[kwlug-disc] Skype (replacement)

Sun Nov 26 16:01:40 EST 2017

How does wired compare with matrix.org?
I have used matrix successfully for 1-1 video, which are WebRTC I believe.
Apparently the riot.im service supports group video/audio chat, but I
have not tried it.

Somethings that stand about for Matrix:
* you can already self-host
* supports and already has multiple clients
* explicitly supports bridging to other networks

This page lists the cilents and bridges which currently exist, with
various levels of done-ness.
https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html

Looks like bridges to SMS already, but both are Alpha:
* https://matrix.org/docs/projects/as/matrix-appservice-twilio.html
* https://matrix.org/docs/projects/other/SmsMatrix.html

But I still do not see anything for going out to the PSTN.
I am guessing that bridges from WebRTC to SIP/VoIP probably already exist?

Andrew

On 26/11/17 15:24, Bob Jonkman wrote:
> We were just talking about Wire at the KWVoIP meeting last Thursday
> (hi Ron!). When I announced on Twitter that we'd be discussing
> Wire[1], @Wire immediately offered to provide support. Unfortunately,
> the conversation at KWVoIP was so interesting that we didn't actually
> get around to using Wire at the meeting.
> 
> Wire is at least as good as Skype, since it was created by the
> original two Skype developers.  There are some quirky UI choices tho,
> including some mystery-meat navigation (onscreen widgets are invisible
> until you hover the mouse over them -- but how to find them in the
> first place?) There's no integration with the PSTN (yet).
> 
> I'm using Wire, my userID is @BobJonkman -- feel free to add me to a
> conversation group. I'm currently in groups with people from KWVoIP
> and the !Fediverse
> 
> Source code for many client platforms and the server is available at
> https://github.com/wireapp although a blog post[2] indicates that
> self-hosting isn't available yet (I haven't tried). Federation is
> promised for early in 2018, where one server instance can connect to
> another and everyone can run their own. Perhaps what they meant is
> that self-hosted instances can't yet communicate with others.
> 
> --Bob.
> 
> [1] https://twitter.com/wire/status/933819857916874752
> 
> [2]
> https://medium.com/@wireapp/open-sourcing-wire-server-code-ef7866a731d5
> 
> 
> On 2017-11-25 11:11 PM, Keefer Rourke wrote:
>> Hey all,
> 
>> While it's all well and good to rant about proprietary software, 
>> it's better to find replacements and encourage others to make the 
>> switch as well. Skype on a whole is pretty crappy software, and
>> its famous for crappy call quality.
> 
>> One such replacement was mentioned (Discord) which is also 
>> proprietary and mostly focused at gamer audio chat... but a better 
>> anologue to Skype may be Wire [1].
> 
>> Wire has open-source clients on all major platforms, is Linux 
>> friendly (distro-agnostic with AppImage), easy to use, and has 
>> excellent call quality. They also just recently open-sourced their 
>> server [2] and will be providing self-hosting instructions soon! 
>> Their hosted version is quite fine though and I've never really
>> had a problem with call quality, video is usually crisp (network 
>> allowing), audio never falters, etc.
> 
>> I've completely replaced Skype with it, and convincing others to 
>> switch isn't hard either (usually people tend to be pretty 
>> accommodating if they know there are issues with some software 
>> platform or another, and signing up for another account these days 
>> is just something people tend to do without thinking anyway).
> 
>> Links: [1] https://wire.com/en [2] 
>> https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server
> 
> 
>> On November 25, 2017 8:00:10 PM EST, Ron Singh 
>> <ronsingh149 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Look at this GEM of a response from an MS tech staff -- "Rhiza_E
>>>  
>>> <https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/profile/91e5e6e6-2254-4182-9537-93fbc222b012>
>>>
>>>
>>>
> replied
>>> on Microsoft
>>>
>>> Hi 52ROSt,
>>>
>>> Apparently, automatic log in when your PC starts is not
>>> supported in the new Skype for Windows, Mac and Linux - you
>>> always have to log in with your Skype account credentials.
>>> Meanwhile, you can share us your feedback here. 
>>> <https://go.skype.com/feedback?lang=en&tag=The%20new%20Skype%20for%20Windows,%20Mac%20and%20Linux&p=-2&e=FA34778>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
> Please let us know if you have other questions.
>>> Rhiza_E Skype Community Moderator
>>>
>>> How it is possible for any company to release a version that is
>>>  essentially broken is so many ways is really quite beyond me. 
>>> Yep, even on the 5.5 Beta, one has to punch in one's sudo 
>>> password (key ring) before Skype will login.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Ron Singh "in transit, via mobile comm device"
>>>
>>> On Sat, Nov 25, 2017 at 6:43 PM, Ron Singh 
>>> <ronsingh149 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I use Skype a lot.
>>>>
>>>> I depend on Skype for video comm with my kin,  with clients
>>>> and IT suppliers.
>>>>
>>>> On Windows, Skype 5.x was excellent in terms of reliability, 
>>>> clean
>>> layout
>>>> and easy of use. I ditched Windows some 10 months ago and went 
>>>> all Linux, using Skype
>>> 4.3
>>>> sourced from LM's software repo On Linux, Skype 4.3 was 
>>>> excellent in terms of reliability, clean
>>> layout
>>>> and easy of use.. On Linux, Skype 5.x BETA was barely 
>>>> acceptable in terms of
>>> reliability,
>>>> clean layout and easy of use..
>>>>
>>>> I did the upgrade to Skype 8.11(X220 laptop with LM 18.1 Xfce)
>>> yesterday
>>>> and man, that was just a huge mistake -- issues pop up with 
>>>> many much-needed configuration features removed.
>>>>
>>>> Most tellingly, upon boot-up and launching Skype 8.11, only 
>>>> the
>>> outline of
>>>> Skype can be seen on the desktop, nothing can be clicked on 
>>>> since the outline just showed the contents of one's desktop. 
>>>> Only on minimizing
>>> to
>>>> tray and then un-minimizing or full-screening will bring up 
>>>> the
>>> proper
>>>> "Open Skype" page in all it's glory.
>>>>
>>>> I decided to purge the laptop of Skype 8.11 and tried again on 
>>>> other laptops running LM 18.1, LM18.2 and Fedora 27, same 
>>>> thing. Same
>>> issue.
>>>> I have used old firmware, new firmware, 4.4LTS, 4.11, 4.13 
>>>> kernels,
>>> but
>>>> yeah, same thing, same issue. Every OS tried was a bare metal 
>>>> install, no VMs involved.
>>>>
>>>> Through tear-filled eyes full of rage, I grabbed the 5.5.0.1
>>> SkypeforLinux
>>>> Beta from here: 
>>>> https://repo.skype.com/deb/pool/main/s/skypeforlinux/ and 
>>>> re-installed 5.5 Skype and now I am able to usefully Skype my
>>> behind
>>>> off again, feebly trying to ignore it's tablet-y interface.
>>>>
>>>> In a perfect world, I would ditch Skype and use something like
>>> Discord and
>>>> get on with it, but I need to communicate with with over 2 
>>>> dozen
>>> folks via
>>>> video-chat and the only common denominator for them all is 
>>>> Skype.
>>> Sure
>>>> looks like nothing like this exists or will ever exist.
>>>>
>>>> In an even more perfect world, MS would release the 
>>>> SkypeforLinux
>>> source
>>>> to be worked on by the Linux community, but that's for an 
>>>> alternate
>>> reality.
>>>>
>>>> Sorry about the rant, just wanted to sound off a bit.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> Ron Singh " calming down with a glass of win"
>>>>
> 
> 
> 
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