MS buys Skype - will it support Linux

[geoffrey mendelson]

On May 16, 2011, at 1:44 PM, Amos Shapira wrote:
>
> Even before that - I've tried some of these SIP-based voice programs  
> on and off for a few years now and they *never* "just work" (let  
> alone "work") where as Skype is just a "plug a play" and voice clear  
> as a whistle from the first time I used it in ~2003..


I've used (not on Linux, but they do exist there) X-lite, Zoiper and  
Voix (IAX only) and they work easily.

You can not connect a SIP client to another SIP client, there has to  
be something in the middle. If you have firewalls in the way, you also  
need a SIP Proxy, (aka Stunnel server). SIP uses different ports for  
setting up and controlling a session and the actual voice data, and  
most people never quite get that right. (It's not easy with 2  
firewalls, NAT, etc).

> Even more so - guys in my workplace who claim to have experience  
> setting up SIP and none-Skype voip exchanges still have trouble  
> setting up simple connections between our Sydney and San Francisco  
> offices. You can claim that it's their fault but my point is that  
> SIP (which is what all these solutions relay on) is just still too  
> hard to use.



That's barking up the wrong tree as it were. Asterisk systems with IAX  
trunking will do the job and can be set up easily. SIP is much more  
difficult.

You are right though, if you already have a Skype ID and a copy  
installed on your system, you could call someone in another office in  
a few seconds. You can also do voice conference, video calls and now  
(if you pay for a "premium" account) video conferences. All with a  
minimum of effort and almost no skill.

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.