When I want to skritter for more than an hour I usually need some additional entertainment, this is sometimes a movie in the corner of my screen, and often music playing loudly.
I don't feel any of this affects my performance, in fact they encouraging me to skritter longer and harder.

What does everyone do in the background while they skritter and how does it affect your study?
Does anyone actually use the voice playback feature?

In my case (right now for exemple) I listen some music or some french radio on the internet.

I always use the voice playback feature (especially when I forgot the tone :p )

Yeah, I tend to watch TV and study at the same time. It's harder when watching subtitled Chinese TV shows, but, it's still possible.

I listen to music. I haven't tried the movie thing, but I'll definitely give it a shot. Especially if George can get me some of those kung-fu films. I wonder if I could listen to Chinese lessons while practicing...

I'm sad that the pronunciation samples are so bad right now. We'll have really good ones some day, and then they'll be more useful.

Question: would you guys use additional sounds, like some quiet, happy "ding"s when you finish a character correctly, that sort of thing? We're thinking up ways to add more positive reinforcement in the background. Just subtle stuff to make things less plain.

Usually music, if that. Call me simple-minded, but I can't concentrate on too much at once...

I could live without happy "dings", I think Nick. Or, if there are such things, it would be good to choose whether to turn them on or off.

Best wishes,

Will

Skritter could have an option to play cheesy Chinese pop music while you practice....nice.

I listen to music or 反波 podcasts.

I wouldn't see a need for an encouraging bell, but definitely might want to turn one off it did exist.

I sometimes listen to music, and if so in general it's Chinese stuff, punk or folk (小河 is just so cool). But more than often I don't put any music on, just because I'm too lazy to pick a playlist.
I don't feel the need for an encouraging bell, but some might find it useful. Having the option of turning it off is a must if you do implement it.
Chinese music in the background would be awesome I think.

I think Jay Chou (周杰倫) and Mc HotDog (MC熱狗, he's quite hilarious) are good music to listen while Skrittering

Few sample :

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B2LKRxhoJtE

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6sfDuDue_r8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DhhAhU7NvMM&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yh4EoyBeUNQ

...sell tickets at a movie theatre.

Except I haven't Skrittered in quite some time, and I was just commenting to Nick last night that I feel badly about myself these days when I see Chinese characters and recognize them but don't remember what they mean.

music, shuffled playlist
cigarette once in a while
sometimes a beer

@Trina : It happens to me allllll the time (but at least I know them)

Right now I'm listening to music, but it has to be without words, otherwise my well-developed and dominant English brain starts stomping my tender fledgling Chinese brain.

I'm definitely with you thinkbuddha, I can't do too many things at once, so I have a lot of respect for folks like ZachH that can watch movies at the same time.

I prefer silence while skittering that way I can concentrate on the tones as well, a simple ding would be nice in my case because I'm not already listening to music or TV. But definitely add an option to turn it off, maybe if you added several different kinds of sounds depending on how well you did, so if you wrote the stroke in the wrong order but still wrote the character correctly you get a ding but if you write it completely correct you get something different. Thinking DDR here heh...

Bad! ... Good! .... Excellent!!!

Keep up the good work.

@nick.
No sounds needed. The green blinking character is the most awesome feedback possible. Each "plink", "bling", or "yodeldidohoe" goes on my nerves after a while.