Do you use Ekiga?

[olskar]

A post about ubuntus most useless functions got me interested in how many actually use Ekiga. So lets throw a quick vote :) Im voting no

[bufsabre666]

i have a screenname and everything i just rarely if ever log on

[olskar]

i have a screenname and everything i just rarely if ever log on

Yeah, I got myself a screenname just to try it but there is so much better alternatives out there for ip-calling..

[gn2]

I tried VOIP for a while, but found it was poor quality and unreliable.
The major landline call providers in the UK where I live have lowered their call plan charges in response to VOIP so there's little point bothering with VOIP now unless calling abroad.

[mthei]

One of the first things I remove after a clean install.

[billgoldberg]

How about an "I don't use VOIP (untill some msn client starts supporting it)"?

[olskar]

How about an "I don't use VOIP (untill some msn client starts supporting it)"?

No, What I want to see is how many is actually using Ekiga, I dont care if the users who dont use ekiga use other voipsoftware or doesnt use voip at all :)

[jakupl]

I have never used Ekiga.

[rune0077]

Ekiga is something I always uninstall from Ubuntu. To this day, I have not found out what it actually is, or what I'm supposed to use it for (that was you people's cue to start explaining it to me).

[olskar]

With this I do not want to say it is bad software, merely question its place as default software in Ubuntu.

We have limited space on the install-CD, we should use that space wisely.

[bufsabre666]

With this I do not want to say it is bad software, merely question its place as default software in Ubuntu.

We have limited space on the install-CD, we should use that space wisely.

it was added at the time skype was gaining speed among users and there wasnt a skype version for linux so they added another voip software tool

[olskar]

it was added at the time skype was gaining speed among users and there wasnt a skype version for linux so they added another voip software tool


That sounds sane-minded, however I still think it is time to reconsider whether it should be installed by default or not.

[wolfen69]

That sounds sane-minded, however I still think it is time to reconsider whether it should be installed by default or not.

i vote no. eventually ubuntu is going to have to cut something to make room for new features and hardware support.

[toster13]

Well, I use Ekiga sometimes when I need to call abroad especially to my parents in Russia. I don't see any reasons why I should choose something another for voice calling. Of course I use it for PC-to-phone calls, not for PC-to-PC and I use the local operator called sipnet.ru for it. It produces much better quality than skype with its call-out

[jbaerbock]

I don't use ekiga as I use Kubuntu but I had tried it back in my Gnome days and found if I want to use voip I'll stick to Skype. The only time I use voice is while playing WoW on my windows partition and then I use ventrilo. So no real use for voip anymore.

[olskar]

I guess the problem with this is that gnome installs it by default and ubuntu like to use same defaultsoftware as gnome?

[chris4585]

I usually remove Ekiga, along with:

evolution (email)
tomboy (notes)
rythmbox (music)
gnome-games (games.. i never use them)
pidgin (i cant stand pidgin msn)
openoffice database (database)
the blue tooth packages (dont ever use bluetooth)
character map (I never need this)
gnome-utilities (I replace these with other software that i like more)
f-spot (photo organizer)
xsane (I like this but i dont need it on every computer)
gthumb (i much prefer gwenview)
openoffice draw (who uses this?)
example content (waste of space)

thats about 200 - 250MBs of stuff I usually uninstall more, but cant remember the package names..

then I install

quodlibet (music)
ubuntu-extricted-extras
gwenview (image viewer)
limewire (P2P)
xpad (Notes)
emesene (msn)
amsn (msn with webcam support)
bitlbee (gateway to connect to the msn protocal -and others- via your IRC client)
ksnapshot (screen capture program)
virtualbox (virtualization)
brasero (because I'm still on gutsy and wont upgrade for a long time)
beep-media-player (i use it to play single files)
cheese (webcam capture program)
beagle (search tool)
deluge (torrents)
twitux (twitter client)
xchat (IRC)
nautilus script to open terminal here and nautilus script to set as wallpaper

there's maybe more I install but thats what I can come up with atm. That usually replaces the space I removed with the default programs.

[Exsecrabilus]

one Of The First Things I Remove After A Clean Install.
Qfw.

[MadsRH]

I my opinion they should remove it and have Skype installed by default.

[Ub1476]

Ekiga 3 will be released soon:

Pictures (http://blog.ekiga.net/?p=81)

SVN snapshots (http://markusthielmann.com/blog/ekiga_svn_snapshots_are_back)

Interview with the devs about Ekiga 3. (http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/columns/interview_with_ekiga_developers)

Looks very good to me. You guys should appreciate and use this app. Skype is no no. Old Linux version, bad support for amd64, bad support for ALSA/Pulseaudio and the other sound servers, and the Skype protocol is closed (+ it uses your bandwith).

[jrusso2]

Skype is better even if it crashes each time I start my camera.

[Ozor Mox]

I my opinion they should remove it and have Skype installed by default.

They won't do that because Skype is not free software.

I do not use it. I've only just found out what it is!

[Superkoop]

Never used it.
I looked into it once, found out what it was, thought about it, decided it would be pointless, uninstalled it.

They should replace it with Xchat.

[ibutho]

Ekiga is one of the first packages I uninstall after a fresh Ubuntu installation. I do the same on other distros.

+1 for replacing it with Xchat.

[verb3k]

Didn't work for me.

[vrangforestillinger]

It's a good idea to have a VOIP-program in there by default. And since this is Ubuntu, it should be FOSS. Problem is, the market-leader is not an open standard.. :( My main problem with Ekiga is that "all" my friends use Skype.

I wish people would use an open protocol so we can avoid this unhealthy vendor-lock-in, but I guess people don't care.

