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Skype VoIP Software Released For Linux

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the skype-fi dept.

pmf writes "Skype Technologies has just released a free beta version of their software for Linux. Skype is well known P2P VoIP technology that, according to them: '...is addressing all the problems of legacy VoIP solutions: bad sound quality, difficult to set up and configure, and the need for expensive, centralized infrastructure.'"

3 of 251 comments (clear)

  1. Skype disadvantages by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Skype is hype...

    * Skype is proprietary.
    * Skype is using a proprietary protocol that no VoIP carriers/providers will be using.
    * Skype has better sound quality? Let me laugh, it just happens that Skype is only able to do audio, so all your upload can be devoted to audio.

    OK, Skype is a nice toy for Windows users. For Linux users, there is GnomeMeeting (http://www.gnomemeeting.org) and Linphone.

  2. Re:Spyware by mrwonton · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Seeing as how this is from the Kazaa people, are we to expect spyware in this product?


    Always expect spyware. The question is whether we'll be pleasantly surprised.
    --
    Not more than you need, just more than you want
  3. Re:Spyware by ohad_l · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why the hell should we not be expecting spyware? Spyware is indeed extremely improbable in open source software, but here's a great example - Skype - of an application that is not open sourced. Linux does not inherently make spyware impossible - it's just that most software that is used with Linux is open-source, and therefore easily freed of spyware.

    Skype could indeed contain spyware. We can and will probably use the flexibility of various firewalling and sniffing utilities to block it.

    --
    If it weren't for fog, the world would run at a really crappy framerate.