Skyped by creepyjohn!

creepyjohn (22k?) was the first to contact me via Skype. If you think this fellow is the friendly sort from his text messages on IGS, you'll find him even MORE like that when you actually talk to him online. We didn't play a game however as I had just completed two matches with mfreeland (BC).

Skype is a great way to talk online given its minimal system requirements and cross-platform compatibility. Our conversation was loud and clear (as soon as I remembered to turn my microphone on).

It was a nice chat creepyjohn! We'll need to play a game while talking on Skype soon.

Online Safety Suggestions
As a father and an ex-techie, I'd just like to reiterate some common suggestions to those of you who may be installing Skype or any messaging service.

• You can have multiple logins with Skype and you may want to take advantage of this. I chose to create one login (chiyodad) exclusively for Go communications. The other is for my regular communications. It can be an annoyance to switch between the logins but I feel more comfortable that way.
• Keep your location ambiguous. I always tell folks that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area (and that's also how I describe my location online). I mention no specific cities.
  
• Don't give out personal information. At most, you can share your first name but, unless you really know the person on the other side of the line, keep the rest of your information to yourself. Any intelligent person on the other side of the line will understand.
  

Follow these cautious guidelines. Trust can eventually be earned and tested.

"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin."
- Linus Van Pelt from It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!