Im already getting tired of asking for pdfs/odf/plain text from people who continue to send *.doc files. And with Skype, I can imagine "but it's free and availible on all platforms, whats your problem??".

btw, whats up with replacing it with xchat? Thats an IRC-client.. (Personally I use Pidgin for that)

[joey-elijah]

funnily enough, i was gonna do a poll on my blog asking the same question!

It's a pile of lameness, and i remove it straight away.

i use skype instead.

[Zeotronic]

I voted yes because I have it, and I would... but I simply haven't been prompted to do so... it seems like a perfectly good program... why wouldn't you use it if need be?

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Hey, replacing it with XChat is actually a really great idea. Or maybe a good Jabber client.

Then, the IRC support channels could be listed by default, which would just be fantastic!

[loell]

i used to, but that was before gizmo captured me ;)

if ekiga developers could somehow develop a social networking plugin, base and around it.

backed with a reliable default server, make the druid/wizzard less geeky,
then perhaps.. well, you know...

[chucky chuckaluck]

wtf is it? (i guess that's a no.)

[Exsecrabilus]

wtf is it? (i guess that's a no.)
It's the application that you either uninstall right after an install or that you hide from the menu.

[YannickDefais]

A post about ubuntus most useless functions got me interested in how many actually use Ekiga. So lets throw a quick vote :) Im voting no
__________________
R.I.P. Swedish Integrity
http://www.privacydigest.com/2008/06...rveillance+law


Hello,

It is fair for you to know i'm part of the Ekiga team. Now, you know from where I talk.

It seems you assume the popularity is the relevant criterion to pick up a software in the core of Ubuntu. In fact, it is not the only relevant criterion.

1- Popularity/capability:
e.g. Thunderbird is probably much more popular than Evolution. Still Evolution provide more feature and best integration into your Gnome Desktop. The software capabilities and integration with the rest of the desktop is also a criterion to get a nice user experience.

Ekiga 2.0 provide 2 world standard protocols in the telecommunication field: SIP and H.323. You can, e.g. buy this to your grand-ma http://www.grandstream.com/gxv3000.html and have it working fine with Ekiga. (even video with our current work in progress). We are some work in progress to get the IAX 2 protocol too.

Ekiga 2.0 actually provide sound as good as Skype orMSN using the wideband speex codec (16kHz). Our next release will provide the same video quality as ichat does using Mac OS or skype, plus this video codec (H.264) is an international standard. And we will provide 30 frames per second at 704x576 if your hardware/bandwidth support it.

Ekiga 2.0 actually is cheaper than skype out or MSN to place a call to cell/land phones, because it use the standard SIP and you can choose your provider (thus get the cheaper)
e.g. read this: http://www.tashazo.com/2007/01/best-free-voip-setup/

2- Legal/illegal:
All softwares trying to be compatible with MSN/WLM from Microsoft are just illegals.
see:
"4. How You May Not Use the Service.
use any unauthorized third party software or service to access the Microsoft instant messaging network (currently known as the .NET Messenger Service)"
http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=tou&mkt=en-us
Probably the same apply to many proprietary VoIP clients.
aMSN is adding voice+video support... Will Microsoft tolerate that?

3- Support:
Let's talk about Skype. Skype was first poorly supportive with GNU/Linux. Frankly, I assume they started to add real video support because of the new mobile market using GNU/Linux, e.g. the eeepc http://eeepc.asus.com/global/ Still, if you have a problem with skype, Ubuntu cannot help you as Skype is not a Free Open Source Software (FOSS) like Ekiga is.

4- Fair use/ethic:
Skype may use your CPU/Bandwidth to what ever they want. Ekiga, as being a FOSS, is fair with your rights. Ekiga does what you ask it to do.

5- Privacy:
In one hand, Ekiga is not good today with privacy, but work is being done to add the ZRTP cryptographic protocol to Ekiga. In the other hand, Skype claims to be secure, but Skype is an American company (owned by e-bay), thus how can you assume not to be spy be the NSA? How can you be sure there is no backdoor? You cannot study the source code.

I think there is enough reasons to understand why you get Ekiga with Ubuntu.

Best regards,
Yannick

[olskar]

Hello,

It is fair for you to know i'm part of the Ekiga team. Now, you know from where I talk.

It seems you assume the popularity is the relevant criterion to pick up a software in the core of Ubuntu. In fact, it is not the only relevant criterion.

1- Popularity/capability:
e.g. Thunderbird is probably much more popular than Evolution. Still Evolution provide more feature and best integration into your Gnome Desktop. The software capabilities and integration with the rest of the desktop is also a criterion to get a nice user experience.

Ekiga 2.0 provide 2 world standard protocols in the telecommunication field: SIP and H.323. You can, e.g. buy this to your grand-ma http://www.grandstream.com/gxv3000.html and have it working fine with Ekiga. (even video with our current work in progress). We are some work in progress to get the IAX 2 protocol too.

Ekiga 2.0 actually provide sound as good as Skype orMSN using the wideband speex codec (16kHz). Our next release will provide the same video quality as ichat does using Mac OS or skype, plus this video codec (H.264) is an international standard. And we will provide 30 frames per second at 704x576 if your hardware/bandwidth support it.

Ekiga 2.0 actually is cheaper than skype out or MSN to place a call to cell/land phones, because it use the standard SIP and you can choose your provider (thus get the cheaper)
e.g. read this: http://www.tashazo.com/2007/01/best-free-voip-setup/

2- Legal/illegal:
All softwares trying to be compatible with MSN/WLM from Microsoft are just illegals.
see:
"4. How You May Not Use the Service.
use any unauthorized third party software or service to access the Microsoft instant messaging network (currently known as the .NET Messenger Service)"
http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=tou&mkt=en-us
Probably the same apply to many proprietary VoIP clients.
aMSN is adding voice+video support... Will Microsoft tolerate that?

