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I may be a spectacularly inconsiderate communicator, but for me the answer is multitasking. I can and do do a wide range of tasks while having an audio phone c

I may be a spectacularly inconsiderate communicator, but for me the answer is multitasking. I can and do do a wide range of tasks while having an audio phone call with people. At home I can do basic housework, prepare meals, wander round for all sorts of things with the phone jammed between by head and my shoulder. It works well. I never have had video chat facilities for work (or needed them really) but I can think of any number of times gesticulating at colleagues for private communications while on an audio call, which is far from easy on video. Do you simply turn off the video briefly? If so, how do you explain this to the person you're communicating with? Give me video chat and I'm tied to the screen. I can't easily do another job in parallel because it's on show and the other party can see that I'm not looking at them. They can see if I look around the screen to a TV, they can (indirectly) see if I open a second window on my computer to try a parallel task because the light to my face from the computer screen suddenly changes. This is quite visible most of the time. For the times when video is a benefit it's a real benefit in my experience; being able to see the other person's expression, be shown objects or spaces in real time, generally use more communication methods. The bulk of the time though its benefits in my experience are small, and come at the expense of a significant extra burden on the communicators. Video, IMHO, will remain a niche in this area because the costs outweigh benefits to participants.

keane 15y ago
I agree with you. Video chat as it exists seems to require the full attention of both parties. Like you say, one becomes "tied to the screen". It seems video might be more used if one wasn't tied to the screen. How can this be done? As Keith writes at Singularity Hub "[…] all too often when making a phone call, I hope the person doesn't even answer so that I can leave a voice message with the pertinent information and get on with my day. With today's video chat, it usually isn't even possible to leave a video message." Why is this not possible? I think that there are three main formats of conversations (based on speed): 1. Realtime + Continuous (face-to-face AFK interaction, phone calls) 2. Realtime + Intersperced (Instant Messaging [AIM/Jabber], SMS) 3. Not realtime (letters via USPS, typical use of email, posts to blogs) What is notable is that with video, options exist only for types one and two: 1. Video chat (as implemented by Skype and GTalk/Gmail) 2. [doesn't appear to exist] 3. Video blogging (posting a video to YouTube, emailing your friend the link) I think people (including Skype) have assumed that realtime video should follow the format of telephone calls - continuous and streaming. This certainly has its place. But what might be more useful would be video IM. In an IM client such as Skype, have a button to record a short message perhaps limited to a total of 30 seconds, just as Twitter limits updates to 140 characters. Send the video and let the recipient watch the video as they are able. Then, the second party can take their time to think of something to say, fix their hair, etc. and respond by recording a short response. Approaching video this way would remove the initiating parties worry that they are interrupting anything - the recipient only watches their video when they are able and can choose when to respond. It also removes the worry that video means a 'long serious conversation' - instead it can be simply short amusing anecdotes or quick flirtatious quips - what would previously have been expressed through texting/SMS. It lowers the stress of both parties who no longer have to be on-point for an extended period. And it frees both, no longer "tied to the screen".
- eftpotrm 15y ago
  Just a little thing, but Windows Live Messenger seems to support leaving video messages for people. I've never used it, but the option is there in the interface.

keane 15y ago

I agree with you. Video chat as it exists seems to require the full attention of both parties. Like you say, one becomes "tied to the screen". It seems video might be more used if one wasn't tied to the screen. How can this be done? As Keith writes at Singularity Hub "[…] all too often when making a phone call, I hope the person doesn't even answer so that I can leave a voice message with the pertinent information and get on with my day. With today's video chat, it usually isn't even possible to leave a video message." Why is this not possible? I think that there are three main formats of conversations (based on speed): 1. Realtime + Continuous (face-to-face AFK interaction, phone calls) 2. Realtime + Intersperced (Instant Messaging [AIM/Jabber], SMS) 3. Not realtime (letters via USPS, typical use of email, posts to blogs) What is notable is that with video, options exist only for types one and two: 1. Video chat (as implemented by Skype and GTalk/Gmail) 2. [doesn't appear to exist] 3. Video blogging (posting a video to YouTube, emailing your friend the link) I think people (including Skype) have assumed that realtime video should follow the format of telephone calls - continuous and streaming. This certainly has its place. But what might be more useful would be video IM. In an IM client such as Skype, have a button to record a short message perhaps limited to a total of 30 seconds, just as Twitter limits updates to 140 characters. Send the video and let the recipient watch the video as they are able. Then, the second party can take their time to think of something to say, fix their hair, etc. and respond by recording a short response. Approaching video this way would remove the initiating parties worry that they are interrupting anything - the recipient only watches their video when they are able and can choose when to respond. It also removes the worry that video means a 'long serious conversation' - instead it can be simply short amusing anecdotes or quick flirtatious quips - what would previously have been expressed through texting/SMS. It lowers the stress of both parties who no longer have to be on-point for an extended period. And it frees both, no longer "tied to the screen".

eftpotrm 15y ago
Just a little thing, but Windows Live Messenger seems to support leaving video messages for people. I've never used it, but the option is there in the interface.