skype death a good thing?

[svaens]

Today, skype is down. Not because of the legal dispute, but because of a downed server, I believe.

However, considering the legal dispute between ebay and the makers of skype, this situation is one that we all of us who rely on skype need to consider. There soon could be no skype! And because, as today demonstrates, skype is not true peer to peer, It means tomorrow it might all just not work.

Can that be a good thing ?

I rely on skype at the moment. And There is no other alternative that provides the stability, quality of call, or intuitiveness of the GUI.
Why? Maybe because we all have skype and there is less motivation to create something that REALLY works well.

But if skype were gone ... ... ?

I reckon that might be motivation enough to finally create a solution that really replaces skype. A good solution based on a standard protocol like SIP.

Empathy, for me, isn't there yet. Wouldn't it be good if it were?

[samh785]

Today, skype is down. Not because of the legal dispute, but because of a downed server, I believe.

However, considering the legal dispute between ebay and the makers of skype, this situation is one that we all of us who rely on skype need to consider. There soon could be no skype! And because, as today demonstrates, skype is not true peer to peer, It means tomorrow it might all just not work.

Can that be a good thing ?

I rely on skype at the moment. And There is no other alternative that provides the stability, quality of call, or intuitiveness of the GUI.
Why? Maybe because we all have skype and there is less motivation to create something that REALLY works well.

But if skype were gone ... ... ?

I reckon that might be motivation enough to finally create a solution that really replaces skype. A good solution based on a standard protocol like SIP.

Empathy, for me, isn't there yet. Wouldn't it be good if it were?
it worked for me all day :P

[svaens]

Lucky you! All I get so far this morning (Australian time) is a big red "Server connect failed".
I read something on their twitter that acknowledges problems.

[gradinaruvasile]

I think he was talking about the website.

[Tristam Green]

http://heartbeat.skype.com/




We're having some problems with our sign in server, so you may not be able to sign in to the Skype application or to your account as normal.

[2009/01/21@1746UTC] If you're already signed in to the Skype application on your computer or mobile phone, you should be able to call/IM/etc as normal. This is only affecting people who aren't already signed in.

[2009/01/21@1752UTC] Our forums are experiencing heavy traffic and so access may be slower than usual. Apologies! For more updates, watch this space or follow @skype on Twitter.

[2009/01/12@2002UTC] We've made some changes which should improve things. Stand by!

As soon as I have more information, I'll update this post.


As of right now,

http://download.skype.com/share/blogskin/heartbeat/skypeout_ok.gif OK
http://download.skype.com/share/blogskin/heartbeat/skypein_ok.gif OK
http://download.skype.com/share/blogskin/heartbeat/skypevoicemail_ok.gif OK
http://download.skype.com/share/blogskin/heartbeat/skypesms_ok.gif OK

[gradinaruvasile]

Today, skype is down. Not because of the legal dispute, but because of a downed server, I believe.

However, considering the legal dispute between ebay and the makers of skype, this situation is one that we all of us who rely on skype need to consider. There soon could be no skype! And because, as today demonstrates, skype is not true peer to peer, It means tomorrow it might all just not work.

Can that be a good thing ?

I rely on skype at the moment. And There is no other alternative that provides the stability, quality of call, or intuitiveness of the GUI.
Why? Maybe because we all have skype and there is less motivation to create something that REALLY works well.

But if skype were gone ... ... ?

I reckon that might be motivation enough to finally create a solution that really replaces skype. A good solution based on a standard protocol like SIP.

Empathy, for me, isn't there yet. Wouldn't it be good if it were?

Try the audio/video enabled Pidgin. It is compatible with Google Talk (Windows version - i tried audio calls and worked). Empathy is a mess - sometimes its working sometimes not. Mostly not. Pidgin is far more stable and featureful. Bad decision making Empathy default.

[XubuRoxMySox]

It's not as good as Skypes free calls to Skype users anywhere anytime, but for dirt cheap internet telephony I found something called Jajah (http://jajah.com) which looks really neat:

You log into their web site and enter your friend's phone number. Your phone rings, and when you answer it, a voice tells you that Jajah is connecting your call. Your friend's phone rings, and when she picks up, bingo, you're connected. It's a local call at each end, and VOIP in between. Pretty cool.

You can even create toll-free numbers to dial your friends directly from your home or cell phone without any need for the computer! Ideal for folks who are still stuck with dialup.

If Skype disappears, Jajah is a cool alternative for making super-cheap long-distance phone calls. But to do what I do on Skype now without bothering with the phone, I would use Pidgin.

-Robin

[samh785]

for dirt cheap internet telephony I found something called Jajah (http://jajah.com) which looks really neat:

You log into their web site and enter your friend's phone number. Your phone rings, and when you answer it, a voice tells you that Jajah is connecting your call. Your friend's phone rings, and when she picks up, bingo, you're connected. It's a local call at each end, and VOIP in between. Pretty cool.
That is really neat, I'll have to check that out.

[mikewhatever]

It's not as good as Skypes free calls to Skype users anywhere anytime, but for dirt cheap internet telephony I found something called Jajah (http://jajah.com) which looks really neat:

You log into their web site and enter your friend's phone number. Your phone rings, and when you answer it, a voice tells you that Jajah is connecting your call. Your friend's phone rings, and when she picks up, bingo, you're connected. It's a local call at each end, and VOIP in between. Pretty cool.

You can even create toll-free numbers to dial your friends directly from your home or cell phone without any need for the computer! Ideal for folks who are still stuck with dialup.


