skype question

[WifeOfNewLifeMan]

I have a question about skype. My husband and I live in different time zones. Sometimes when I am on my computer, I see the skype pop up that says "name is on online". But, its the middle of the night for him and he swears he is asleep. Does anyone know why skype would randomly say someone is online if they aren't? Has this happened to anyone else? Thank you.

[waterlily327]

Rock and I both have skype and I have noticed a few glitches:

1. If someone was "signed on" the last time you were on skype, sometimes their name shows up as being "online" when you initially sign on and remain that way until you try to talk to them, then they "go off-line", even though they were never really there.
2. Skype won't always say if you are or are not on line (Rock and I had several arguments about him or me "not being there at the planned time" when really we were waiting for the other but skype never told us that we were both on)
3. If someone leaves their computer in "stand-by" or "sleep", and skype automatically logs them in when they turn on their computer (as I have mine set up to do), sometimes it will say that I am there when I am not.

I don't know if that is enough info to answer your question, but that is just what I have seen for myself using skype. The things I listed above don't happen all the time, so if you see this happening a lot, then I am not sure if it would be a glitch. Just remember, trust your gut feelings! Hope this helps!


Edit: Something Rock said made me think of this, so I hope it helps a bit more. If the "'name' is online" pops up as you log on or very shortly after, it may be a glitch...however, I have never had that "'name' is online" message pop up after I have been on skype for more than 5 minutes and have it be a glitch. (Meaning that if that message is showing up after you have been on skype for more than a few minutes, it is probably not a glitch in the software but that the person really is at their computer.) Again, good luck!

[Rockinastorm]

I just wanted to add that I think skype sometimes says someone is still online if they were logged in when they shut off their computer. I know this glitch used to exist in older versions. I dont know how much effort they put into fixing all of these little "bugs" because it is free software unless you dial phone lines.. so I dont know how much maintenance they do for the computer versions...

but yeah all the stuff WL says is true and frustrating. I would think your husband is likely being honest with you, and it is just part of skype's quirkiness.

[Crisodian]

I also use Skype and it is most definitely buggy.

Another suggestion as to why it may be logging in and showing him online: If you leave your computer to "sleep" and not power it down, software updaters (like the one built into Microsoft Windows) can wake up the PC, go out to the Internet and search for updates. Once that happens, messengers like Skype and Yahoo and others "wake up" as well, showing the user as online when really, it's the PC looking for updates. Most of the time, automatic updates from Microsoft and others are default scheduled to the middle of the night.

Just something else to consider. :)

Peace,
~C~

[WifeOfNewLifeMan]

Thanks for the answers guys and gals. I really hate buggy software, this was driving me a little bit crazy.