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Gmail voice/video chat now on GNU/Linux

DPic [PersonRank 10]

Friday, August 20, 2010
13 years ago12,050 views

Wo0t. http://googletalk.blogspot.com/2010/08/use-linux-now-you-can-video-chat-too.html

WebM? Kthx.

TOMHTML [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

/o/

Mrrix32 [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

:O

I'd given up hope on that. Thanks Google!

DPic [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

No source =[

Ionut Alex. Chitu [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

If you don't release a Linux version of a popular software, some Linux users complain that you don't care about their operating system. If you release it and it's not open source, they'll complain that it's not open source. After years of work, when the software is finally open sourced, they'll decide that the software is not that great anyway and they won't use it.

DPic [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

>>If you don't release a Linux version of a popular software, some Linux users complain that you don't care about their operating system.

What's your point?

>>If you release it and it's not open source, they'll complain that it's not open source.

What's your point? Of course the software should be free. They aren't even selling it. They could have just opened the development in the first place, and have us do all the work of porting it to all major platforms.

>>After years of work, when the software is finally open sourced, they'll decide that the software is not that great anyway and they won't use it.

That would be a terrific failure. Why would they need to wait until the software is useless to make it free? There would no longer be a demand for code if there were already better free options. Free software isn't about giving software away once it's no longer profitable. That would be stupid. Free software gives software users freedom and control over their own computing and it is sustainable because it is a shared asset.

You've made an argument that basically condemns users for demanding the freedom which they (imho, rightfully) feel they deserve, and which is needlessly kept from them, and yet you have not made an argument as to why it should be kept from them other than the fact that they want it (and then are forced to wait until the software is obsolete before they get it).

Juha-Matti Laurio [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20014617-265.html?tag=topStories1

DPic [PersonRank 10]

13 years ago #

<<This is the likely culmination of Google's work to integrate Gizmo5's similar product, which it acquired late last year, into its arsenal.>>

So they're finally using Gizmo5 to bridge Google Talk and Google Voice!?!? Yes!

<<Users of the new chat/phone call service aren't required to have a Google Voice account, and calls placed to U.S. or Canadian numbers will be free, with discounts on international calls as compared to standard rates>>

Wait, they're not bridging them? WTF?

This article is weird....

<<Google has been edging in this direction for some time. Google Talk was released years ago as a VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) desktop client>>

Right, right.

<<But a Web-based VOIP client--which is what the new service appears to be--is another matter entirely. >>

What? No. Gmail chat could already do the same things Google Talk could, and more. What's new is that they're going to be able to call real phone numbers.

My one wish is that they continue using open protocols XMPP/Jabber and SIP for real telephony stuff. I expect that users *will* indeed need to sign up for Google voice, the registration for which is now open.

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