Live From The RealTime CrunchUp: No Skype

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Skype and live voice/video conversations haven't been part of anything in this event, or the others like it. I blame Skype's branding problem:

• Skype is antisocial software, not a place or way to discover future friends or colleagues.
• Skype is just for your closest circle, fewer than ten contacts.
• Skype is an isolated network that doesn't interop with others.

That branding is reinforced by Skype's product focus. Fear of strangers, as shown by the inane and inadequate profile and privacy systems. Little support for large numbers of contacts because the "average" user doesn't need them (and can never graduate to power user if power features remain buried or unbuilt).

P.S. Every conference organizer should Ustream.tv all sessions. Cheap or free and brings thousands of people into the room with an interest in just one session or who cannot attend. You can't buy the resulting word of mouth in a realtime world.

tags: skype, twitter, realtimeweb, realtime, live, crunchup

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