Re: [dev] [proposal] Suckless Tox-Client as a Skype replacement

From: <stanio_AT_cs.tu-berlin.de>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:09:14 +0100

Just to make two things clear: I'm not an expert in XMPP and SIP. The
video came to my mind as I read the X argument: couldn't resist to post
it. First time I saw it I spent quite some time to figure out whether
it is fake. Ever since I love it.

* FRIGN 2014-03-24 12:56
> On Mon, 24 Mar 2014 12:36:36 +0100
> Still, XMPP is a centralized protocol-system and that's what makes it
> unusable for me.

While I'd love to see a distributed system which comes with all benefits
of decentralisation -- flexibility, dependability, hard to compromise,
etc. --, I am not aware of any, so one such needs to be first
implemented, then promoted, adopted. So, I'm looking for what I can use
now.

> Discussing these things we really need to put in regard the ordinary
> user, who would have big troubles setting up XMPP+SIP

Jitsi does that right: I have less troubles with it than with what I've
tried before, e.g. linphone.

> ---
> To establish a new solution in an already saturated environment (i.e.
> Skype), it has to bring in obvious advantages for the normal user,
> or else it is deemed to fail.
> ---

Exactly.

> XMPP+SIP brings the privacy we all want, but most people don't care
> about privacy, they care about familiarity and comfort.

Right now, people more and more care about privacy. I think this is the
chance to push things like jitsi (and XMPP, SIP) because they indeed
offer this obvious advantage not present in the saturated environment
(Skype). I must admit, it became obvious to the masses only recently
and not as obvious as I wish, but still something happens.

I've converged to the policy to promote things which go in the right
direction, although I'm aware they suck in some respect. You can always
say “what sucks, sucks, period,” but also you can look at the gradients
and admit that some suck less and try to improve. Skype sucks big time,
inherently, by the fact it is owned by someone who does not share the
public interest. Give up the hope that it can remotely suck less.

> On the technical side, you don't need extensions for XMPP (libjingle)
> or separate protocols (SIP) to build up VoIP- or MoIP-connections
> (being integrated into one protocol), dramatically decreasing the
> number of possible attack-vectors because tox-core's developers are
> able to integrate such solutions very well knowing what's used in the
> first place.

Didn't get that. I need some reading about tox before feeling
comfortable with technical discussions.

cheers
--s_
Received on Mon Mar 24 2014 - 14:09:14 CET