Telecommunications Programs.

[ConservativeCody]

I was on an online game the today (World of Warcraft), and i keep hearing about this thing called Ventrillo, and Teamspeak. I never heard about these before, so i decided to go online and look it up.

It seems that these programs allow you to speak with people from across differnet countries/states. I was completely baffled.

I just took a moment to realize how far technology has come in the past 20 years.

i mean, to speak into a microphone, over the internet, to have it recieved by someone else 2000 miles away, in less than a second. WOW!!!!!!! completely astounding.

I knew you could do that with emails, but apparantly you can do it with real-time voices now too.... completely amazing. Im litterally confounded right now.

Technology has come a long way.

[OldBuzzard]

Actually that tech is not as new as you think :mrgreen:

I started using an application called Roger Wilko in 1998 or 99. I was playing a lot of BATTLEZONE on line. Two of my online buddies and I installed it, and we were pretty much unbeatable in deathmatch team games because we had instant communications.

I used Vertrillo for a short time, but now use Teamspeak. I fly in IL2 1946 online, and I can't see flying without it. I talk to guys in Australia, and Europe all of the time, as my Squadron, RAF662, is an international bunch.

If THAT isn't enough, I also use a 'voice' application that will issue key strokes as if I was using the keyboard. So, if I'm online and taking off, all I do is SAY "GEAR UP", and the application sends the 'G" key to the IL2 program, instead of me having to take my hand off the stick and reach over for the keyboard.

[ConservativeCody]

well, i was pretty baffled. like... i thought there might be some communication lag, but i was hearing voices in real time. I was stunned.

[OldBuzzard]

Shucks, I started working with computers as an Operator/Programmer in 1968, and even though I've been around computers for a LONG time and should be pretty accustomed to technology, every now and then I stop and think, "Dang, this is just amazing" myself.

We have come SO far since than, that I just wish I could live for another 50 years just to see what the tech will be like then.

As an example, most of us have more raw computing power sitting on or under our desks than NASA had available for the Appollo moon shots.

The last mainframe computer I worked on had 64K of memory and 1.5 GB of disk storage. At that time it was a danged GOOD system, and I was envied by a lot of programmers that I knew. Now, I have single FILES that are larger than that systems entire storage.

If, back in the early 70's someone would have described my current system, and claimed that it would be available within my life time, I would would have told him to "Stop smoking dope". :mrgreen::mrgreen: