Skype

Ridden with Spyware?

[Adam_C]

I've just stumbled upon [skype.com...]

Skype is free and simple software that will enable you to make free calls anywhere in the world in minutes.

Oooh, sounds good, what's the catch?

Skype, created by the people who brought you KaZaA, uses innovative P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you with other Skype users.

Created by ... KaZaA

So, would I be right in assuming that by downloading and installing Skype I'm going to be surrendering my PC to a heap of spyware?

[bill]

...notice the "no spyware" "no adware" logos all over the site? It doesn't have any. It's great software. The sound quality is the best I've heard, and I've been doing VoIP since 1996. I was probably one of the first 3000 people to sign up for Skype and it hasn't given me any trouble.

[trillianjedi]

It is excellent in terms of audio quality etc. The real problem with Skype is it's not based on open-source protocols, which means everyone needs to be on their proprietory format.

Competing with that are the various SIP (open-source) products.

Going to be a VHS/Betamax war in this sector, and there can only be one winner.

Personally, I hope the winner isn't Skype - I do hate monopolies...

TJ

[Chndru]

What exactly is free?

[trillianjedi]

What exactly is free?

Free download. Free calls if peer to peer (as in Skype to Skype) - think MSN instant messenger but with telephones.

If you want to dial out from your Skype account to a landline you need to go via Skypes PSTN gateway, and that's where they make their money.

The problem with skype is you can *only* go via their PSTN gateway. All of the other VoIP companies active in this field at the moment are going for open protocols and peering arrangements. So you can chop and change service provider for your outbound calls, but keep your same telephone (or "account") number.

I do the latter. I got a local rate UK phone number (they give these away now) which I can point either to my SIP phone or my regular landline depending on where I happen to be. That costs me nothing - and people calling me only pay a local rate number wherever they called me from in the UK.

Someone can also call me from another SIP phone, and it's free of call charges.

My local rate phone number will be with me for life, but I can change my outbound service provider whenever I feel like it (a lot at the moment - I'm checking them all out).

TJ

[trillianjedi]

Oh, I should add, and this is the real beauty of the technology - I can point my UK local rate phone number to any landline in pretty much any Country in the world and it costs me nothing, and the caller still only pays local call rate.

So if I go to Australia for a couple of weeks, I just re-direct it to my Australian landline!

All because packet-switching is more efficient than circuit-switching.

Technology can be wonderful sometimes.

TJ

[indigojo]

I've just been put onto skype. It beats the hell out of other alternatives I've tried before and is going to make the big telecom's tremble with fear. A momentious innovation i reckon. :)

[edited by: lawman at 10:00 am (utc) on June 17, 2004]
[edit reason] Spliced and edited [/edit]