Skype and the forum

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BrendanP

Senior Member
I have a friend in the UK who I met on the forum a few years back who I often chat with via skype while I work in my lab. The sound q is perfect, I can here the birds singing outside his room and the cars go by.

It occured to me that it would be possible for the experienced members on the forum to give tutorials/lectures via skype that people could listen to and then at the end of the tute ask questions. It seems to me its a logical extension of the whole forum thing.

Dippy or Hippy or Manuka etc could say 'I'll do a talk on xyz this GMT time on Saturday". I would be happy to get up at all hours on the weekend to listen and learn. As far as I understand you can have multiple people on a skype conversation. Video could also be used to demo things if need be. Video eats up band width so for some people wouldnt want to use that.

Just a thought, has it got merit?
 
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Rickharris

Senior Member
In a word - Time!

As a teacher I know how long it takes to prep lessons/presentations etc!. A lot more than you think.
 
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BrendanP

Senior Member
I would imagine some of the more experienced members of the forum would be able to speak off the cuff on a number of topics.

I, for example, race pigeons, keep and ride horses. I could speak about either of those topics without prep because I've been involved in them for a long time. Similarly, there are people here who have vast electronics experience.

People regularly ask questions here, I'm one of them, and then receive well thought out answers. I doubt very much many of the writers spend hours reseacrhing the answer before posting. They know the material intimately already.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
Rick has basically hit nail on head. But I shall expand as is my tedious habit.

I can't speak for others but , from my perspective, no thanks. I haven't got a blackboard, whiteboard or even the inclination to donate hours of my day for zero return. I'm only altruistic up to a point. Some of us poor old hacks don't even get a thankyou sometimes.

My occasional visits to this Forum are always unpaid, usually only semi-helpful and usually during a coffee break - albeit long coffee breaks sometimes!

I've found that long postings (> 3 paragraphs / 30 lines) goes mostly unread , whoever the author, so a broadcast into the breeze may only be of sustained interest to one or two.
(I learnt that just recently with the evergreen MOSFET questions - I've had enough of those now:) )

Next stage will be hippy doing his PICAXE Agony Column. "Dear Hippy, my ex-girlfiend says I haven't got a life. Does this mean I'm turning into an Old Hack!"


I think you'll find, Brendan, that you'll have to (a) read books, (b) work in the field, (c) go to college , (d) learn as you go along , or (e) a combination of the above - just like all us Old Hacks had to do.

Good luck though, it's good to learn.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
Time is likely the most important factor ( doing it and preparing for it ), it's a precious and limited resource so any time spent on one thing has to come out of personal or work time elsewhere but there's also the issue of most appropriate and effective use of such time.

It is sometimes said with derision that, "those who can do, those who cannot teach", but I hope we all recognise how fundamentally untrue that is; it takes particular skills and experience to be an effective communicator and educator and not everyone has that ability, nor is everyone necessarily suited to all mediums of communications, and nor do all those mediums suit individuals.

It's a good idea but success and usefulness comes down to having the resources and finding the right people.
 
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MartinM57

Moderator
AFAIK Skype conferences are not storable/replayable so they would only be transient things available to those online at the time. So if only one person turned up, they might get tremendous value-for-money (infinite in fact!) but no-one else would benefit post-event.

The best option if anyone was going to donate time and effort to this would be some Youtube videos....(although the real-time Q&A opportunity obviously disappears)
 
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Tom2000

Senior Member
MartinM57 said:
The best option if anyone was going to donate time and effort to this would be some Youtube videos....(although the real-time Q&A opportunity obviously disappears)
Click to expand...
A local baseball journalist has been giving live daily presentations using UStream. Thsy've been very effective.

As UStream says on their site, "Experience live video. In just minutes, you can broadcast and chat online with a global audience. Completely free, all it takes is a camera and Internet connection."

UStream is a nice vehicle for stuff like this because the video broadcasts are both accompanied by a live chat window and journalized for later viewing.

So, on the odd chance someone wants to conduct a presentation, I think UStream is the place to do so.

Tom
 
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Rickharris

Senior Member
jmumby said:
Just waitin on the Picaxe Podcast.
Click to expand...

IF anyone were that keen to go public and spend the time Podcast or even Youtube would be a better way even though not interactive.

i am supprised there isn't more on the Makezine blog for picaxe projects via instructables. It's an easy way to get projects across


I could set up an 0900 number for anyone to call me for one to one advice if there was enough demand - Please email if interested :)

For those outside UK these are premium rate numbers and can cost up to £5 per min + and I can speak very slowly and at long length!!!
 
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MartinM57

Moderator
@Tom

I can't believe how every day I wake up in the morning and have no idea what I'm going to learn about today.

