Group: Skype Replacement

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== Free clients ==
 
== Free clients ==
{| border=1
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center; width: auto;"
! Name !! SIP? !! XMPP? !! Jingle? !! Active development? !! Platforms !! License
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! style="width:10em" | !! SIP? !! XMPP? !! Jingle? !! Active development? !! Platforms !! License !! Notes
 
|-
 
|-
|Jitsi
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|Jitsi || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}}? || Java || LGPL
 
|-
 
|-
|Ekiga
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|Ekiga || {{Yes}} || {{No}}? || {{No}}? || {{No}}? || GNU, Windows XP || ?
 
|-
 
|-
|Empathy
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|[http://live.gnome.org/Empathy Empathy] || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}}? || GNU || GPL || GNOME default
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Psi
 
|Psi
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|Twinkle
 
|Twinkle
 
|}
 
|}
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== Personal experiences ==
 
== Personal experiences ==
  

Revision as of 03:08, 15 May 2012

Skype Replacement is an item on the FSF's High Priority Projects list.

Protocol, not client

We need to make the discussion about protocols, not clients, (think how people say "send me an email" rather than "send me a Hotmail").

The primary functionality of Skype we aim to replace is real-time:

  • voice calls
  • video calls
  • text chat

Anywhere over the internet (or beyond), with as many people per conversation, logging, etc. whatever other features (clarify this section as necessary).

The free protocols currently available to do this are.

Voice Video Text Notes
SIP Yes Yes? Yes sessions?
XMPP No No Yes? presence?
Jingle Yes Yes Yes? works on top of XMPP

Central Registry?

Apart from technical problems with free Skype replacements, there is a "network effect" problem preventing free protocols (and clients) becoming popular. This might be solved by ...?


Free clients

SIP? XMPP? Jingle? Active development? Platforms License Notes
Jitsi Yes Yes Yes Yes? Java LGPL
Ekiga Yes No? No? No? GNU, Windows XP ?
Empathy Yes Yes Yes No? GNU GPL GNOME default
Psi
Yate
Mumble
Pidgin
Twinkle

Personal experiences

Ekiga

  • I have used Ekiga in the past and had good luck with it, but only with other Ekiga users on GNU/Linux -- Mattl 15:47, 14 May 2012 (EDT)

Jitsi

  • Successfully used to three-way audio-video chat with a pair of Mac users. H.264 only, but VP8 support soon! -- Mattl 15:47, 14 May 2012 (EDT)