Opinions wanted.

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by Peaches4U, Dec 9, 2003.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Peaches4U

    Peaches4U Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2002
    Posts:
    5,070
    Location:
    At my computer
    Well, a friend has discovered this software a replacement for MSN IM & others. I have read the privacy policies and they seem to be okay. What I hesitate about is that the developer of this software developed Kazza. I emailed asking them if they included any other software such as tracking, etc. in it. I got a "dear john" reply but hope maybe a decent one will follow. I guess I am dreaming to think they would actually admit that more is loaded into the software than we expect. Give it a look see and tell me what you think.

    www.skype.com
     
  2. Q Section

    Q Section Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2003
    Posts:
    778
    Location:
    Headquarters - London & Field Offices -Worldwide
    Hello Peaches

    Many people use Yahoo Messenger's voice service for free and find no need for additional software or services as they can talk all over the world. It only necessitates a microphone and speaker on each end.

    Best wishes.
     
  3. Peaches4U

    Peaches4U Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2002
    Posts:
    5,070
    Location:
    At my computer
    I have been using MSN but with XP it requires that I disable my firewall in order for it to work. I have never looked at Yahoo nor has my friend ... will suggest it to him. At any rate, I was curious as to what others thought of the Skype software. Cheers
     
  4. Pilli

    Pilli Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2002
    Posts:
    6,217
    Location:
    Hampshire UK
    Hi Peaches, From their Privacy policy it appears that unless you give explicit permission you are safe from spyware etc. Although it does look as if it will be a pay for service operation eventually

    Skype Privacy Policy quote:

     
  5. the Tester

    the Tester Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2002
    Posts:
    2,854
    Location:
    The Gateway to the Blue Hills,WI.
    Hi Peaches.

    I agree with Q-Section.
    The only IM service that I use is Yahoo Messenger.
    You can set up YM so that transferred files are scanned by your antivirus program.
    You click on the Login tab, than preferences tab,there is a category for "File transfer".
     
  6. bigc73542

    bigc73542 Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2003
    Posts:
    23,934
    Location:
    SW. Oklahoma
    here is a little info skype
    http://www.extremetech.com/

    Beware Skype's Hype
    By Brian Livingston
    December 1, 2003


    Wouldn't it be great if vendors always got their standards together before shipping products? Sometimes this happens; sometimes it doesn't. When it does, as with USB 1.0 and 2.0, adoption is rapid. You can hardly buy a PC or laptop these days without finding a couple of USB ports.

    When it doesn't, it can create a slow-motion train wreck that we can watch but can't prevent.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Take the case of rewritable DVDs. With their multigigabyte capacities, they can be a handy storage alternative. But contention over DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM and more has delayed mass adoption by individual users and enterprises alike.

    Today, the technology that most suffers from this problem—and is already careening off the tracks—is voice over IP. VOIP promises to revolutionize the way we make phone calls. Ultimately, no one will use wired, land-line phones. New mobile phones will use VOIP over corporate or home Wi-Fi connections when in range and seamlessly switch to slower cellular- type networks everywhere else. (VOIP is such a terrible acronym that henceforth I'll call it "Internet calling.")

    Internet calling has been possible for years, but only the latest technologies deliver good quality. Compatibility fell into place through the efforts of the Internet Engineering Task Force and its adoption in June 2002 of a detailed standard, Session Initiation Protocol, which allows the integration of Internet calling with Web services, digital video, instant messaging and e-mail. As a result, everything from Microsoft's Windows XP to its Live Communications Server 2003 to IBM's Lotus Instant Messenger supports SIP.

    This harmonious bubble was burst 13 weeks ago by a new, free, peer-to-peer Internet calling program. Skype, a made-up name that rhymes with hype, is the creation of the same two young Scandinavian entrepreneurs, Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, who in 2001 released Kazaa, another P2P program that's now a much bigger music-and-file-sharing network than Napster ever was.

    People who download the software—perhaps onto your company's network—can make free Internet calls to any other Skype user in the world. Although corporate firewalls often block this kind of traffic, Skype's makers built in clever technical workarounds that they say allow their packets to pass right through.

    But Skype isn't compatible with SIP. You could wake up one day to a nightmare in which some of your offices have adopted SIP while others have downloaded Skype. Users couldn't rely on the incompatible services to call one another.

    Worse, having unmanaged voice packets zipping through your firewall poses the risk that a malicious hacker could some day find a buffer overrun or other flaw that can exploit Skype software.

    Steve Johnson, president of Ingate Systems, which makes SIP-capable firewalls and network appliances, says SIP should be respected. "We believe that having industry standards is the way to go with new technologies," Johnson said. "Skype has many limitations. You can make a point-to-point call between two people who've downloaded the software, but you can't make conference calls and other things that are important for business."

    In response, Skype's co-founders told me in a joint e-mail, "We believe in interoperability, we are looking into it, and we are open to discussion with other companies."

    Skype's home page states, "Works through all firewalls," but this isn't true. Skype cannot connect through proxies, authenticating firewalls or firewalls that manage outgoing UDP packets.

    I advise you, however, not to use this weakness to try to simply block the independent-minded Skype pioneers in your company. Make SIP- compliant Internet calling widely available to your employees instead. SIP calls with good manageability should be just as attractive to users as Skype. And going with SIP-based software might encourage Skype's founders to bring their software into SIP compliance. That would keep your users speaking to one anothe
     
  7. Peaches4U

    Peaches4U Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2002
    Posts:
    5,070
    Location:
    At my computer
    Thanks all for your input - very much appreciated. Your opinions/recommendations will be passed along. Cookies all around. :D
     
  8. AplusWebMaster

    AplusWebMaster Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2003
    Posts:
    239
    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA, USA
  9. Peaches4U

    Peaches4U Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2002
    Posts:
    5,070
    Location:
    At my computer
    Friend needs chat because he has lost the use of his hands due to ALS disease. Altho' his wife can help out, he still wishes to maintain independence as long as possible.

    Not a chance as far as AOL goes - I know IM comes with Netscape: Here's why ......

    spyAOL 7.0 Commercial Keylogger
    Danger Level 6:
    spyAOL saves email that is sent or read, instant messages (IM), and chatroom session. ...
    http://www.spywareguide.com/product_search.php
     
  10. AplusWebMaster

    AplusWebMaster Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2003
    Posts:
    239
    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA, USA
    RE: AIM Express -

    - Not the same product, requiring no software download. Simply go to the site referenced above.

    - http://www.spywareguide.com/product_search.php
    "aim express - Result of your search: Nothing could be found."

    -
     
  11. Peaches4U

    Peaches4U Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2002
    Posts:
    5,070
    Location:
    At my computer
    AIM Express is provided by AOL - is it not? If so, I am not a fan of AOL and assume AIM is somehow connected to them. I don't mean to throw water at your suggestion, but I have had a bad experience and now bad taste about AOl and anything that is part of their offering makes me uneasy. Thanks anyway. Cheers :)
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.