I've never heard of UStream so I go to it's front page and there's two guys doing a (live?) "spacevidcast" from the International Space Station (and an Owl Cam showing Al and Betty Owl - but it does look a bit dark out there)

It really is quite remarkable how much there is to know about these days...
 
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BeanieBots

Moderator
Rickharris said:
I could set up an 0900 number for anyone to call me for one to one advice if there was enough demand - Please email if interested :)
Click to expand...
I'll come and do one-on-one personal visits.
All I ask is that you cover expenses.

(to include loss of earnings for the duration)
 
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Tom2000

Senior Member
MartinM57 said:
@Tom

I can't believe how every day I wake up in the morning and have no idea what I'm going to learn about today.

I've never heard of UStream so I go to it's front page and there's two guys doing a (live?) "spacevidcast" from the International Space Station (and an Owl Cam showing Al and Betty Owl - but it does look a bit dark out there)

It really is quite remarkable how much there is to know about these days...
Click to expand...
No doubt about it, Martin.

BTW... if you were interested in the ISS broadcast, here's the link to NASA TV, where you can see every space broadcast. (No chat room, though. :) ) -- http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Best,

Tom
 
slimplynth

slimplynth

Senior Member
I like reading, I think the manuals are really well written, easy to understand.

Surely they are only going to increase in number and size with time.

I also like the instructables site.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
Someone mention beer?

Recent experience shows that some caution/care is required with Instructables.
I'll stick to designing my own. I can fix my own cockups more easily :)
 
slimplynth

slimplynth

Senior Member
hmmm Beer... its a gorgeous day in Manchester, a nice cold bottle of peroni watching the splat walk past would go down a treat :( working til 5pm though
 
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Dippy

Moderator
In south Dorset the mist is just lifting and the sun coming out.
I prefer Carlsberg Export.

After a few of those I'll be happy to spend 6 hours (unpaid) to produce a 10 minute video on how to PWM a MOSFET... which no-one will watch.
Oh, lookout! What was that! A pig just flew past my window.
 
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demonicpicaxeguy

Senior Member
i have in the past used the video and voice chat in yahoo messenger to do somthing similar, in short a well written tutorial using common components can't really be beaten,

i think what the picaxe would benefit from the most is a simple web based chatroom , i would imagine there would probably be a handfull of people logged on right around the clock chatting away and answering questions / talking people through problems,..... etc
 
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Dippy

Moderator
Well, that would be nice.
Are you offering to spend hours free-of-charge helping people?

That's very decent and altruistic of you. Thanks, we'll put your name forward as a volunteer. Will 8am to 4pm suit you? Excellent.
 
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vk6bgn

New Member
This whole thing is a great idea and perfect Q5 copy via Skype too. But I'm not convinced that even with Dippy, Hippy or Manuka it will work. Even with the latest in DSP, I still think there will be accent problems! :) :) :)

Kind Regards From Australia.
"Hammy"
 
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inglewoodpete

Senior Member
South Dorset can't be that big a place. If you can find Dippy's local, I'm sure he'd harangue you on PWMing a MOSFET if you bought him a beer. Now we know he's the one drinking Carlsberg Export.
 
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kevrus

New Member
"Hello, this is the PICAXE Premium Rate Call Line ..."
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Would an automated telephone answer system run something like this?

Code: 
main:
if you have a download issue then goto download

if you have a hardware issue then goto hardware

if you have a code issue then goto code

if you have any other issue then goto other

download:
wait 10
goto main 

hardware:
wait 10
goto main 

code:
wait 10
goto main 

other:
do
wait 10
loop until the issue is cleared
goto main
 
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Dippy

Moderator
After a couple of beers I'll tell you how to PWM the barmaid.

Kevrus, you missed out 'reboot your PC' and 'reinstall software' ;)
 
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BeanieBots

Moderator
Well if my experience with VIRGIN MEDIA is anything to go by, who wanted to "send me an e-mail of things to try" when I reported no internet access, it would go a bit this:-

Q: Hello, I can't download to my PICAXE.

A: Download this diagnostic program to your PICAXE and tell us what happens.

Q: But I can't download to my PICAXE.

A: We can't help you until you have downloaded the diagnostic program.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
A fleece and jeans and unshaven?
Probably has some corduroy trousers in the wardrobe and some tartan slippers under the bed. Maybe a Tatersall shirt and Tweed jacket in there too.

Are you sure you're not a closet Geography teacher?
 
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Rickharris

Senior Member
Dippy said:
A fleece and jeans and unshaven?
Probably has some corduroy trousers in the wardrobe and some tartan slippers under the bed. Maybe a Tatersall shirt and Tweed jacket in there too.

Are you sure you're not a closet Geography teacher?
Click to expand...
Do we shop in the same places? ;) You forgot the leather elbow pads.
 
