Re: Why no Skype packages?
On Monday 30 Mar 2009, Steve Reilly wrote:
> JoeHill wrote:
> > Steve Reilly wrote:
> >> JoeHill wrote:
> >>> Was just looking at all the 'how to install Skype' pages, and
> >>> wondering why, as far as I can tell, there are no Debian
> >>> packages. Is this a licensing issue?
> >>
> >> skype cant be re distributed. its not open source.
> >
> > Ah, okay. Yuck.
> >
> >>> ...and also why the heck I need to install all of KDE for it to
> >>> work...grumble.
> >>>
> >>> Is there an alternative to Skype that is not such a pain?
> >>> Something that would enable me to make VoIP calls to Skype users?
> >>
> >> ive never seen anything, skype uses its own closed encrypted
> >> protocol
> >
> > Well, now, that's just crazy. Who would want such a thing? No one
> > else can expand on your brilliant invention... ;)
>
> agreed. it would be nice for an sdk (ive heard of it so dont rule it
> our yet!!) so at least the community can write drivers for one of the
> many skype voip adapters for linux. ive had to resort to hooking
> mine to my sons xp box to run the phones in our house. a decision ive
> hated since day one. take a look about 1/2 way down this page ekiga
> has their sites on it at the moment
Rumour has it that the skype protocol will route (other peoples) voice
traffic through your PC even when you are not making a call.
There are STANDARDS in place for voip and it might be better to use
them. I run "Asterisk" (yes there is a deb package) on my home server
for this as an exchange, and allows me with my laptop (with an IAX2
softphone) whilst I am away on busuness and by daughter (who has a
linksys PAP2T which talks SIP and allows a standard Analogue Phone to
be connected to it) and lives away from our home, to phone in and talk
to my wife.
There used to be a service called Freeworlddialup which you could
connect to other people in the world, but last year it went over to a
paying service. Since I've never used it, it didn't matter.
--
Alan Chandler
http://www.chandlerfamily.org.uk
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