When and Why Skype?

Year 1964, age 9, location somewhere in Friesland, home alone with a just bought Intercom set. My father was going to put that up in the house we just moved in.
Intrigued by the technology of this intercom system, I unpacked it, measured the wires, drilled holes in various walls, connected the right coloured wires to the right plugholes and soon it worked. When my parents arrived home, I could talk to them from my little room at the top floor.

Year 2003, age 48, location again somewhere in Friesland, tucked away in my little office and curious what other chat programs had to offer, I browsed the Net and read an article about Skype. Amazing, you could make clear phone calls from one computer to another.
Once downloaded, I explored the possibilities and fell in love with it immediately.
This was and would be ‘my’ program! With my very little knowledge of computers and programs and of course running on Windows 98, Skype was easy to download and run.

I can’t remember who my very first contact was but I do remember that I had to put quite a lot of energy in convincing him/her to download Skype.
Slowly but surely, other contacts arrived and only those I knew. SkypeOut got introduced in 2004, mind you, calling from your computer to landlines! I surprised family and friends with cheap phone calls. “Are you really calling from your computer? How on earth is this possible?” Ah, and the look of my telephone bill, lovely!

Time went on, my life changed, Windows 98 became Windows XP and my PC a Laptop. Skype changed, but my phone bills didn’t! Sorry UPC: I have chosen your lowest subscription and receive the odd call though never use it for outgoing calls.
With a cheap mobile subscription (€ 2.50/month and 500 free minutes), Skype is my main contact to the outside world. Plus my business tool…..