[LINK] Skype beta3, free worldwide conference calls

[Richard Chirgwin]

Kim Holburn wrote:
> On 2006/Nov/10, at 10:12 AM, Alan L Tyree wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 09:46:47 +1100
>> Howard Lowndes <lannet at lannet.com.au> wrote:
>>> Ivan Trundle wrote:
>>>> On 09/11/2006, at 2:50 PM, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
>>>>> Now, free worldwide computer to computer conference calls
>>>>>
>>>>> Media Release: SKYPE 3.0 BETA BRINGS THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY TOGETHER
>>>>>
>>>>> http://about.skype.com/2006/11/skype_30_beta_brings_the_globa.html
>>>>>
>>>>> LUXEMBOURG, November 8, 2006 – Skype today released the latest
>>>>> version of its software, Skype 3.0 Beta for Windows. Skype users
>>>>> across the world can now enjoy even simpler and easier ways to
>>>>> talk to one another with new features that enable community-led
>>>>> chat and discussion.
>>>>
>>>> This is what bugs me about Skype. Firstly, Windows users are the
>>>> only ones to get improvements of any value. Mac users are always
>>>> one full version behind, and Linux users often more so.
>>>
>>> Perhaps Windows users are far more easily parted from their money
>>> then Linux types.  After all, they normally get stung for everything.
>>
>> Don't use Skype. Why get locked in to a proprietary format that can't
>> talk to anyone else? Use a SIP based service that is based on open
>> standards: Gizmo, Sjphone, Xten all work with Free World Dialup and
>> other SIP providers. Better yet, use a SIP service that is open source:
>> Ekiga which allows multiple registrations.
>
> SIP is a real pain to get across some firewalls.  If you have more 
> than one SIP user on a private subnet you have to have a special SIP 
> router (like say asterisk).  SIP and H323 put source and destination 
> IPs in the data rather than in the header like all normal IP protocols.
>
> Skype on the pother hand is proprietary but it just works.  It works 
> across most firewalls.  If you have a firewall your system is never 
> promoted to supernode status.
Apples to apples, Kim. I run an Asterisk server where I work, because 
there are multiple extensions, and because it's a business environment. 
So it's a "pain" to get it across the firewall? - I don't see that as a 
disadvantage. Once it's set up, it's no longer a pain.

The second point is that we can (and do) run incoming PSTN lines into 
the Asterisk server as well as a VoIP service.

The third point is that I don't consider it particularly secure to have 
a private "black box" protocol crossing the firewall. I know enough to 
know what I don't know - and I don't know how to distinguish "real" 
Skype traffic from something that's learned how to use Skype to cross 
firewalls. So I stick with what I understand, as best as possible. A 
network and security consultant may be able to let Skype onto a business 
network with confidence; I can't.

Finally: why would you try to compare Asterisk to Skype in the first 
instance? They're designed for completely different purposes.

RC
>
> As for the company issues SIP companies like gizmo and wengo have the 
> same issues as skype where it concerns paying money.
>
>> I tried Skype and found that it was frequently using bandwidth for some
>> purpose that I knew nothing about. Maybe Windows users are happy for
>> that to happen, but I don't see why anyone should put up with it.
>
> -- 
> Kim Holburn
> IT Network & Security Consultant
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