不知道大家喜歡楓葉嗎?我個人非常喜歡，因為台灣的四季並不分明，所以從小到大其實不常見到 楓葉，於是有機會前往加拿大旅行的我，正值秋天，看到街旁美麗樹木葉子變黃，總是忍不住拍個不停，雖然沒拍到變紅的楓葉，但其實黃色葉子也很美麗，不是嗎?
雖然秋天有著美麗的落葉可欣賞，但對於樹木植物而言，也是它們從春夏的茂盛嬌艷逐漸衰敗迎接結束的開始，所以人們看到秋景經常觸景傷情，古詩詞中也不乏對於秋天的蕭瑟的描述， 例如南宋辛棄疾就曾說到：「少年不識愁滋味…而今識盡愁滋味，…，欲說還休。 卻道天涼好個秋。」，也算是秋天映照出作者愁緒的一種寫照了。
提到結束就不免讓我想到Skype 要走入歷史了，Skype是微軟推出的一款即時通訊應用軟體，提供即時傳訊和視訊會議等功能。它曾經也紅於一時，不過在台灣並非流行的通訊軟體，但因為我之前曾會接一些海外的翻譯案件，而海外客戶也有很大比例仍使用Skype，所以我也算是Skype的愛用者。
加上Skype有個非常好用的功能，那就是可以撥打0800或0809免付費客服電話，換句話說，可以直接利用Skype打電話到海外各機構而不需擔心昂貴的電話費用，所以我之前也因為美國花旗銀行被鎖帳戶和加拿大退稅事件而利用了這項功能，必須說好險有Skype，因為和這些海外機構的通話動不動就是一小時起跳，雖然通話過程太過漫長，但也算是提供免費的溝通管道。
對於Skype 的停用，微軟建議用戶轉換至Microsoft Teams，雖然仍可享有Skype 的功能，但無法將現有的聊天紀錄與聯絡人資料導至 Teams。很多人說Skype是時代的眼淚，還是隨著時代被淘汰了，它就像是秋天的落葉，終究迎來了它的結束，難免令人感到惋惜。
I wonder if everyone likes maple leaves? Personally, I love them. Since Taiwan doesn’t have very distinct seasons, I rarely saw maple leaves growing up. So when I had the chance to visit Canada during autumn, I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the beautiful trees lining the streets as their leaves turned yellow. Although I didn’t get to see the iconic red maple leaves, the golden ones were just as stunning, don’t you think?
While autumn offers us breathtaking fallen leaves to admire, for trees and plants, it marks the beginning of their transition from the lush vibrancy of spring and summer to eventual decline. That’s why people often find autumn landscapes melancholic, and classical poetry frequently portrays the season’s somber mood. For instance, the Southern Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji once wrote: "In youth, I knew nothing of sorrow... But now, I know all too well its taste... I wish to speak, yet remain silent. Instead, I say—what a fine autumn chill." His words capture how autumn reflects the author's deep emotions.
Speaking of endings, I can't help but think about Skype fading into history. Skype, a real-time messaging and video conferencing software by Microsoft, was once a popular communication tool. While it never gained widespread popularity in Taiwan, I used it frequently because I used to take on translation projects from overseas clients, many of whom still relied on Skype.
One of Skype’s most useful features was its ability to make toll-free calls to 0800 or 0809 customer service numbers. In other words, it allowed users to call overseas institutions without worrying about high international phone charges. I personally benefited from this feature when dealing with issues like a locked Citibank account in the U.S. and a tax refund from Canada. These calls often lasted over an hour, but thanks to Skype, I had a free and reliable way to communicate.
With Skype being discontinued, Microsoft is encouraging users to switch to Microsoft Teams. While Teams retains Skype’s functionalities, it doesn’t support migrating existing chat histories or contact lists. Many people say Skype is a relic of its time—fading away like autumn leaves, inevitably reaching its end. It’s hard not to feel a sense of nostalgia and loss.
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