[*] Fallout of Skype purchase from Microsoft

[David Perguidi]

Interesting dialog.

Will also be interesting to understand their MSFT's HD Codec strategy. Skype utilizes their proprietary SILK codec and MSFT LCS/OCS/Lync utilizes proprietary RT Audio which is a dynamic codec based on available bandwidth. LCS/OCS/Lync utilizes a mediation server to convert back to G711 for PSTN calling. Would be nice to see them natively support HD Codec like 722 to federate with other service providers without needing a transcoding solution knocking it down to a narrowband codec.

Cheers,


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From: asterisk-bounces at muug.mb.ca [mailto:asterisk-bounces at muug.mb.ca] On Behalf Of Sean Walberg
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 10:36 AM
To: John Lange
Cc: Asterisk SIG
Subject: Re: [*] Fallout of Skype purchase from Microsoft

Skype's advantages, IMHO:

1. It just works. No firewall problems, NAT headaches
2. Everyone has it. I have friends that don't have (or use) Google chat. They all have Skype
3. It's easy to use. I taught my mother in law to use Google chat so we could do video calls with the kids. Getting the plugin installed was a pain. And I've had occasional conflicts with GoToMeeting.
4. Skype has better video and audio quality. There are some labs features that improve Google, but I notice that Skype is much better. Plus it integrates screen sharing and conferencing.

If Microsoft wanted to buy a VoIP client, they would have written it themselves instead of spending $8B on it, or would have entered a licensing deal with Skype or one of their bajillion competitors.

Sean
On Thu, May 26, 2011 at 9:29 AM, John Lange <john at johnlange.ca<mailto:john at johnlange.ca>> wrote:
Personally I've always failed to see the appeal of skype since it's
something that could be replicated using other voip related tools with
the added benefit of being tied to a larger database of potential
users that you could reach.

For example, google voice does exactly the same thing and I'm sure
there is probably a face book app and all kinds of other services that
will be challenging their business especially for mobile devices. If
Microsoft decides Skype is going to be a proprietary tool to boost
Windows in some way, which seems likely given the cancellation of the
Digium contract, it will fail.

All of this is further evidence that Microsoft is beginning to slide
and can't seem to figure out what to do.

And word today that Skype is "down" world-wide.

John

On Wed, May 25, 2011 at 11:00 PM, Dan Keizer <ve4drk at gmail.com<mailto:ve4drk at gmail.com>> wrote:
> Hey Bill -- sounds like a plausible explanation.
> An interesting twitter post by Ward (aka nerdvittles) indicates that
> Skype-Asterisk integration for free personal use is coming back ...
> Dan.
>
> I just got an email from Digium stating that Skype for Asterisk will not be
> available after July 26. The existing customers will be supported till July,
> 2013.
>
> I assume this is a fallout of the Microsoft purchase, perhaps Microsoft
> wants
> the ability for SIP to Skype gateway to be an exclusive feature for their
> own
> Communicator product.
>
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> Asterisk at muug.mb.ca<mailto:Asterisk at muug.mb.ca>
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>
>


--
John Lange
www.johnlange.ca<http://www.johnlange.ca>
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Sean Walberg <sean at ertw.com<mailto:sean at ertw.com>>    http://ertw.com/
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