3- Support:
Let's talk about Skype. Skype was first poorly supportive with GNU/Linux. Frankly, I assume they started to add real video support because of the new mobile market using GNU/Linux, e.g. the eeepc http://eeepc.asus.com/global/ Still, if you have a problem with skype, Ubuntu cannot help you as Skype is not a Free Open Source Software (FOSS) like Ekiga is.

4- Fair use/ethic:
Skype may use your CPU/Bandwidth to what ever they want. Ekiga, as being a FOSS, is fair with your rights. Ekiga does what you ask it to do.

5- Privacy:
In one hand, Ekiga is not good today with privacy, but work is being done to add the ZRTP cryptographic protocol to Ekiga. In the other hand, Skype claims to be secure, but Skype is an American company (owned by e-bay), thus how can you assume not to be spy be the NSA? How can you be sure there is no backdoor? You cannot study the source code.

I think there is enough reasons to understand why you get Ekiga with Ubuntu.

Best regards,
Yannick

Hello Yannick!
Nice to hear from someone inside the team :)

The reasons you mentioned have certainly convinced me that ekiga is a better choice of VOIP-software than skype is but I am still not sure it should be installed by default. I think not, because I have a feeling not many people are using this software The reson of this poll was to see if my feelings were right or completly wrong. As I said earlier we only have a certain amount of space on the CD.

Best regards,
Åskar A

[hanzomon4]

None of my friends use it or any compatible voip app. I would love to put ekiga to use but I'd be talking to static, not people. Ekiga had better pull a firefox out of it's *** if it wants to be used.

[gn2]

Ekiga 2.0 actually is cheaper than skype out or MSN to place a call to cell/land phones, because it use the standard SIP and you can choose your provider (thus get the cheaper)
e.g. read this: http://www.tashazo.com/2007/01/best-free-voip-setup/

But not necessarily cheaper than using a conventional landline service.
The Voipbuster service referred to in your link charges 1p per minute to call UK landlines using VOIP.

Currently British Telecom charge £4.95 for unlimited landline calls (http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do;JSESSIONID_ecommerce=LbgDVJ2Fngv3m 7Q2pfMrQJLQvCthm0WTz1nY18qhrbnVlt39WJG5!-1705307264?topicId=23736) in the UK.

So using Ekiga/Voipbuster, it will be more expensive after 495 minutes per month.

If you work 9-5 and don't make daytime calls you can even get completely free evening and weekend calls in the UK from Primus Telecom Saver Option2 (http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver)

It all boils down to where you are and how you use the phone as to whether VOIP is convenient or makes economic sense.

For me a conventional landline service wins hands down.

[hanzomon4]

Ok I just setup another ekiga account on another computer so I could test it. It's pretty good, video quality is nice. I still can't use it cause they don't have a large enough user base. Ekiga, your software is nice but you need to do a better job at convincing my friends to use it/you.

[njebse]

Yes, I do. It is really a nice application and offers me exactely what I need. I basically live in two countries travelling back and forth all the time, so I got two accounts from different SIP providers and thus have landline numbers in both countries. So everybody can call me on a national landline number no matter where I stay. And I can call everybody for quite cheap, too. So my user base is basically everybody with a phone - quite a few ;-)

[YannickDefais]

But not necessarily cheaper than using a conventional landline service.
The Voipbuster service referred to in your link charges 1p per minute to call UK landlines using VOIP.

Currently British Telecom charge £4.95 for unlimited landline calls (http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do;JSESSIONID_ecommerce=LbgDVJ2Fngv3m 7Q2pfMrQJLQvCthm0WTz1nY18qhrbnVlt39WJG5!-1705307264?topicId=23736) in the UK.

So using Ekiga/Voipbuster, it will be more expensive after 495 minutes per month.

If you work 9-5 and don't make daytime calls you can even get completely free evening and weekend calls in the UK from Primus Telecom Saver Option2 (http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver)

It all boils down to where you are and how you use the phone as to whether VOIP is convenient or makes economic sense.

For me a conventional landline service wins hands down.

Did you read what's written at the bottom of the page you linked?


Offer ends 30/9/08. Available to eligible new and existing residential customers signing up for 12 months to the Unlimited Anytime Plan (formerly BT Together Option 3). £4.95 a month (£1 off our usual plan price of £5.95 a month, via bill credit), plus £10.50 a month line rental with Direct Debit and paper-free billing. Otherwise add £2.75 a month (£1.50 for payment processing fee levied by BT Payment Services Limited, a BT Group company, plus £1.25 without paper-free billing discount).[...]


Compare, e.g. with this:
http://www.vonage.co.uk/call-plans/vplan1/?referrer=aff

I'm not pushing for this company or another. But it seems fair to agree VoIP is giving more competition and help getting best prices for costumers.

There is also one benefit with VoIP: you can call from any internet line world wild.

Best regards,
Yannick

[Exsecrabilus]

Did you read what's written at the bottom of the page you linked?



Compare, e.g. with this:
http://www.vonage.co.uk/call-plans/vplan1/?referrer=aff

I'm not pushing for this company or another. But it seems fair to agree VoIP is giving more competition and help getting best prices for costumers.

Best regards,
Yannick
LOL, Ekiga man halts all further talk on Ekiga with his awesome knowledge.

[YannickDefais]

Hello Yannick!
Nice to hear from someone inside the team :)

:) You can easily visit us, either using IRC or a mail client ;)
http://ekiga.org/index.php?rub=8


The reasons you mentioned have certainly convinced me that ekiga is a better choice of VOIP-software than skype is but I am still not sure it should be installed by default. I think not, because I have a feeling not many people are using this software The reson of this poll was to see if my feelings were right or completly wrong. As I said earlier we only have a certain amount of space on the CD.

