MS buys Skype - will it support Linux

[geoffrey mendelson]

On May 11, 2011, at 10:10 AM, Nadav Har'El wrote:
>
> I am not aware of *any* Microsoft product that is officially  
> supported on
> Linux. So I don't think there's any chance that a Linux version of  
> Skype
> will continue to exist.

I don't agree. For two reasons. My experience with the Mac Version of  
Skype has been that it is far less suported than the Windows version.  
I have not used the Linux version but I can't imagine it's support  
being better than the Mac.

Most of their support is "go ask on the forums" anyway.

Since Skype's support is so little on non Windows systems, it makes  
sense for Microsoft to continue it. Note that for many years the  
largest software developer for the Mac was Microsoft. They still sell  
Mac products (e.g. Office).

This of course assumes that Skype continues to exist as a product. It  
may just become part of Windows and all stand alone versions will go  
away. :-(


>
> That being said, three questions remain to be answered:
>
> 1. How hard is it to create a free front-end to the Skype servers? For
>   example, ICQ never had (as far as I know) a Linux version, but  
> I've been
>   using it for years through free clients like (today) Pidgin.

Skype currently offers SIP access, but it is not cheap, From what I  
remember it is $5 a "line" per month with no subscriptions for  
outgoing calls. You also pay for DIDs (incoming numbers).

> 2. With all the world moving to VOIP and video chats, is Skype still  
> unique?

Yes. It's still the only cross platform and Windows, VoiP/Video  
Confernencing/text chat that can be used by anyone. There are others,  
but none offer all of it, are free, and are simple to set up and use.

SIP still requires an exchange to connect through, and with the demise  
of Free World Dialup , there are only a few left and they are not well  
known.


>   I know that Google Voice is available (but not in Israel...), and  
> probably
>   others (I didn't look too hard).
>

Google voice can be accessed in Israel. You need an incoming US DID  
(which you can get for free) and a US IP address to register. Once you  
are registered and your DID forwards calls to your Israeli number or  
your device, you can use it. It's several layers of VoIP and routing,  
it may work for you or not.

It's a question of price. There are lots of free/cheap VoIP providers.  
They range from no support to good support, but none of them have  
people who will set up your hardware (or provide it), come to your  
home and fix things, etc.

There are also companies that do provide the hardware, have real  
people available for support, etc, but they are not free or even cheap.

At least Skype did not "astroturf" (pay people to write friendly  
postings to mailing lists). You can tell because although they all are  
slightly different due to different people (often a member of the  
list)  writing them, they all make the same points, follow the same  
order, and basicly say the same things in the same way.


> 3. Will Microsoft also drop support for Skype on non-Microsoft  
> smartphone OSs
>   (iOS, android, etc.)?


iOS has lots of alternatives, more importantly will Apple offer an  
iChat and Facetime client for Windows?

Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson,  N3OWJ/4X1GM
Occam's Razor does not apply to electronics. If something won't turn  
on, it's
not likely to be the power switch.