I've just downloaded Skype apparently the hottest download since Jordan gave birth but I can see what the fuss is about. how is it different to Messenger? and how will it bring my phone bills to EVERYONE down ie. those outside my contact list?

I'm not a techy so be gentle with me.....

Just had a look at the web site, as I had no idea what this was about.

Doesn't look much different to messenger to me. Except it claims to have superior sound quality.

Not sure how its going to reduce your phone costs to the world. As far as I can see it will only be to people useing skype with properly configured PC's ie headphone and mic. These calls will then cost no more than normal broadband charges. (true for messenger etc)

One thing which I know will cause concern amongst our corporate security guys is it's claims to go staright through firewalls !!

Not sure that helps, and I can't really say more as I haven't downloaded it yet.

DaveC

Guys, Skype is different to all other Voip solutions because it is a peer to peer solution from PC to PC. All the other Voip solutions are suffering from from technical problems created by firewalls.

The technical quality is fantastic on the Beta version which is free,and they have got it working with 100's of thousands of simultaneous users using a couple of servers. The problem is that Skype have not figured out how to make a revenue model out of the technology.

Cynic, Soapbox and potential geek alert

I thought I'd wait a while and have a read before I contributed to this thread [1]

Is it me or am I the only one concerned about something
that will go straight through a firewall.

To me removing the checks and balances that a firewall
creates (in particular the IP table system)is nothing short
of lunacy.[2]

We all know that Viruses (Virii?)can piggyback on WAV files [3]
so why not on a digital sound TX (As a packet addition) that means
the Skype protocol (as peer to peer) is bypassing not only ALL the security on the host computer but all at the incoming server end as well.

Having to open IB and OB UDP connections unless required for your network is almost deliberatly weakening the system security as does opening (and I quote) all ports above 1024, and allow UDP replies to come back in.

This troubles me. [4]

However there is the wonderful quote One cannot use Skype to share or transmit files and therefore there is no risk of opening up your computer or being infected by viruses. However IMHO an encoded data binary EXE will be loaded in to mem during the translation if piggybacked sounding say like static. This would mean you would actually be talking to the person sending the EXE (at the moment) until someone(thing) designs a payload that spreads via normal channels then does the computer equivelent of jumping species over to the VOIP network.

Remember last year Sobig (various versions), Klez (various versions), MyDoom and Slammer all exploited KNOWN security holes. All caused by non locked down systems leads me to believe that bypassing existing security as a requirement of installation and functionality is not the way to go for new technology.[5}

All this is obviously personal opinion and I'd welcome any other opinions

DaveA




[1] And a minor problem with phones in Manchester.

[2] Most Virii (I've decided on that spelling) work on the clone the address list basis so we infect after receiving the virus from a trusted source

[3] Nimda springs to mind

[4] I'm lying. It scares the hell out of me

[5] What have these all got in common? Ah yes Windoze[6]

[6] And Skype doesn't run on Solaris or *NIX boxes. Traditionally the testing ground for stuff like this. [7]

[7] You find one piece of commercial kit that started life on a Redmond box

End of Rant

Would be extremely reluctant to run a program that penetrated out supposedly inpenetrable firewall...

Thanks,
Steve Howell
showell@telegenisys.com
925.825.1122

Can anyone tell me if this is/will catch on? Whats holding it back? When will critical mass be reached? Wot are the issues. Why is everyone not using it??
Will it be taken up by business and consumers?

I understand some of the issues but not all of 'em.

Interesting timing on the question.

Given my commnets above I've now got it
installed at homw.

The security issues seem to have been sorted and given
that my home PC is firewalled tighter thank the proverbial
anatomy of a waterfowl I'm happy it's secure.

Skype: applebydave

The voice quality Skype to Skype is good, Skype to UK landline /
UK Mobile is good the only downside is the international Mobile /
Landline calls are a bit poor, although I think it's a bandwidth
issue and should be sorted in the near future.

Any specific questions drop a line back

HTH

DaveA

Dave,
Did you buy a compatible handset? and what is holding it back from leaping ahead like ipods??