Best regards,
Åskar A

The decision to put Ekiga on the CD is up to Ubuntu/Canonical. I've no clue why they picked up Ekiga in the first place. e.g. the default browser for gnome is not firefox.

I assume as VoIP is getting more and more used nowadays, the ubuntu staff chosen to put a VoIP application on the CD. I have no doubt the future of telecom is VoIP.

Best regards,
Yannick

[gn2]

Did you read what's written at the bottom of the page you linked?

Yes, I did, the VOIP won't work without an ADSL line and there's no way round the £10.95 line rental as only BT can supply it.
The call charges go up by £1 after the start, but it's still cheaper than Vonage.

Some circumstances will be different, I'm only describing why for me in the UK, VOIP is a non-starter.

[olskar]

I have made a brainstormidea of removing ekiga from the defaultapps if you would like to vote

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/10111/

[freechelmi]

Yeah, I got myself a screenname just to try it but there is so much better alternatives out there for ip-calling..

Can you Give me some alternatives supporting SIp that works as good as Ekiga ? I'm really surprised some one would like a Linux distro without a Free SIp client ! It's just the basic like an email program or a jabber client.

[freechelmi]

I my opinion they should remove it and have Skype installed by default.

By saying , I guess you definitly never understand the aim of linux and free software !! :confused:

Skype is even worst than a closed software like Gizmo , it's a closed protocol ware.

Just think for 5 minutes about all this https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SkypeEthics

[freechelmi]

Ekiga is one of the first packages I uninstall after a fresh Ubuntu installation. I do the same on other distros.

+1 for replacing it with Xchat.

Replacing the only SIP client with an IRC one ? Pidgin already has basic IRC support. isn't it ?

[frup]

I'd use it if I had a microphone. I use google talk (only for messages as pidgin doesn't support the voice talk side).

I would use it with at least my brother and cousin who both use Ubuntu and possibly at times with my GF on the rare occasions we are apart and online together.

I do have family living overseas but only one uses skype if any VOIP at all. I know of nearly no one else who would use VOIP.

Having lower bandwidth usage is a big plus, in NZ our broadband plans don't exactly have the highest BW allocation, our family has 4gb default but we use 9gb each month, the extra 5gb adds $10 to our bill.

This tends to make some aspects of the internet very undesirable in large quantities (such as p2p, VOIP and youtube). Luckily the lines have been regulated and the monopoly phone company (telecom, also known as telescum) is now being forced to play fair and companies such as Vodafone and Telstra are jumping in to upgrade our ageing lines to ADSL2+. I haven't yet seen major Bandwidth increases with the speed increases though.

[freechelmi]

Yes, I did, the VOIP won't work without an ADSL line and there's no way round the £10.95 line rental as only BT can supply it.
The call charges go up by £1 after the start, but it's still cheaper than Vonage.

Some circumstances will be different, I'm only describing why for me in the UK, VOIP is a non-starter.

Youre only comparing with BT lines which means using VOIP at home. VOIP is really useful when travelling abroad , Hop on a hotspot Fire up Ekiga , talk for ages, Do the Same with your Wifi mobile phone using the same account, Choose another SIP provider depending on the country you want to talk etc...

talking about skype it's a matter as well of competition as yannick said. Skype is just like Itunes, they set the rules, you run.

[olskar]

Can you Give me some alternatives supporting SIp that works as good as Ekiga ? I'm really surprised some one would like a Linux distro without a Free SIp client ! It's just the basic like an email program or a jabber client.

I can not give you an alternative that would be better than Ekiga, however I do not agree that a SIP client is as basic as a emailprogram

Edit: And you should head over to http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/10111/ and vote it down if you dont like the idea :)

[NovaAesa]

I didn't even know what it did until I read this thread. And I've been using Ubuntu for over a year!

[gn2]

Youre only comparing with BT lines which means using VOIP at home.

That's correct and I have made that clear in my posts.

There are no Wifi hotspots where I live or work so buying a VOIP mobile phone would be a waste of money.

I believe UK 3G internet providers do not allow VOIP traffic on their networks.

I do not travel abroad or make international calls so have no need of VOIP.

If I did travel abroad I would just buy a local pre-pay sim card for my mobile phone.

This is just me, I'm sure others will find a use for VOIP, but I see VOIP as an IT solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

[YannickDefais]

I have made a brainstormidea of removing ekiga from the defaultapps if you would like to vote

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/10111/

This is just wrong. Not because you should use Ekiga if you do not already, because there is a really BIG need for VoIP:

Actually, the 11th most voted idea is (score=3408):
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/97/

Idea #97: Fix compatibility with webcams and microphone

Duplicates
Accepted Idea #3554: Webcam / Voicechat in aMsn and Pidgin (2252 votes)
Accepted Idea #164: Webcam with Pidgin! (1253 votes)
Accepted Idea #7521: Webcam installation like printers (230 votes)
Accepted Idea #2371: Help Pidgin get Video conferencing (142 votes)
Accepted Idea #1220: Better Webcam Plug'n'Play Support like in a form of "Restricted Modules" (93 votes)
Accepted Idea #1429: Fix the problem of webcams within flash applications (41 votes)
Accepted Idea #3002: Include Video/Sound for Pidgin (40 votes)
Accepted Idea #2250: Make the Webcams work (24 votes)
Accepted Idea #2765: Make an easy webcam installer (21 votes)
Accepted Idea #2195: Better suport to webcams (14 votes)
Accepted Idea #3612: Find and fully support an application that brings voice/video chat to ubuntu. (13 votes)
Accepted Idea #3501: webcam support by default (10 votes)
Accepted Idea #2384: Voice chat application (9 votes)
Accepted Idea #4762: Better webcam support (5 votes)

Thus the real question is: Which VoIP client on the CD?

