Gmail Video Chat Now Available On Linux

borfast writes "If you use Gmail on Linux, you may have wondered when you would be able to use the voice and video chat that Windows and Mac users have enjoyed for quite some time. The wait is finally over; Google yesterday announced video support for Linux browsers. Now if only Pidgin could provide solid video chat functionality in their client..." According to the brief announcement on the Google blog, "Voice and video chat for Linux supports Ubuntu and other Debian-based Linux distributions, and RPM support will be coming soon."

Re:May the source be with you

[betterunixthanunix]

My thoughts exactly. Why not GPL this code, and maybe then we could see it merged into other clients as well?

Re:Empathy

[robotito]

But now, you can read the Google ads while chatting... (which is essential for them)

Re:Is it just me...

[baka_toroi]

Well, after 3 years without trying Linux I decided to give it a shot with Linux Mint. It's great! The installation process was better than in Mac OS X. Even error messages were clear to understand (My DVD drive wasn't reading properly the installation disc). The only problems are the ones we all know about: lack of *Microsoft* office (but that's not an issue for most of us), lack of proper Adobe Flash, shitty ATI drivers (luckily I have an Nvidia card) and so on.

But the experience with the OS is surprisingly positive. I have a Windows XP partition because I will need to program in .NET soon, but other than that, I don't think I'll use Windows much.

Re:Empathy

[camcorder]

They don't care whether you read their ads or not, they only care if you click on them.

ok knuckleheads

[Stumbles]

please provide a tarball.

Re:Is it just me...

[drinkypoo]

"anymore"? I think Linux matters more every year. We don't have so many "Year of the Linux Desktop" stories because we've finally managed to pound it into most people's heads that there will not be any such thing, and that in fact it is probably impossible for such a thing to ever happen again (short of a technological singularity) due to the importance of legacy systems and the complexity of a modern computing system. Linux continues to gain seats (and servers) so it continually becomes more relevant. And if we ever do get this alleged impending flood of ARM netbooks and tablets, you're going to see it become very important indeed. This is Microsoft's worst nightmare. It almost makes me want to go buy a shitty ARM netbook right now to prove that people want these devices and will take even inferior ones over Windows-based solutions. I am distinctly unhappy with the software experience on my LT3102u :(

Re:Announcement?

[yurtinus]

Yes yes, how DARE they not spam you!

Re:Is it just me...

[devent]

... and that in fact it is probably impossible for such a thing to ever happen again (short of a technological singularity) due to the importance of legacy systems and the complexity of a modern computing system.

Linux can to everything what a modern computer system should do. So can the *BSD and BeOS. That was already since at least 5 years. Legacy application can Linux run just fine thanks to Wine. Other systems can run legacy applications fine as well, thanks to virtualization. What you mean by "technological singularity" I have no idea. The point is, we don't see the "Year of the Linux Desktop" or any other system because of the high entry bar in this marketplace. You have to convince first all the OEMs to support any other system besides Windows, and because of the deals with Microsoft it's mostly impossible. Why there was so much press about the Dell site, that state that Linux is more secure then Windows? Why is Dell offering only lower spec laptops with Linux but not for the other laptops as well?

Why is that anywhere else Linux is the market dominant system? Like in the Super Computers, the servers, movies special effects, the embedded devices like NAS, routers, now in TVs and now soon in the smart phone market. The "technological singularity" is happening in that places quite for some time now with Linux, but not in the desktop market. Coincidence?

Re:Nice

[helix2301]

Flash has had so many issues on linux the infamous you tube with no sound if you Google that you have enough reading material for quite a while and the high resource intensive issues. Flash I think has gotten worse with every Ubuntu release I really don't think has gotten better at all.