An alternative to Skype

[Steve G.]

If you want computer to computer, there are plenty of chat clients that
would work - Jabber, msn, aol, yahoo, I think all have voice and video
communications in them. Gmail is another excellent system. The problem is
the network effect - both sides must be part of the system.

To make phone calls, other than skype there is ekiga and probably some other
things, as well as gmail, but these are not free.

Personally, whatever RMS puts on his web site, is what I will NOT be using
in the future. Even if it means I have to buy MS OS, though considering that
practically all laptop computers have MS on them, I doubt it would be an
issue.

I have been a devout proponent of OSS solutions for many years, but there is
something to be said for for-profit software - you are not dependent on RMS
and his likes. A real company supports its product regardless of politics.

Go Proprietary Software!

Z.

CC to RMS.


2011/6/10 Evyatar Parker <evp55555 at gmail.com>

> there are many alternatives, like XMPP. if you need
> skype compatibility though there is less choice: mainly you can use imo.im.
> There is also a plugin for Miranda IM (FOSS) that uses imo.im as a skype
> proxy.
>
>
> 2011/6/10 Etzion Bar-Noy <ezaton at tournament.org.il>
>
>> By logging in to their site, you can reactivate your credits.
>>
>> Ez
>>
>> 2011/6/10 Uri Even-Chen <uri at speedy.net>
>>
>>> Hi people,
>>>
>>> I saw Richard Stallman's signature:
>>>  > Skype: No way! That's nonfree (freedom-denying) software.
>>> >  Use free telephony http://directory.fsf.org/category/tel/
>>>
>>> I'm using Skype to communicate with my friends. I mostly use it for
>>> instant messaging (not phone calls). I did use it for phone calls in the
>>> past, but I don't have a microphone attached to my computer - so today I use
>>> regular phone (018). When I used Skype for phone calls, I paid Skype for
>>> "Skype out" credit, but Skype zeroed my credit after a few months of not
>>> using their service - which I consider stealing money from me. For all that
>>> reasons, I don't want to use Skype. But Skype is a monopoly - all my friends
>>> use it. Even my grandmother wants to start using it. What free alternatives
>>> are there to Skype? (free as in freedom of course).
>>>
>>> By the way, what do you think about Google talk? I use Google talk from
>>> my Gmail account (I didn't download the software).
>>>
>>> I'm using Windows XP on PC. And Google Chrome as my browser.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Uri Even-Chen
>>> Mobile Phone: +972-50-9007559
>>> E-mail: uri at speedy.net
>>> Website: http://www.speedy.net/
>>>
>>>
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>>> Linux-il at cs.huji.ac.il
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>>>
>>>
>>
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