Slow Motion

There have been a couple questions about the Flude's internet access, Skype, email, and why is Ray posting stuff to this blog.

Do you remember when you first hooked up your computer to the internet? For most of us it was via a 56K modem using your phone line. Some of us couldn't be on the phone and intenet at the same time. Do you remember that emails, and especially the pictures, didn't just pop up quickly as they do today, but they appeared slowly, often line by painful line.

Yea, I tried to forget about those days also.

However, the Flude's have reminded me.
Not every country is as wired as we are! The Flude's don't have DSL or a cable modem. I don't know exactly what they have - I assume it is an old fashion phone modem.

Whatever it is, it is slow and expensive. They can't be on the web for very long at all. For example, they get online and download all their emails. Then they log off the net.
Then they can read their emails offline. Then they can type out responses, or type new emails. THEN they can log back online and load their emails onto the web and send them. Then quickly back off the web!

They pay for this based on the size of the emails. So, although they love to receive emails from you, they do ask that you don't use special or fancy fonts, colors etc. Probably not a great idea to be sending a lot of pictures either (MORE ON THIS LATER, don't stop reading here). Type as much plain text as you want - they do want to hear from you!

They can't spend unlimited time on the net checking out all the cool websites.

Skype? NO.

Their limited time on the web is why Lisa & I are adding content - mostly their own words - to their blog. They do have access and will probably still make some entries.
I don't know yet if they read the comments you place on the blog, but they probably do...???
If you have a question for them based on a blog entry, I would suggest sending them an email directly.

So, I type this above as I understand it - I might not have it all right.

We plan on getting on a calling plan - reportedly about 22 cents a minute (thanks Bill F).
30 minutes would only come to about $7.00. It is very expensive for them to call the USA.

PICTURES: Lisa & I plan on taking all our pictures from 2008 and putting them on a CD or DVD and sending them to Chad. You could do this also. Or just email some of your favorites to us and we will include them on the CD we send off in January. Don't worry, we won't try to take credit for you incredibly talented & adorable kids! Shipping to Chad is apparently not very reliable, but I hope we can get a CD to them safely.

If you have questions about any of this, post a comment and I'd be glad to make up an answer for you!

roc