Re: skype?

[Scott Ferguson <scott.ferguson.debian.user@gmail.com>]

On 09/04/12 18:09, Tony van der Hoff wrote:
> On 09/04/12 08:22, Scott Ferguson wrote:
>>
>> SIP will currently work with the Skype network - if being able to
>> communicate is your only requirement.
>>
> This is interesting. Do you mean I could install SIP, and communicate
> with my wedded to skype contacts? Voice, video, text?


Skype network is distinct from the soft-phone components.

I'll do a little digging and find out more about the services that do
that if you like.
To the best of my foggy recollections it's commercial Skype to SIP (and
maybe other protocol) bridges - but it's possible there are other
variations.

A search engine can tell you more. I'm lazy and I don't want to appear
to know something I just looked up and repeated like a monkey ;-p

> 
> I was under the impression that Skype was so proprietary that nothing
> else would co-exist!
> 

I suspect the new owners may favour the "not co-exist" line - but I've
no proof.

I do know work is currently being done to integrate it into two MS
products. And that early last year some restrictive changes where made
to the network - whether those restrictions were because of new
ownership, integration with MS products, or to limit compatibility with
the reversed code release I don't know.


While I favour open systems I'm opposed to enclaves - that leads to
ghettos, so I like to mix open and closed if only to force the closed to
allow the open (if that makes any sense).

I'd like to find an alternative to Skype - but while MS owns it I'll
continue to throw a few dollars at it every now and then - means they
have to lose revenue cutting off the GNU/Linux client, and helps stop
the world dividing into clients by platform enclaves.

Besides - I've had people get interest in GNU/Linux just because the
Skype client is better and contains no adds.

Kind regards

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