Regards,
Yannick

[loell]

Thus the real question is: Which VoIP client on the CD?

Regards,
Yannick

i'm not in favor with removing ekiga, but if you have to ask which client will eventually be?

its Pidgin yes you read it right. ;) Pidgin with either sofia-sip or through telepathy.

[olskar]

This is just wrong. Not because you should use Ekiga if you do not already, because there is a really BIG need for VoIP:

Actually, the 11th most voted idea is (score=3408):
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/97/


Thus the real question is: Which VoIP client on the CD?

Regards,
Yannick

Then you should vote it down. That is the nice thing with voting and democratic processes.

[freechelmi]

funnily enough, i was gonna do a poll on my blog asking the same question!

It's a pile of lameness, and i remove it straight away.

i use skype instead.

I can understand that some people have to use skyp becasue they have to contact other who won't use SIP or jabber.

But d'ont you feel there is something "against" ubuntu if evrybody keeps on using skype and ditching open VOIP solutions ?

[someonestolecc]

Voip vs normal phone rates obviously doesn't have a baring in this thread.... that's individual case.


Ekiga looks simple, worked and worked well when I had to have a soft phone so I can work from home... not sure if there are easier programs to use when you just need to call/receive calls so I will continue to use it and be able to roam about/work from home with my office phone... Thank you Ekiga.


Everyone seems to be a fanboy of controlling how the operating system works, that's the beauty of apt-get, not trying to get others to remove software cos it's not agreeable to you, as the developer said if it's a question of WHICH voip software then fine let's get constructive, if it's about removing stuff you don't need from the CD then .. yea.


Most default apps on ubuntu are there because they're simple to use and for the most part work out of the box.. they also fulfill a basic need (in this case SIP/h.232 VOIP). For example I prefer amarok to play my mp3 files but I know the default media player will work when amarok develops issues.

Similarly I have skype (the program) to use skype (the service) so I can talk to people who also use the service (and hence are forced to use the program). I use Ekiga log onto my company's SIP server... two different programs for 2 different thing. One program connects to skype the other program connects to any standard VOIP registration server...


and for those bagging the product - code one yourself or stop being a brat - you don't see Skype's developers here posting on the community forum and coding for the community.

That's enough reason for me to support this and next time I need Voip credit I'll get it through Ekiga over skype.

[NikoC]

Voted 'no', never tried it either...

[seaq]

ohh well, i'm testing it for a while and it works really great!!

i believe skype is a very bad solution specially for corporate enviroments.

I've seen networks go down because of skype.. specifically for viruses propagated via skype...

so i'm use to recommend blocking it (as hard as it is...)

[macogw]

How about an "I don't use VOIP (untill some msn client starts supporting it)"?

Uh, Ekiga is a SIP client. MSN Live Messenger is a SIP client. What's the discrepancy?

I don't use Ekiga because I've never had it work. I do have an @ekiga.net for use with OpenWengo though.

[loell]

Uh, Ekiga is a SIP client. MSN Live Messenger is a SIP client. What's the discrepancy?


actually, there is ;)

MSN doesn't follow the standard SIP , but if you meant VOIP funtions, yeah, none.

[YannickDefais]

Hello,

Ekiga version 3.0 is released:
http://ekiga.org/
http://ekiga.org/images/ekiga_3.png

Regards,
Yannick

[UbuWu]

Thanks Yannick! Ekiga has definitely improved a lot with 3.0!

[stozi]

I don't use ekiga or Skype. Skype is heavily controlled & cencored here in China, so it is not an option for me. If I new anyone who wanted to use VOIP with me I'd ask them to use ekiga.

[black_rob]

I don't use it, because I don't have any friends.:(
Well, at least not any friends or relatives who do VOIP; but if they did use it, then I'd use it to. The thing is, most of the non-techie people I know have no idea that "phone-calls through a computer" are even possible. If they did they'd use it, so I think it's good to have a VOIP client installed by default. People who otherwise wouldn't use it are more likely to stumble across it and start, and that's how the user base increases. Really, how much space does ekiga take up on the disk? Okay I just checked, 15 MB, that's after it's installed and expanded, so the package takes up even less space on the cd. That's not much, any other VOIP client would probably weigh the same or close, so why switch?
When you open up Ekiga it's clean, simple, and integrates with the desktop. Ekiga 3 looks even better, I hope that it makes it's way into II (although I think it might be too late?).
Actually, this thread has motivated me to start using Ekiga. I can tell one of my sisters about it, then her 3 year old daughter and my 3 year old daughter can do video calls to each other.

[master5o1]

I do use it.



I would prefer to see Pidgin have SIP accounts in thar.

[Hells_Dark]

I'd use ekiga if anyone i know use it too.
Actually, i really would like to use it..

[loell]

I do use it.



I would prefer to see Pidgin have SIP accounts in thar.

you won't be disappointed with Empathy when it comes to that. :)

[linuxguymarshall]

Skype for me

[NET WT]

Do you use Ekiga?

I voted no, because I had never used it before. After reading this thread though, I decided to give it a try. And I now like it. I was wondering though, is Hardy Heron ever going to update to the latest version?

[loell]

And I now like it. I was wondering though, is Hardy Heron ever going to update to the latest version?

nope, but yannick's PPA has it :), he's very active in building binaries with the latest ekiga version

https://launchpad.net/~sevmek/+archive

[DutchLoki]

I'm using Ekiga on my desktop machine and on my MythBuntu HTPC/mediacenter in the livingroom.