Dave said:

The security issues seem to have been sorted

Touch wood. Just like they keep "sorting" the security issues in IE/XP?!

that my home PC is firewalled tighter thank the proverbial
anatomy of a waterfowl

It's always worth remembering that a wirewall will offer no protection against a program that you've allow to access the internet / open a port on your machine. If this program then does something malicious the firewall can't stop it.

Closed said:

what is holding it back from leaping ahead like ipods?

Has anything? I know that the take up of Skype has been pretty rapid: 100 million people are said to be using the system. Contrast this with 20 million Ipod users.

Considering it's been a round for a considerably shorter period of time, that's quite impressive.

It's important to remember that Skype is free to download, and there's nothing to pay if you already have hardware that you can use. Therefore, take up is likely to be rapid if the product or application proves popular.

Having just used it for the first time in the last week or so, I'm impressed. I found it very easy to use and get setup, and the quality is very good. Send me a private message if you want my Skype handle for contacting me (though I won't be around much over the next month due to a bit of travel).

John

Hi
I'm new to CCV, tho have been looking at it on and off for a year or more.

I think the big point with Skype is the "SkypeOut" product, where you can use Skype on your PC to call landline telephones anywhere in the world, and "SkypeIn", where you buy a local landline number that is forwarded to your Skype account, so you can receive the call no matter where in the world you are.

The rates for these calls are very cheap, and there is a single rate that covers a large number of locations worldwide for 0.017 euros per minute. In New Zealand this works out to about 3c per minute, which is good.

We are considering using it for national toll calls in our office in New Zealand, but I think the only way of paying for Skype Out is by direct crediting a bank account in Germany... not sure how much that will actually cost, so for Skype that sort of thing has a way to go.

Cheers
Julian.

Hi Julian, I'm pleased to see you posting.

We have a huge number of members who regularly read the site. It's great when these do get around to posting. Everyone's got something interesting to say and it helps the community when they say it.

I agree with your view totally. The Skype technology is not radically different from any other out there, what is different it the ability to call on and off their network. Surely it's only a matter of time before we see this functionality on the other chat clients that are now offering voice (MSN, etc.)?

I still believe Skype has the potential to really upset the standard call carriers. When we have standard phones that will use the Skype network (like this), and all your friends and family have them as well, then there'll be no need to have a landline any more.

Regards,
Darryl

Apparently you can use the ultra cheap Plantronics headsets on this and they work very well.

I'm constantly amazed at how good the sound quality is on this service, its like talking to someone in your living room!

Having used Skype for the first time last night i cannot see why i should pay BT for anything.

I don't actually have a phone plugged into my landline, i've only got it to have broadband in my flat.

Last night while being a geek and playing some online games (Battle Field 2 for those who are into that sort of thing) we had a 4 way conference call for about 3 hours so we could co-ordinate attacks and warn of incoming tanks etc.

The quality was superb and not one issue with disconnects, even while chucking all the game data around as well down a 1 meg connection there was no loss of sound / quality at all.

So why should i have to pay BT for a land line i never use when i could get skypeout and skypein for considerably cheaper?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4488806.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4627250.stm

Z

The Sound Quality is really good when i used it for the first time and i was impressed. The only concern is as i feel that the users are less and the quality is good. As the number of users increase and the load on the servers increase i have a concern that the voice quality would go down..... similar to the other messenger services with voice..........
Things can be judged only later when people have good use of it.

EVERYTHING WHEN NEW seems to glitter, should see how long the glitter stays.....

As I understand it Skype is a peer-to-peer application and so the "calls" don't go through a central server. Therefore as number of users increases there will not be a degredation in quality because of Skype.

More info and a better explanation here:

http://www.skype.com/products/explained.html

Best,

Rob

Rob's right - there's a server system which enables users to authenticate and locate each other, but the voice is peer-to-peer.

Skype-out obviously has to go through some gateways, and perhaps these locations may have problems if they get very busy.

Long shot, but I thought perhaps someone here's had experience of this.

I run Skype on two PCs, and they're both often on at the same time. I log them both in as the same user - because I want people to be able to contact me wherever I am.

Has anyone done this? Any idea where messages and calls are going to end up, or does it just pick one of the PC's at random?