[kwlug-disc] Skype (replacement)

Tue Nov 28 11:56:26 EST 2017

I looked at the Wire github info

https://github.com/wireapp/wire-desktop

And for the desktop, it said: Javascript.

Okay ...

I read further, and they say: install Node.js.

I stop at that point ...

Your experience confirmed my suspicions ...

On Tue, Nov 28, 2017 at 11:43 AM, Ron Singh <ronsingh149 at gmail.com> wrote:
> So far, I have WIRE on iOS app, Linux app, Android 6.x app, via the Firefox
> 52.x ESR browser and the Win 7 app.
>
> - Very similar renditions of the UI on all platforms, too much white space
> and poor contrast due to poor color choices
> - Huge CPU utilization on all platforms, phone batteries visibly deplete
> before one's eyes, laptop fans are loud due to 30%-40% CPU hit
> - Voice quality is extremely good with next to no drop outs or jitters, same
> with video
> - Wire has huge potential to move the bar to greater adoption, still had a
> fair bit of room for improvement, but is very promising.
>
> A lot of folks use these video chatting tools one on one and in groups and
> they are so very important to connect friends and family around the globe.
>
> Next stop, Telegram!
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ron Singh
> "in transit, via mobile comm device"
>
> On Mon, Nov 27, 2017 at 11:36 PM, Andrew Sullivan Cant
> <acant at alumni.uwaterloo.ca> wrote:
>>
>> Interesting. I'll have to try out the Wire UI and see how it compares.
>>
>> I could see that the IM stuff bring at the forefront might obscure the
>> video chat usage.
>> As you say, might also be a marketing thing too.
>>
>> Andrew
>>
>>
>> On 26/11/17 16:35, Keefer Rourke wrote:
>> > 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"
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>> _______________________________________________ kwlug-disc mailing
>> >>>> list kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
>> >>>> http://kwlug.org/mailman/listinfo/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
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>> >
>>
>>
>>
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