With Ekiga I can have videoconference with my friends and family on the big flatsceen in the livingroom (almost like there in my livingroom). Ekiga 3 combined with a logitech quickcam pro 9000 is so good that i'm getting dvd like quality... for me Ekiga is perfect. I'm now having at least once a week a elektronic visit with family who live at some distance of me.

the following url contains some relevant info about the benefits of ekiga: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=5224934

[mihai.ile]

oh good, din't know he build ubuntu debs, i'll install it on hardy when I get from work (they use windows here.. youck)

[daverich]

Is there a windows version?

ANY internet calling client that's gonna get big is going to need to be available on any platform,- because like most folks have said here -"yeah sure i'll use it, just as soon as everyone else does"

That's why skype is so popular, it's on every platform.

What you could do with is a viral ad campaign, a facebook group - ANYTHING, to get the word out. Folks will use it, as long as everyone else does.

You might've left it too late though ;)

Kind regards

Dave Rich

[daverich]

thinking on this further,- the folks ekiga should really talk to is firefox...

ekiga in your browser- now folks would use that ;)

Kind regards

Dave Rich

[jakupl]

thinking on this further,- the folks ekiga should really talk to is firefox...

ekiga in your browser- now folks would use that ;)

Kind regards

Dave Rich

Wow that is actually a really good idea. Why in earth don't they do that?

[doorknob60]

NO, never used it even once :-P I use Skype though.

[loell]

Wow that is actually a really good idea. Why in earth don't they do that?

because flash does it already, without having the user to register a sip acount. ;)

[Yeti can't ski]

Hey Guys,

The first thing I did after installing Ubuntu was to install Skype. Moreover, I never tried Ekiga. It seemed just too much trouble.

But then, I bumped into this today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/technology/internet/02skype.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

Tom-Skype, a joint venture from Skype in China, not only blocks transmission of some dangerous and vicious words like "democracy" (which would be bad enough but an acceptable and previously disclosed compromise) but actually sends a notification to an external server where such information is registered.

Chats are registered. Voice is not recorded, but calls and usernames are.

In a nutshell, that is name-dropping and certainly can put individuals at risk.

The spy function also works in Skype/Tom Skype chats.

The thing was found out by accident, when someone was controlling the software external messages, sent when certain words were typed.

This situation also underscores the advantage of free software. In an open-source software, it would be much (so much) harder to hide the malicious command lines.

That said, I am going to try Ekiga tonight.

[Csabi]

Hello Guys,

yes, I do. I just started to do.
Actually I have got bored and rid of windows and I have just started to use Ubuntu. It's nice, fast and powerful.

Why I am using Ekiga is that I want to audio chat with my parents who are using GoogleTalk on windows.

I do this with Ekiga together with the free service of gtalk-to-voip (http://www.gtalk2voip.com) but I could have used freeswitch as well (http://www.freeswitch.org/) for gatewaying the sip/jingle protocols (SIP is used by Ekiga and Jingle is used by GoogleTalk).

/Gtalk-to-voip seemed to be a more simple, quicker solution.../

Regards,
Csaba

[rekado]

Would like to use it (because video won't work in Skype any longer) but at the moment I'm behind some symmetric NAT according to the setup manager of Ekiga. Actually it is a FreeBSD that I don't know how to configure to forward the ports without breaking the established network...
So I voted no.

[medic2000]

Sometimes i just can't believe this forum! It is very normal that people can have different ideas but sometimes, something are really weird for me!

Some say change it with chat protocol? What?(Ubuntu should have a chat protocol but that is another thing)

Some say to use Skype though they don't even give anything about us.

So many of us even didn't know about Ekiga.

There lies a great program full open source and free software with great features and in world standarts. I think we should "embrace" it!

I see lots of us made the switch and using Ubuntu or a GNU/Linux distro. But after this we forgot the reasons which brought us here. The philosophy, the freedom...And start the using "easy to install or widely used proprietary" softwares. And saying something like removing Ekiga from Ubuntu.

Just stop for a while and think.About free software... About Linux...About Ekiga...

[mihai.ile]

well I would be very hapy to know that 3.0 version will make it in 8.10...

[medic2000]

Yes very good news. Go on Ekiga!

[Sarastro]

I had been using Gizmo but as it has limited Linux support (at least not for video) I decided to try Ekiga.

I believe many of the no votes were made by people who either are not really sure what Ekiga is or by those who have not really tried it. I easily upgraded to Ekiga 3.0 in my 8.10 install and am really quite impressed with how easy Ekiga is to use and the overall picture and sound quality.

Many people use Skype for perhaps the same reason many people are happy with MP3s. They both work in a general sense and were the first to gain wide acceptance in their respective areas. But just a there are indeed better audio compression formats than MP3 (in terms of sound quality), there are better VoIP applications, in spite of the fact that they may have not yet gained wide spread appeal.

I am happy to support Ekiga as lesser known entrant into VoIP.

And as an originally lesser known and relatively later entrant into the OS realm, one could say the same about the history of Ubuntu itself.

[Ub1476]

I certainly hope I'll have the need for a Voip app (Ekiga) soon, so I can support and advertise it to all my (Skype infected) friends. :)

[forcecore]

Ekiga is missing 2 critical things like direct ip connect and change local listening udp port.

[beercz]

Me having Ekiga is a bit like having only one telephone - useless unless I know someone who has another! I don't know anyone who uses Ekiga!

[loell]

Me having Ekiga is a bit like having only one telephone - useless unless I know someone who has another! I don't know anyone who uses Ekiga!

it is worth noting that you don't have to use ekiga to be phoned by an ekiga user, you just need to have a sip phone( software or equipment) with a sip address.

[beercz]

it is worth noting that you don't have to use ekiga to be phoned by an ekiga user, you just need to have a sip phone( software or equipment) with a sip address.
Yes, I know - but I don't know anyone with a sip phone or a sip address!

