Skype For Mac OS X and Linux 329
Pablo Martinez-Almeida writes "Skype has just announced full versions of its software for Mac OS X and for Linux.
Now I'm only waiting for some conversations recording feature. (via Om Malik on broadband)"
Spyware (Score:3, Interesting)
My apologies for the lazy attitude today, but somebody had to ask.
What the hell? (Score:5, Interesting)
Legal? (And, remember Google) (Score:5, Interesting)
Interoperability is good (Score:5, Interesting)
Does anyone know what's happened to the Helix grant that was supposed to bring VoIP to Jabber last year. https://jabber.helixcommunity.org/ [helixcommunity.org]
Skype and Chat on OS X (Score:3, Interesting)
Granted, we used it on a very basic level...simply for online chat. I'm looking forward to bigger and better uses, especially loading it onto a wifi-enabled PDA and using it as a "cell phone".
Recording Skype calls (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Conversation recording feature already included (Score:1, Interesting)
Which part do you doubt?
That Echelon logs voice traffic (even standard POTS)? The Congressional inquiries already got that information out.
Or do you think that "speech to text" logging is years away, and understood only by those scientists reverse engineering UFO parts?
Or are you so comfortable with Big Brother, that you'll refuse to believe even an admission by the government that this exists?
Or do you just hate freedom pesky Bill of Rights which may be used to protect people who are law abiding, but perhaps too dark to gay or too poor for your comfort level.
Nations never go "mad" like the Stalinists or the Nazi's... they just persecute the fringes, treating those who will turn a blind eye (like yourself) as "good" people.
Given your discrediting statement, when this stuff is NOT A STATE SECRET... I'd have to conclude you understand the issues but that you have about as much appreciation for democracy as the World Bank. You Pig.
Re:Bravo! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:I Just Recorded A Skype Conversation Today (Score:3, Interesting)
What spyware? (Score:4, Interesting)
I would much rather you have said "yes you are naive, here are a list of Spyware apps for Linux and Mac." Instead you basically said "Yes it's possible to get spyware on your Mac or Linux box if someone bothered to code it and someone went around their ass to get to their elbow." What kind of logic is that? There is no rock hard evidence that either platform has any kind of penetration into spyware common on the PC.
PS, I just googled spyware for mac [google.com] and found discussions on spyware, adds for PC spyware, and a mac company I'd never heard before with a broken website that promise a list of mac spyware "coming soon" and a forum that hasn't been updated by anyone in the company for over 6 months.
Re:forgive me for asking but... (Score:3, Interesting)
I would not have even started using it, but the alternatives (linphone, kphone, gnome-meeting, etc) either had to have ports opened on the firewalls of both parties involved in communication, or wouldn't work at all unless DMZ'ed (h323 wont work behind firewalls gnome-meeting/netmeeting).
This is a big deal to mostly due to the possibility of talking to non-geeks, you know, people who don't know what ports are, unless you count those things filled with water and ships.
Computer to computer VoIP used to stink for this reason: not many people to talk to, and the ones that are able are techies. Skype has changed this.
Supporting four platforms with good native UIs (Score:5, Interesting)
I've been using Skype for Mac for a little while now, and I'm impressed with the quality of the UI on Mac OS X, and the fact that they're supporting four (count them, four) platforms with fully native interfaces on each platform. That's not something to sneeze at (we have enough problems with two where I work). These guys seem to really get attention to detail.
Just the fact that they can afford to do the UIs as well as they have, as fast as they have, hints at how lucrative their SkypeOut business is.Re:Credit Card Issues (Score:2, Interesting)
Man, before I figured that out, I really let 'em have it -- I have spent over 500 USD on Skype in 6 months, and they have the gall to block my card?
They were great to work with, and very friendly, despite those problems.
Re:hold on a sec... (Score:3, Interesting)
Between Adium [adiumx.com] for MSN, Skype for outgoing calls (from me when I needed to make them, and incoming calls from my friends who all were on skype), and email I had my communication covered.
This also had the only slightly intended benefit of freeing me from having to rush to answer the phone, ever, or having annoying group members be able to call me. Depending on how you choose to live your life, you don't have to be at anyone's call. You're not beholden to them. You may not be a beautiful and unique snowflake, but you can control when/where you talk to people.
In an increasingly connected world, the luxury becomes being out of touch.
(Yes I believe in technology. Yes, my iBook usually leaves the house with me. No I don't have a cellphone. No, nobody wants to talk to me anyway. This way I save money. It all works out. It's much like being able avoid viruses, even on windows, if your computer is unplugged and locked in a closet. You disconnect, they can't get you. This disconnection leaves you in control.)
You can have your peace and quiet. You just have to want it.
Recording SIP conversations (Score:2, Interesting)