| The Best Free Desktop Linux . . . and how to make it better |
(Part 3)
Voice Over IP (VOIP)
Skype
SimplyMEPIS comes with a program called Skype. Skype is from the inventors of KaZaA. Skype is free to use and is available for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Pocket PC, and Linux. What makes Skype attractive is that there are so many adopters of the technology. Skype uses point to point (p2p) technology to eliminate the high cost of creating a telecommunications network.
Once you create a Skype account, you can log in to Skype from any device that supports Skype and then reach any user logged in to Skype for free.
Some people who have used Yahoo or MSN with voice might not think that what Skype offers is anything special. The fact is, Skype is currently the easiest to use client based VOIP program there is. There are other solutions, but none of them are as easy to use or as easy to set up. This is particularly true for Linux users.
Skype offers a service called SkypeOut. SkypeOut allows you to use Skype to dial standard phones at reduced rates. While there are other programs that allow you to do this, Skype offers the ability to recognize users as they log on from different computers so you can use Skype from any computer or device that supports Skype. Skype also supports integrated messenger and file transfer.
Some Linux purists will point out that Skype is a proprietary protocol that is not supported by anybody else. They will also point out that the code is not OpenSource. I find that Skype is a very worthwhile tool that should be on everyone's desktop.
Free World Dialup
Another worthwhile service to have on your desktop is Free World Dialup (FWD).
FWD also allows free PC to PC calling. FWD has some additional features that make it worthwhile. FWD has gateways that allow users to dial to toll free numbers in several countries, to include, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and more.
FWD also has gateways so that you can contact other services such as Vonage, CallUK, Earthlink, SIPphone and iConnectHere. FWD allows you to create a conference call.
It is easier to register yourself on FWD using a Windows-based pc. Therefore, it is better to register on www.freeworlddialup.com while running Microsoft Windows and then transfer the information to your Linux desktop.
After getting your FWD number, you can now register to get a free Washington state phone number. You can then hand out that phone number to anyone who wants to call you on your computer. This is an excellent way to set up a phone number in the United States. IPKall's website is www.ipkall.com.
LibreTel offers a service that allows you to buy a phone number in cities in the US, Great Britain, and Israel that will route to your Free World Dialup enabled phone.
I tested several Linux SIP enabled clients and believe the easiest to use with Free World Dialup is KPhone. Open up a terminal window and become a superuser. Type apt-get install kphone. In a few minutes, KPhone will install itself. You can activate it using the terminal window and typing Kphone &.
Go to the Identity Editor. Where it asks for User Part of SIP URL, put in your FWD number. Key in fwd.pulver.com for your Host Part of SIP URL. Your Username is your FWD number. Check Auto Register. Outbound Proxy is fwdnat.pulver.com:5082.
You can test your connection by dialing 613. This will echo back anything you say into the microphone.
Outbound Calling FWD to Toll-Free (Free-Phone) Calls Only
Japan *81 0120 ...
Netherlands *31 800 ...
United Kingdom *44 800, or *44 500 or *44 808
United States *1 8xx xxx xxxx
GnomeMeeting
GnomeMeeting is a comprehensive video conferencing package that is compatible with the now abandoned Microsoft NetMeeting. GnomeMeeting continues to add features. GnomeMeeting will soon be able to support SIP phones. To install GnomeMeeting on your system, simply type apt-get install gnomemeeting. The installed application can be found on the menu under Internet-->More Programs.
GnomeMeeting includes the iLBC codec that Skype uses. GnomeMeeting can offer very good voice quality depending on the bandwidth.
GnomeMeeting is probably the best choice for internal meetings or corporate communications while Skype and KPhone are better for communicating with outside companies. Skype is more flexible for users who are on the go and KPhone is a better tool for establishing a permanent and dedicated point of contact.
Skype, KPhone and GnomeMeeting
(Click to enlarge)
-- Continued --
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