Questions and a Buddy System

I like the idea of a buddy system. Perhaps it's a bit too complicated to work out here, but I'll give it a shot anyway: All online users can opt to pop up in a window / list that says they're online and what their level is. These users can then network / plug in with each other to chat using Skype, MSN, etc etc Recently i've seen a lot of posts from non-CPod native-Chinese speakers. While I'm certain they're here more so to practice their English than teach others Chinese, there may be one or two willing to jump in on these chat sessions from time to time. Good suggestions, Frank.

Hi Frank :-) You might be interrested in the not primary learning but cpoddies connecting monthly skype-meet up we started at the forum. Here´s the link to the forumtopic: http://forum.chinesepod.com/viewtopic.php?t=2317&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

I would love to practice with others. I have IChat on my Mac, but tell me what I need to do and I will get connected to practice with you. I'm rated intermediate but it doesn't matter. When I speak I'm still a beginner. We can choose a dialog or some vocabulary words and practice with them. We should at least try to see if this could be successful.

Hey Frank, I've been trying to throw a 說 at you for months since reading your piece at http://blogs.chinesepod.com/newbie/2007/06/25/skype-questions/ but all you Americans and Europeans keep such strange hours! :-) Just turn the bloody thing on, leave it on, and you'll be pestered to death by elementary student buddies wanting to exchange contact authorisations and try out some convo, then you can start getting choosey. Of course you can mark yourself unavailalbe whenever you need to. If you ever find yourself awake in the day time, I mean the real true day time like we follow in Sydney, you might be able to pester me, I dare ya! Don't forget Skype is not just for voice chats, you can type instead if it's too late to make a noise, or do both together to clarify puzzling words.

wei1xiao4: Do you mean iChat? There's probably a few of us Mac people who could chat together easily with what we have already. Unfortunately that doesn't give us access to all of the students though. If you want to try using Skype, it's pretty easy. Download the Skype program, it installs in two seconds flat like any other Mac program, you don't even have to think. But before you can run it, you need to register yourself on the Skype web site. As soon as you run your program, it'll ask you for that username and password which it checks back at Skype headquarters before giving you a connection. Keep it simple. On their web site, don't look for any extras, and don't go for anything that costs money, you don't need it for what we do and it's too much hassle when you're starting off. Follow the forum link given above and you can ask there if you have any questions about using Skype. If you're not already a Forum member, just sign up, it's quick and easy too. The only hard thing about Skype is looking at all that fancy stuff and allowing yourself to believe that there's nothing special you have to do to make it work. ;)

Hey all! Kyle - Good thinking! Perhaps even a little note under your profile name that says what you're looking for might be helpful, i.e. "Seeking Elementary or above practice partner for voice/chat." excuter - Awesome! I'll see if I can make it. I'll have to check the forum more often! wei1xiao4 - I have iChat as well. AuntySue is right. Any of us Mac folks could do a face to face in no time flat. We should give that a try one day soon! I'm all up for any help you can give me. Let's try to coordinate a few days and times. AuntySue - Right you are, mate. I'll start leaving the thing on as soon as I get home from work at night. It would be lovely to chat with you. :-)

Hi Frank! To answer your questions, (1) Believe me when I say that David and the tech team have been hammered about this issue since it first surfaced. We are currently in the midst of fixing and updating technical backend stuff but hopefully by Dec, you will see the Extra feed on there. (2) About the different language blogs, we will hopefully revamp the whole PraxisLanguage blog soon and John and I are looking into ways of highlighting the blog community more on the revamped blog as well. (3) Was going to suggest that AuntySue had a internet chat gathering that she organizes on the forum but excuter obviously beat me to it. :-)

Hi Eileen!!! :-) 1) DECEMBER?! Well, it'll make a nice birthday present anyway. *sigh* 2) Yay! Extra good news! 3) Any chance we could get you to join our little chat circle, hon? :-D