I will do sooner or later I expect. Then ekiga will not be useless to me - that's why I have it installed.

[PowerRanger]

I'm trying to use it... I've tried researching, but have not found an answer; will V3 ever get added to the repos? The SVN snapshots http://snapshots.ekiga.net/ for Intrepid seem broken.

http://snapshots.ekiga.net/snapshots/ubuntu/


I can't find mention of V3 of ekiga in either the Gnome roadmap or Intrepid features.

I don't care whether its installed by default as long as I can get it. By and large, I don't remove many packages from a base install, but I do clean up the menus with alacarte.

[loell]

I don't care whether its installed by default as long as I can get it.

how about this one, https://launchpad.net/~sevmek/+archive

[koshimazaki]

I use ekiga regularly to call my girlfriend abroad. Works very well. Video could be better but I'm hoping it to improve in 3.0 with more codecs. I've also used it to make calls to landlines and mobiles with sipphone.com service, works very good.
Also, I use a separate jabber client for IM and ekiga for calls. It would be a good thing to have just one IM client that supports jingle or SIP and works as well as ekiga does, including video.

[PowerRanger]

how about this one, https://launchpad.net/~sevmek/+archive

Thanks for the link to the PPA Loell, I do appreciate it as I couldn't find seem to find one. I've got 3.0 installed now and I'm putting it through the paces. Of couse, having it in a ppa doesn't help the distribution as a whole though. I still wonder what the future plans are for it. Soon will be the freeze for 8.10 if it hasn't happened already.

[airencracken]

I use it and I'm really looking forward to 3.0. It doesn't look like it is going to be in Intrepid though. :/

[»John«]

Communication and data exchange should always be based on free and open standards because it's the only reasonable way not to have tons of obstacles hindering cooperation and interoperability standing in your way.
I don't give a rat's *** about the most commonly used crap as long as it's proprietary and I discourage everyone from using it.
If anyone needs to communicate or exchange data with me, he's gotta take into account that I'm never gonna use Windows (or any other M$ crapware for that matter) again and the application I'd have to use to decode that kind of data may not have Linux port (or at least run reasonably in Wine).
It's no big deal for these people to use Jabber/XMPP or SIP in parallel to whatever crap they're using right now at least for the time necessary to get the job done and if they refuse to do it then as far as I'm concerned, they don't really need to speak/cooperate with me so badly.
That's why I think having some FOSS IM and VoIP applications installed by default can only be much more beneficial than harmful and having such piece of software in default official repositories is critical in helping to spread standards-based communication to wider public.
That's it, these are my 2 cents.

[arkmundi]

Yes, I was using Jajah for a while until I started having problems with it. Now I use Ekiga and it works great! Setup was a bit long, but once configured, it worked flawlessly. FYI, my main use is PC to phone calling, where I use my headset and PC to originate calls, using the open standards SIP VOIP. Calling rates are great and I like the ease of use. For all those previous responders asking why - its a replacement for Skype. Lot's of Skype users hooked on their Windows machines. This gives them a clear migration path.

[dandyx]

Yep, I do. Skype is buggy, proprietary and unsecure. As far as I know they only use encryption to make it closed-source. Ekiga 3.0 is going to be a killer app! If you have to telecommunicate with somebody who sits in front of a windooze box, then you might have to compromise. But, if both are freedomlovin linux-users... I want to know whats under the hood, especially when it comes to communication.

[beniwtv]

Yep, we are using Ekiga here. It's actually required for us, as it is a core component of our company's infrastructure.

I don't care whether it comes by default or not, as long as we can get it form the standard Ubuntu repos.

That being said, I've yet to come across a VoIP client (please leave Skype out there) that works than fine through NAT/Pix/whatever and reliable as Ekiga. Period.

Cheers,

[YannickDefais]

Ekiga is missing 2 critical things like direct ip connect and change local listening udp port.

Hello,

Ekiga can do both.

sip:IP works, and you can change the SIP listening port using gconf-editor.

Regards,
Yannick

[YannickDefais]

Me having Ekiga is a bit like having only one telephone - useless unless I know someone who has another! I don't know anyone who uses Ekiga!

Maybe you know some friends using either windows messenger (tm), eyebeam (tm), x-lite (tm), xmeeting, kapanga (tm), mizu phone (tm), linphone, twinkle, etc.

See this list:
http://wiki.ekiga.org/index.php/Ekiga_Interoperability

Regards,
Yannick

[JGrubbs]

I have never used Ekiga, I don't even know how to setup a SIP account. I use Skype, but mostly for text chat, I use the Skype to Go service to make my Skype calls using my regular phone.

[rtom]

I'd use Ekiga if I could setup it to use my gizmo account (gizmo has no video support, that's why I would use Ekiga, but don't want to establish new SIP account).

Could someone provide me a how-to?

[fballem]

One of the first things I remove after a clean install.

+1 - however Ekiga is also considered a 'key component' of the gnome-desktop-environment, so removing Ekiga also removes gnome-desktop-environment. The remaining individual programs are fine, and do get updated. I've been running for several months this way.

[fballem]

Some additional thoughts:

1. VOIP is not as basic a function as e-mail or a web browser. It is totally appropriate to have an e-mail client and web browser installed by default. It is not appropriate to install a voip client by default and have it considered as part of the gnome-desktop-environment.

2. Ekiga has a problem. Skype got such a head start and is cross-platform. Until Ekiga can communicate with Skype customers, it's a non-starter for me. I have customers and suppliers in other parts of the world with whom I communicate frequently. They all use Skype and are unlikely to change, since most of them also use Windows. Skype is the 'standard' for pc-to-pc voice communications in the same way that Microsoft '.doc' is the standard for exchanging editable word processing files. Part of the reason for the popularity for OpenOffice Write is that it can work with MS .doc files. I won't use KWord because it can't fully handle '.doc' files. I won't use Ekiga because it won't communicate with Skype users.

