Pet Peeve: "webcam"

[sparr]

This is not specifically aimed at you, person who prompted me to post. It is aimed at the masses.

Having a camera, no matter how cheap, grainy, or spherical, attached to your computer does not make it a webcam. The defining trait of a webcam is how it is used, namely, to take photos or video directly to the web. If you take a snapshot to your hard drive, and eventually put it on your website, you are just using a really cheap camera in the same way any other camera would be used. Until I can see a real-time updated view of you (or your dog, or your garden, or whatever else the camera is pointed at) on the web, it is not a webcam.

</rant>

Comments

[childofmetis.livejournal.com]

I have an iSight :D I used to use an iSight as a webcam a while ago. Sometimes I still use it that way- but now it's usually to take ridiculous LJ-worthy pictures of myself.

[miketodd13.livejournal.com]

So if one uses their computer-attached video-capable camera only with things such as Skype, and Yahoo Instant Messenger, and MSN Messenger... then what would the correct term be? :)