[kwlug-disc] Skype (replacement)

Sun Nov 26 16:35:04 EST 2017

I'm not totally sure how they compare. IMHO Matrix is a superior communication protocol, but perhaps less friendly to non-technical users who just want one-to-one video chat or group calling. Probably just issues of marketing to various user groups, but I've had more luck getting people to use Wire than to use Matrix/Riot.

On November 26, 2017 4:01:40 PM EST, Andrew Sullivan Cant <acant at alumni.uwaterloo.ca> wrote:
>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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>> 
>> 
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-- 
Regards,
Keefer C. Rourke

Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.