VoIP - Your experiences

Andrew Muir · Sat 05 Jun, 2004 22.08

Whilst having my evening browse on the internet I stumbled accross a program called Skype, here's the guff:

- Skype is free and simple software that will enable you to make free calls anywhere in the world in minutes. Skype, created by the people who brought you KaZaA, uses innovative P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you with other Skype users. If you are tired of paying outrageous fees for telephony, Skype is for you!

It sounds really good, is this the next step in messengering, is the death of MSN is nigh? I was wandering if any of you have any experience with the world of Skype. I'm downloading it now.

http://www.skype.com/

MarkN · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 09.57

I am sure that if you find another user using VoIP, then it is very good.

However, does "Skype" use an open VoIP protocol, or a proprietary one? If the answer is the latter, then surely this limits the number of people who you can talk to (especially if there's only a Windows client)?

DJGM · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 11.08

Andrew Muir wrote: It sounds really good, is this the next step in messengering, is the death of MSN nigh?

I rather doubt that an internet telephony program, that's still in beta, is going to kill off Microsoft's internet access
service. It could well be bad news, and have serious consequences for established, well known instant messaging
programs such as the likes of, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger though . . .

Since Skype is for Windows only, there are ways and means to get it installed on any current Linux distro.

Pete · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 11.35

I presume he was refering to MSN Messenger.

It's a nice little proggie - I must get some other people to install it though.

MarkN · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 12.30

DJGM wrote:Since Skype is for Windows only, there are ways and means to get it installed on any current Linux distro.

That is unless you worship the FSF, when you come out in a rash when trying to (or watching someone else try to) use Wine to load proprietary Windows software.

MarkN · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 12.44

DJGM's comment about making it run under GNU/Linux made me curious as to whether the software would work properly, so I opened up my copy of WINE and ran the program. Here are the results:

I like this Licence Agreement!

Skype main interface

Example user search (guessed the username, of course!)

DJGM · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 14.32

Hmmm, so barring the blank EULA glitch, Skype does appear to work on Linux . . .

squawkBOX · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 16.33

A much better service, I feel is the Free World Dialup http://www.pulver.com/fwd/ . Its a VoIP service that uses SIP, so anything can connect to it. It had lots of users all over the world and each user gets a number.

The good thing about it being SIP is that it allows both VoIP software and hardware phones to be connected. I'm running using a software phone but plan on a hardware based solution soon (Cisco 7960 - http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/w ... p/7960.jpg )

Chris · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 16.47

squawkBOX wrote:The good thing about it being SIP is that it allows both VoIP software and hardware phones to be connected. I'm running using a software phone but plan on a hardware based solution soon (Cisco 7960 - http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/w ... p/7960.jpg )

I've seen those IP phones start appearing in banks at my local high street.

Andrew Muir · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 17.06

I believe that an OSX version is in development.

squawkBOX · Sun 06 Jun, 2004 21.28

Chris wrote: I've seen those IP phones start appearing in banks at my local high street.

If you are a viewer of 24, you will have seen them there as well! Although the majority of the ones on 24 are the ones with the colour screens.

The RRP for the 7960 is around £300! (non-colour screen)