Regards,

[jdpipe]

Ekiga's NAT traversal is a major problem. Until it can work with UPnP for home ADSL broadband users it just never going take off IMHO.

[Eisenwinter]

I have never used Ekiga, and everytime I install Ubuntu, I immediately removed it. Useless, in my opinion.

[hanzomon4]

I set it up but have no one to talk to. All my friends use skype or gtalk

[beniwtv]

Ekiga's NAT traversal is a major problem. Until it can work with UPnP for home ADSL broadband users it just never going take off IMHO.

Hmm... on what protocol do you get NAT problems?

In my personal experience, Ekiga is the only softphone that was capable of passing my NAT (various home adsl) and the Cisco Pix at the office.

Also, I agree with you that UPnP will be required to get it even better (if it hasn't that already).

Cheers,

[MikeDK]

I use Ekiga, i like ekiga somehow

Kind Regards MikeDK

[frenchsquared]

I am trying but can get it configured with trixbox.
I have about 50 PC's using x-lite.

Do you know ho to configure ekiga to work with trix box?
I really need it working on some ubuntu drones

[mybunche]

I don't have a need to use Ekiga much but it works and I think it's good to have it in Ubuntu. Why? Some people may ask what is this and try it out, it may or may not work for them, but at least they will have knowledge about it and that there is an alternative to Skype. That is my experience so I am glad it's there otherwise I would never have tried it and my experience could of been restricted to Skype. Ekiga is improving all the time and now I think that it can be better than Skype (if not already).

[rudihawk]

But no one uses it?

[mysticmatrix]

I would really love to use Ekiga, as it has Gtalk voice support. But I cannot as I am behind a proxy and that is not supported by Ekiga.
So I have to return to Pidgin. Atleast it works in text only mode.

[ilanesh]

Yes I do use Ekiga daily for voice and video calls, and it is very good. It is the best between all the others where you only can do chat typings, this is boring. I can do all of my free calls to phone calls also from it and use different voip providers. At least there is a Linux client for voice and video and not only this stupid skype thingy who is only buggy.

[ShokTHX]

I haven't used it -yet.
I plan to.
I noticed Ekiga in the installed applications and took the time to look into it.
There are some very cool uses for Ekiga and a few posters here have mentioned that it is used where they work. Many businesses are using VOIP both for outbound phone and in house communication. Some of the paid solutions for this are even based on open source. Using Ekiga and other related open source VOIP technology, even a small business could achieve this level of communications at a substantial savings in cost.
The whole idea of doing something like this with Skype should make you cringe.
Someone said VOIP is not as important as a email or chat to be included with an OS. Bill Gates thought the same about the internet. VOIP is an upcoming technology. Ekiga is an open source link to it.
Yes, it definitely should stay in Ubuntu.

[handy]

No, I don't use Ekiga.

I use a Soyo (hardware) VoIP phone, plugged directly into my LAN switch.

It can be used even if there were no computers in the house.

I pay $5-/month for the service, which enables me to call anywhere in Oz, for 1 cent/minute cost. Mobiles for 24 cents/minute no other charges, & various fees depending on the country. The international stuff has only ever been used when our daughter was in N.Z.

This system costs me about $80-/year. Of course the costs are totally relative to phone usage, so they don't really mean much.

[truico]

:biggrin:Yes I do use Ekiga mostly for pc-phone connections while travelling.

Some years ago I grumbled my way thru the installation and somehow seldom managed to make things work, but after every upgrade Ekiga got better.
Now in 8.10 I would like to upgrade to Ekiga 3.00, but am hesitant to unpack the tar.gz being a klutz in such matters.

Hopefully Ekiga's interface has been improved in 3.00, so I will be able to find the complete (and not just 100 entries!) Ekiga phonebook in alphabetical order.

I chose Ekiga to avoid untrustworthy Skype. In spite of its initial problems. For the same reason I chose Ubuntu in 2006, thus dumping M$ for ever.
However, Ekiga could use some promotional campaign to improve its popularity...

[leifharmsen]

I depend on Ekiga as my only telephony. I have no cell and no "landline", just an internet connection and Ekiga running on Ubuntu. It's great.

People should and can shop around for their SIP provider. For phone to PC and PC to phone I use the suggested diamondcard.us, and they've been no problem. On other platforms I can use some other SIP client (SJPhone, whatever). If Ekiga ever dies or screws up I can use a different SIP client. SIP is portable, inter-operable, perfect! I am beholden to nobody.

Skype is a non-starter. Both the client and the protocol are closed proprietary BS. Folks can NEVER shop around for another Skype provider. Do people ever think of their exit strategy when they sign up with proprietary BS like Skype? I used it when I used Windows out of the same naivety. Besides being proprietary BS, Skype's PC to phone service is a total rip-off. The more people subscribe to Skype the more Skype can and will abuse them.

The only problems I have are these:

1. "Ekiga" is practically impossible to spell or pronounce. Rename it to something sensible like "Yanip" and watch the popularity go up!
2. I can not for the life of me get "callto:" links to associate with Ekiga in such a way that Ekiga doesn't think I'm trying to start a new instance of it when it is already running. I can't use the suggested -c switch because I'm using a callto link, not a command line syntax. All the numbers in my db are already properly formatted for Ekiga, I'm just sick of copying and pasting them instead of just clicking on them.
<A HREF="callto:0016478270546">0016478270546</A> should just work.

[skeetre]

I've tried it, but I always uninstall it and install skype. I tried gizmo5 too and uninstalled it. I'm with several of the others, ekiga is one of the first things I uninstall. (along with brasero)