video calling software and webcams

[munky]

Afternoon all!

Can anyone offer advice on what is a decent video call software? e.g. Skype, or "windows live messenger", or something else? Does Skype come with adware? Also, looking on PC world, the webcams are nearly all labelled either skype or windows messenger - does that mean they are software specific? I'd have thought a webcam is a webcam and should work with anything?

thanks!

[maddog-uk]

I use ms live messenger, but thats for chatting to my parents and over voice. Its easy to set up.

[road2ruin]

I have used MS live messenger for a while and found it to be ok, when you can get it to work. The only problem seems to be connection issues between the two machines wanting to see each other. Sometime one can see the others webacm but not the other way. Occaisionally the conection is slow too which makes it a bit jumpy. However that said iots free and it works more than not. And yes a webcam is a webcam, pretty much, they will both I am sure work with most things.

[maddog-uk]

Yep I get ocassional drop outs but 99% of the time is my parents not getting it right (they are in there 70s)! But its good and free and beats paying hotel calling charges.

[recalluk]

To answer your question : Yep they all work with all software MSN / Skype / Yahoo and AOL tend to be the front runners.