Hi Lori,

Disclaimer: non-techie explanation:

Skype is basically a software program that allows your computer to send 
and receive voice (& other things).  So its like a telephone on your 
computer and you use your computer's speakers and microphone (or 
separate headset).   And the free skype service connects to other skype 
users together for free.   So it is software that allows us to have a 
conference call through our computers.

So the first step is to download and install the skype software.   You 
pick a username.   You add our usernames to your list of connections, 
and we do the same for your username.   Then when we launch the skype 
software on our computers, we can see who else on our list is online and 
available for a chat (voice or text).   So we can hold our voice 
conference call through the computer using skype and it is entirely free 
for all participants in all parts of the world.

You can certainly find a better explanation at Skype:
http://www.skype.com/

Thanks,
Robin


Schulman, Lori wrote:

>As I am a Skype neophyte, how does one access a conference call through
>Skype?
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Non-Commercial User Constituency
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robin Gross
>Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 3:34 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: let's try for a Sunday call?
>
>Agreed.  We'll have to use skype until there is a foss option that can 
>do the job.   Skype's unlimited world-wide free voice conference calls 
>are hard to resist.   I don't think it will be long before there will be
>
>a foss competitor.
>
>Robin
>
>
>Mawaki Chango wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Folks,
>>
>>I'm very friendly with o.s. values, but if in the time being
>>there is nothing o.s. out there allowing us to work in proper
>>conditions, let's go for skype (and of course anyone who wants
>>to abstain is free to do so.) Personnally, I can't be a
>>fundamentalist of any board - sorry, but that's just my opinion.
>>
>>Mawaki
>>
>>
>>--- "Horacio T. Cadiz" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>karen banks wrote:
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>hi robin
>>>>
>>>>     
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>>>Are there any other suggestions for FOSS technical
>>>>>       
>>>>>
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>>>solutions that 
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>>could give us an unlimited number of free world-wide voice
>>>>>       
>>>>>
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>>>calls like 
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>>Skype does?
>>>>>       
>>>>>
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>>>  If everyone has access to a SIP phone, then we should all
>>>be able to connect
>>>to an Asterisk box using the Conference Call feature of
>>>Asterisk.  We can run it
>>>on my Asterisk box but its bandwidth is limited to 2mbps. I've
>>>tried it with
>>>three people in a conference without problems.
>>>
>>> If someone else has a box with higher bandwidth, volunteer
>>>now! How many people
>>>do we expect?
>>>
>>>
>>>-- 
>>>Bombim Cadiz
>>>*****************************************
>>>*  Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) --  *
>>>* No windows. No gates. It is open.     *
>>>* No Bill. It is Free.                  *
>>>*****************************************
>>>
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>
>
>  
>