[drivebyacct2]

Grandparents have to be the most likely to understand or benefit from this difference.

Grandma, open the email I sent you and click the link [or] Grandma, Go to "tinyurl.com/5yp7q".

versus,

Grandma, download Skype, find it, run it, walk through the Installer, make an account, login, add my username, then call me. (and even then, this is glossing over a gross number of details that are hard for the unsavvy).

Even if it's already set up, there's no barrier to use of a simple WebRTC-based service assuming it's done correctly.

[jtheory]

No; Grandma already has Skype installed & linked to your usernames, because you (or some other relative) did that for her. Probably at the same time you bought her a laptop.

So it's just ring ring "hello?"

Vs. sending an email to tell her to click this link so that you can call her....

If she knows to wake the computer up (or start it up) during your evening hours, that's enough -- Skype starts when the computer starts, unlike a browser.

Skype is easier than email, generally (and Grandma may not bother with email...). You don't even need typing skills. Just click the "answer" button when it rings, or if you want to call me, click my name then click "call".

[malkia]

That's how I set it up for my wife's parents, since 2006 - a not very cheap laptop back then, still works fine (had to be Windows XP). Works good 6 years later.

Then my father, became computer geek late in his years, and I can't even stop his mouth when comes to applications :) - He's bigger kid than me in that respect...

[bmj]

And even further...I bet many in this situation do some sort of Skype lesson during holiday visits.

Granted, I agree with the grandparent here: ultimately, browser-based software would be easier, but you have an entrenched user base who aren't likely to quickly change to new tech.

[ootachi]

Everyone already has Skype. That hurdle was overcome a long, long time ago. Skype is an application that is just as ubiquitous as the web browser these days.