Videochat - Tips for finding locals in 2009?

[heySkippy]

My wife and I made a bunch of amazing friends via the internet back in the 1999-2002 time frame. We were new to the lifestyle, but we really embraced the online video thing and used ICQII and CU-SeeMe with great results.

Then we kind of coasted for a few years. Friends come, and friends go and I decided to explore the scene in 2009 to find that Cu-SeeMe is seemingly ancient history and ICUII has become a Windows-only thing.

So what's the thing these days? We really liked the video scene, especially when it was groups like with CU-SeeMe. Both our computers have built-in cameras, but I don't see any obvious replacements for those old standbys. I would think that WAY more people have cams on their computers now than 10 years ago, so what's up with that?

[shes_in_parties]

Last I checked (a while ago), people use IMs like AOL and Yahoo which have a "cam" chat option.

[lardub]

For finding locals it is harder now on the world wide web. We do spend time on nudecraves chat as most of the members are from Ontario.
Another site we have spent alot of time on is zoig, it is more of a voyeur site than a place for hook ups and has members from all over the world but you can search your area, and we have had conversations with couples from our area, lots of single (married) men, but we have noticed that couples are starting to show up on the video chat. It isn't bad and helps to find people to chat with who are in the lifestyle or sitting on the ledge looking for the right couple to make them jump...

[heySkippy]

Originally Posted by shes_in_parties

Last I checked (a while ago), people use IMs like AOL and Yahoo which have a "cam" chat option.

We have those things of course, but they're mostly useful for people you already know.

It just seems like there are less options for meeting new people semi-locally than there was 10 years ago. I'm rather surprised this board doesn't have regional sub-forums.

[shes_in_parties]

I had that thought the other day - perhaps we should ping Julie about it?

[two4youinswva]

Originally Posted by heySkippy

I would think that WAY more people have cams on their computers now than 10 years ago, so what's up with that?

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like webcams aren't as popular now as they were 10 years ago. I remember getting one back around 1998, and we used it fairly regularly. I couldn't tell you the last time we used one though. I would guess it's been at least 4 or 5 years ago at a minimum.

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by two4youinswva

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like webcams aren't as popular now as they were 10 years ago. I remember getting one back around 1998, and we used it fairly regularly. I couldn't tell you the last time we used one though. I would guess it's been at least 4 or 5 years ago at a minimum.

I've noticed that as well. I used to have a webcam and actually gave it away. Now I have one again because it's one of those things that no laptop can be produced without (evidently) and I have yet to use it.

As far as regional subforums - the point of this site has never (well not since the forums were added) been about hooking up. It's about sharing and discussions on swinging, those topics are pretty universal. Sub-forums would just lend to more personal ads/hookup / junk threads, which isn't really what this site is about.

[heySkippy]

Originally Posted by JustAskJulie

I've noticed that as well. I used to have a webcam and actually gave it away. Now I have one again because it's one of those things that no laptop can be produced without (evidently) and I have yet to use it.

Yup, and it's a damn shame because the speed of our internet connections now would actually allow for usable group videochats. No more days of postage stamp sized windows that refreshed once every 5 seconds (and no audio), it could really work. CU-SeeMe was born too early for its time.

As far as regional subforums - the point of this site has never (well not since the forums were added) been about hooking up. It's about sharing and discussions on swinging, those topics are pretty universal. Sub-forums would just lend to more personal ads/hookup / junk threads, which isn't really what this site is about.

Even though I don't have a lot of posts, I have been reading regularly since I joined. Still, I don't have an idea of the best places to meet locals online. Suggestions?

edit to add: I just now see that the swinglifestyle.com link that I made a profile for has a locals option. I feel kind of silly that I missed that before - checking now.

edit #2: When I go to the Sarasota link, I get a bunch of profiles but all the options take me to a signup link. I've already got an account, but it doesn't seem to realize that. Grrrrr.... Somewhere there's a web dev that needs a dope slap.

[WhatisTruth]

This is a couple months late, but there are a couple places out there for video chatting. Camfrog is a third party software you must download, but has an adult only section. You can view 1 webcam at a time in the free version, and multiple webcams in the purchased version.

There are also a few social sites that have group cam chatting. My best experience has been with stickam, where you can view up to I believe either 12 or 14 cams at a time.