Monday, January 14, 2008

Skyping on horseback

This is a remote area.
Rancho Punta Boca del Salado in Baja California, Mexico.
There is no electricity here except for solar power and generators.
Water is from a well.
And there is no telephone.
No landlines and no signal for mobile phones.

An exception is the Fuso Szulc.
Because it has the Datastorm system, it can make use of SKYPE.
Basically this is making phone calls using the Internet.

This is why on his horse Manuel Salvador came by.
To make a phone call to his sister who is in Cabo San Lucas.

He tied his horse up next to the Fuso Szulc and the phone number was typed into the SKYPE box on the screen of the MacBook Pro.

It has been noticed before that people who are close to nature and who are not used to make phone calls believe they need to shout so they can be heard because the other person is far away.
At one point Manuel Salvador even put one hand next to his mouth to make the sound of his voice carry even farther.
Just as he does when he is on his horse in the mountains calling out to a person far away.

Having a conversation using SKYPE requires some skills.
Because there is a delay, one must wait before to start to speak.
And it blocks the data transmission if the two persons communicating speak both at the same time.

This is why Manuel Salvador didn’t get very far talking to his sister besides shouting constantly: “Qué ? Qué ?? Qué ???”
Not that he had something very important to say.
He just wanted to inform her he was coming to town and her house the next day.



It seemed at least this she got.
Meanwhile his horse had managed to become free of the rein tied to a pole and the noble animal had taken off.

SKYPE works much better when using broadband Internet.
When transmission speeds are higher than what a satellite system offers.
Often this gives the feeling to be in a situation of primitivism and backwardness.
As if using outdated and old fashioned techniques.
We can be sure that within a few years the current system the Fuso Szulc has to connect to Internet with its slow speed will be replaced with a much faster and easier system.

Until then SKYPE is used like being on a horse in the mountains.

Additional information for the fervent and loyal blog readers.
The first results from the project “The most beautiful people in the world” made in China are ready.
They can be seen on the website of the project.
www.themostbeautifulpeople.org







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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm amazed at todays technology, I can read your daily blog sent from your motor home via satellite on a remote beach in baja to my remote island off the coast of california, where I also have a satellite dish. I think the world is a much better place thanks to the ability to communicate so easily. The world is getting smaller and bigger at the same time. Robert

Anonymous said...

& i'm in France reading Robert's comment & wondering where that remote island can be ...is it catalina ?
Did the horse return ? ?

Anonymous said...

Steven, The Island is just south of Catalina. I'm on San Clemente Island. The Island is a bombing range for the U.S, Navy. The majority of the island is undisturbed and full of ancient indian sites.
Robert

Anonymous said...

Wow, nice Island, away from the crowded catalina where I spent a night 2 years ago.
I'm sure Michel would enjoy, as it is away from LA's polluted air.

Anonymous said...

I think Steve and Robert ought to exchange phone numbers, don't you Michel? At least email addresses.