-Robin

The only problem with jajah is that you need to have a phone at home. I don't, and so never use it. ;)

[witeshark17]

Having no problems here...

[svaens]

Yeah, skype seemed to be fixed a few hours ago now.
jajah does indeed sound handy. If you have a phone. Which I didn't until recently. However, I think it is time to apt pidgin back onto Ubuntu and check it out. Thanks guys!

[mn_voyageur]

What about Ekiga? I have not been able to configure my NAT router to get out, but I have tried.

[iponeverything]

For the IP -> mobile/landline shim there is always going to have be an entity like skype, so from a fault tolerance standpoint there is probably always going to be couple of weak links in the chain. I for one love services like skype and google voice. All the pieces of the puzzle have existed for while for this type of technology to work, it is great that people are doing cool stuff with it.

I for one need to make calls back to the US on regular basis, and before I started using skype doing this from central Asia, was expensive and lines were unreliable and quality was bad.. Now the only thing I have to deal with is slight delay, but then again I am on the opposite side of planet from that I am talking to ;) ain't technology grand.

[svaens]

just tried Ekiga ..... it had a fit and froze. Seems to have a problem with pulse audio. That was with testing the 500@ekiga.net test call thing.
In trying to call a real phone number via my SIP account, I just get a security error and nothing happens. that is a whole lot less than this app used to do back in the Gutsy days. Shame. Looks nice and simple... exactly what I am looking for in an interface. Too bad it doesn't work.

[hoppipolla]

Are you sure there's currently a problem? According to Wikipedia it's hunky-dorey at the mo, or has something new sprung up since it's entry was written?

I love Skype and I use it all the time on my mobile (and for normal messages on Leeeenucks! :) )

[svaens]

Ha! Damn... looks like you are right. I was reading old news it seems.

[SmallerNuke]

I never really got into the whole Skype stuff. I always use ventrilo for voip, and that's just for WoW when I'm on Windows.

I don't understand why it's a good thing to use; mainly because I have a cell phone, and it really pisses me off when people call or text me from Skype and the sender info is some long number and I can't make heads or tails of it.

Maybe if your broke poor and it's your only choice, but if you have a smart phone, like me, it doesn't really matter; you're already paying through the nose for service, might as well use it.

I prefer IM over pushing a button to talk any-day, fyi. I concur that Pidgin is the best. I even use it when I use Windows =D

[ukripper]

GTALK is better than skype. Skype is highly buggy and can't hold over 500 hundred contacts in my mum's list who runs a business. It takes about 15 mins to get her online with skype.

[XubuRoxMySox]

The only problem with jajah is that you need to have a phone at home. I don't, and so never use it. ;)

Got a cellphone? Works just fine. I have 800 numbers for missionary friends overseas, and can call them direct from my cellphone without even going to the web site. Landline or cell, works either or both ways.

-Robin

[ssam]

i have used ekiga with diamondcard for cheap sip to phone international calls. make sure to set the audio codec to GSM to improve latency.

it should automatically get past NAT routers.

[svaens]

I use skype for work. I work for a german company from Australia, and I need cheap telecommunications... and it is nice to have video with it.
I haven't found anything else that does as good a job for that with Skype.

Perhaps I could chat on my smart phone to germany, if i could afford to pay for such a service as you speak of. But I can't, and many others can't either.

[Robbyx]

GTALK is better than skype. Skype is highly buggy and can't hold over 500 hundred contacts in my mum's list who runs a business. It takes about 15 mins to get her online with skype.

How do you get Gtalk to work with Ubuntu?

Their website does not offer a linux option.

[svaens]

theoretically, you could use empathy to go over GTalk.
However, all I managed were some nasty noises when I tried it.

[ukripper]

How do you get Gtalk to work with Ubuntu?

Their website does not offer a linux option.

I use pidgin for gtalk and works great. Here is how to get latest stable pidgin via ppa http://www.pidgin.im/download/ubuntu/

[Zoot7]

Skype is one of the few pieces of software that I'd have to agree with FSF on, their argument being that we don't know who's listening in because we can't see the source code.
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority.html#skypereplacement
A bit paranoid perhaps, but it does have merit. It would be lovely if the protocols were open at least.
I'd switch to an open source alternative were it not for the fact all my friends are using skype as is.

[Robbyx]

I use pidgin for gtalk and works great. Here is how to get latest stable pidgin via ppa http://www.pidgin.im/download/ubuntu/

I have just followed your suggestion and installed pidgin. Is there a test number for google talk so that I can be sure that the video and sound are working. Likewise for msn.

I found a plugin Bot Security to install. The readme implies that I will have to compile pidgin. Is that the case? Also the readme says
since pidgin/libpurple looks for plugins in a variety of
directories, be sure to use './configure --libdir=DIR'
to specify the directory where you want to install this
plugin

On a standard setup do I need to follow that advice? If you know of a howto that covers these points it may be easier to point me to it.

Robin

[ukripper]

I have just followed your suggestion and installed pidgin. Is there a test number for google talk so that I can be sure that the video and sound are working. Likewise for msn.

I found a plugin Bot Security to install. The readme implies that I will have to compile pidgin. Is that the case? Also the readme says

On a standard setup do I need to follow that advice? If you know of a howto that covers these points it may be easier to point me to it.

Robin

i am afraid you need to call someone on your contact list to check the sound and mic working. i have never tried video on pidgin so have less idea where to look.

Here is excellent guide to compile and install bot sentry on pidgin:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=975783