Software Freedom Day: Hunt for Skype alternatives

[MJ Ray]

Timo Juhani Lindfors <timo.lindfors at iki.fi>
> MJ Ray <mjr at phonecoop.coop> writes:
> > It depends what you mean by "work".  Is overriding the network's
> > restrictions a feature or a bug?  Feature to the user, but bug to the
> > network managers.  If the network is that nasty, shouldn't users be
> > connecting to a VPN?
> 
> I think we should be looking for a free software alternative to
> Skype. Trying to solve network issues is a completely different project
> which is much less likely to succeed than a skype-like free software
> solution.

Sure, but the reasons given for free software alternatives not working
seemed to be problems with the network at that university.  Install a
VPN client or a Skype-style network-buster and one or more of
alternatives would just work.  Work on bundling an alternative with a
VPN or a network-buster to make a skype-like solution if you think
that's what's really needed.  I fear it's network effects like others
suggested, though.

Hope that helps,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op.
http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer.
In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html
Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/