Ubuntu
gwibber package

Skype / equiv, how to setup?

Asked by Tom

Hi :)

I have never used skype or anything and want to setup an account but have no idea how to even start the process. Is empathy a good equivalent? Can the native linux one talk to skype users or is the format too different? Can people ring me on a set number that stays the same and reaches only me if i set-up the native linux one?

I guess i will try to look-up documentation but i seem to remember it was too geeky and assumed i already knew something about skype or already had a skype account set-up?

Regards from
Tom :)

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François Tissandier
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Best François Tissandier (baloo) said : 		#1

Skype is a proprietary protocol, other softwares cannot use it. So if you want to talk with Skype users, you must install Skype. There is a linux version (including a .deb installer for Ubuntu), so it's not a big problem.

Empathy is quickly getting more and more functionnalities, but currently, I don't think you can use voice chat with all the protocols (Yahoo, MSN, etc...). I know the webcam & voice are working for jabber protocols (like Gtalk for instance), I tried it successfully on Empathy.

I think Empathy should soon be compatible with more and more softwares, but remember that most of them don't really want the users to be able to use another software. I'm not sure if one day we will really have a unique "number" that everybody can use to reach us on a computer no matter what software/protocol we are using.

About Skype, you can just install it and run it, it will let you create your account without any problem the first time you will open it I think. I worked "out of the box" on my Ubuntu the last times I tried it.

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#2

Brilliant, thanks François :)

I think that is the best way i have seen proprietary formats described! Very tactful & diplomatic, no hint of anger or outrage :))

I think it sounds well worth trying to install both and try to use the native linux one for outgoing calls to landlines and normal mobiles where possible. keeping pushing at the limitations and see how fast the clever linux developers work-around problems with proprietary stuff.

Many thanks and regards from
Tom :)

PS i want to keep this question open for now until after i get back home from work and try out a simple install. Thanks :)

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François Tissandier (baloo) said : 		#3

All opensource users are not fundamentalists :) In fact, some proprietary softwares are the best choices sometimes. I'm just less enthusiastic if they are using proprietary file formats & protocols, as it's the best way to lock you in a software. Skype is sadly in the second group, but there is also one thing every computer wants: a software doing the job. When there is no open source software doing it, I can totally understand that people go for proprietary. So I'm not going to shout "Skype ! Evil !!!". The native Skype version is working fine on linux, so as long as other softwares are not on par, people will use it.

If you are in the US, I heard about Google Voice, it seems to be a nice alternative, and it could work with Empathy as Google is using standard protocols most of the time. But i'm in Europe, we don't have access to this service, so it needs confirmation. I think Google recently included Voice in their web based Gtalk software. So maybe you just need a browser to use it. Lots of maybes ;)

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#4

Thanks François Tissandier, that solved my question.

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#5

Hi :)

The more i find out about proprietary greed vs OpenSource honour&fun the more difficult i find it to remain calm about the differences. Having a calm answer like yours to adapt&copy will help me a lot so you have helped me a lot more than expected which often happens when asking questions in here.

Many thanks again and regards from
Tom :)

PS i am in the Uk but fell asleep straight after work and only just got around to sorting it all out.

Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) said : 		#6

Hi :)

I setup skype but don't know anyone else that uses it to call to test that it works before i put any credit on to use the extra services lol. I had the same problem with jabber. Mostly the type of functionality i am looking for neatly falls outside what both systems are designed for. Skype charges £15/month to get a number that landlines can call but i can find a cheaper alternative work-around
Regards from
Tom :)