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BrendanP

Senior Member
When we were growing up my dad was a ham (VK5ALP and VKSBSX) As he worked for IBM we moved around a lot, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, North Carolina and Saudi Arabia. In each of those places he set up amatuer radio clubs where he taught mostly kids for free electronics and amatuer radio. I know it bought him tremendous satisfaction teaching.

The Saudis had a hard time getting their heads around the fact he wanted to do something for nothing they were/are so used to westerners going there and sucking the place dry for everything they can get. (And we wonder why we're so disliked in the middle east......)

I think the idea has great merit despite the nay saying. I think that in a few years to come VOIP style forums and tutes will be very common both on this forum and all others.
 
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demonicpicaxeguy

Senior Member
here's a thought,
what about getting some kind of sponsorship from the microchip makers? crikey they givaway thousands and thousands of dollars worth of Chips a week in the form of samples knowing full well a good percentage simply goes into supplying the hobbyist market, i would see it as a marketing opertunity in disguise personally

when all said and done whatever is tought shouldn't be biased towards 1 particular chip or device
 
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manuka

Senior Member
Brendan- given today's ease of rustling up a YouTube (of which I've done quite a few for family) this is a well timed idea, BUT I'd be wary of PICAXE involvement, especially given the effort ( & time shifting) delivering technical topic delivery demands.

I've been making educational videos of all kinds for decades & usually now loudly say FUNDING (or generous amber fluid equivalent- or preferably both) whenever such queries arise. My rule of thumb is "An hour for a minute", but even this is too generous- hence an on the cheap educational short PR "clip" I recently was involved with ran to $$$$ for just the sound man, & $$$ for the crew lunches. Post production editing - even via Windows freebees- can be $$$($). There are a lot of staunch MUST DO traditions in this game of course & they don't come cheaply. Even background sounds/music may be a MAJOR issue.

Peer review cultural issues arise too. Your (& mine) preferred visual explanation may not be in a style Dippy or his ilk favour. Presenters are vulnerable enough to slings & arrows just in print, but at least autors are spared criticism of ones choice of shirt, hair style & toothpaste.

And fiinally - not everyone responds to visual presentation. Some like to have things in print right in front of them,so they can lovingly run their eyes & fingers over the nuances of colourful text and picturesque adjectives. Others yet again freeze up unless they hear things spoken to them ... Stan.

EXTRA: I'll tell you what- rustle up a 2 minute YouTube on horse shoeing to convince us.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
Nail on Head , Stan.

Producing a good video takes ages. People who have spent hours cleaning up their holiday videos with MAGix or Pinnacle editors will know that. Producing a crap video is easier, but will look just that.


As Stan suggests, many people would prefer an AXEstructable. Something that can be printed off and read at the workbench or in the loo. It would have to be well written with good illustrations and images. Then tested / edited by someone with knowledge. Time...

It's a nice idea, I agree. I've said often enough that an extra educational Manual showing basic electronic circuits using the most popular components would be nice. I know one or two people easily smart enough to do it. But are they happily going to spend days/weeks doing it for nothing? Depends whether they wish to fill their wallets or merely polish their ego.

Maybe you could start the ball rolling Brendan as you must surely have picked up a helluva lot of info over the last couple of years from this Forum??

Anyway, this is going to go round and round and round. It's a great idea. I vote for it. But unless a few people are happy to spend ages producing things for nothing then it ain't going to happen. If someone does, then 10/10 on the Altru-ometer.
 
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manuka

Senior Member
Dippy: Gasp- we're in agreement on something!

Brendan: Sorry for the loss, but - hey- times are tough even in Oz. Comfort yourself with thoughts of of the (40-13 =) 27 happy families sitting down to a pigeon pie hot dinner in the Melbourne outer suburbs.

EXTRA: Relax- just teasing. As I see pigeons are great silver beet/chard fans, guess the 27 are raiding a patch they discovered en route.
 
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papaof2

Senior Member
Dippy said:
Nail on Head , Stan.

Producing a good video takes ages. People who have spent hours cleaning up their holiday videos with MAGix or Pinnacle editors will know that. Producing a crap video is easier, but will look just that.
Click to expand...
Having worked at a TV station for several years, it wasn't unusual to see the professionals spend two or three hours getting a 60 second commercial "just right".

I spent hours getting visual aids ready for a technical class because the ones provided by the course writers weren't adequate (in the days of overhead projectors and slide projectors - anyone else have negative film processed in D8 to get "paper quality" black and whie slides?).

I might consider text + images (screen movie) but probably wouldn't take on a "live" video, except for showing blinking LEDs or a PWM motor changing speed.

John
 
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SilentScreamer

Senior Member
How about another idea? Tutorial section.

Only mods and admins can put threads in there, anyone can reply. People can make tutorials, only good ones make it into the forum acts as a very useful learning/reference tool.
 
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