats, with individuals or groups.

Skype

The Educause Learning Initiative reports Skype to be a Voice over Internet Protocol, allowing users to turn their computer into a telephone. Skype operates as a peer-to-peer application, meaning that communication between users passes directly between computers without the need for a centralized computer to control calls.

Chat

IM chat uses text messages to provide communication between Skype users. Skype reports that to begin a chat a user selects a contact from the contact list and clicks the blue chat button. A chat can also be started by right-clicking on the computer mouse and selecting "Start Chat."

Group Chat

Skype reports a chat can be conducted with up to 100 contacts in a group chat; a user must hold the shift key and select all contacts to take part in the group chat and select "Start Chat." To conduct a chat, users type text into the chat box and press return to send text.

References

• Skype: Chat and Group Chat
• Skype: Features
• Educause Learning Initiative: 7 Things you should know about Skype