Good practices for Skype users:
- Unless necessary, don’t use the video camera option during Skype calls. It uses a lot of bandwidth and reduces voice quality. This is especially likely to occur when one caller has a lower bandwidth connection.
- Instead of using a built-in microphone and speakers, invest in a good headset or stand alone speakers and microphone. The quality of your calls will improve significantly.
- When choosing a headset/ microphone:
- Opt for one with an on/off switch. When you are in a teleconference   with several people, switch off your microphone when not speaking to improve your call quality.
- Wireless headsets/microphones are not as reliable as headsets
and microphones with wires, especially in an environment with a lot of interference (e.g. the airport).
What should you do when your computer’s hard drive is close to full capacity? Try WinDirStat, a small useful program (freeware) that will map your hard drive so you can see which folders and files occupy the most space.
Do you sometimes have two versions of the same file, or need to compare contents of various folders? Try Beyond Compare. This user-friendly program can merge files, synchronize folders, and shows the differences between
files and folders.
