Re: [Sheflug] Video conferencing/Webcam Program for MSN

[Lesley Binks <lesley.binks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wonkey Donkey wrote:
<snip>
> The thought that keeps coming to mind is this:
> 
> If you (we) (whoever) took the best bits of Kmess, Kopete, Ekiga etc and put 
> them all together in a single program, we really would have an MSN 
> compatible program to be proud of.
> 
Ages ago, when using Windoze, I used  MSN Messenger.  I have since
fallen out of using anything other than irc as an online chat mechanism.
 One of the problems was that MS kept altering its 'protocols' so that
the program needed updates and the only way to keep in contact with
Messie mates until the updates became available was by booting up into
Windoze again.

> Right now, it doesn't feel that way. And of course, its difficult to brag 
> about an all singing all dancing free OS that does everything (and more) 
> than MS does, and with so much more style too.
Well, I'm quite happy with what I have but then I don't use a lot of
technology - just usb for the digital camera.  I haven't even tried to
sync my Sony Ericsson mobile phone under either Linux or Windows.  I use
 a real address book made of dead trees and a fountain pen and I
periodically write things down in the address book.
> 
> This, I think, is one of those key areas where we currently lack prowess.
Which we is this?
> 
> When I look at OS options, regardless of vendor, I always consider the 
> following as minimum requirements:
> 
> Decent web browser
> Decent email client (that supports multiple accounts)
> Media player (That supports mp3 and dvd playback)
> Instant messaging (Including video-conferencing/webcam support)
> Office tools (At least document/spreadsheet/presentation support)
> 
> And the following which are not 'must-have' but 'would-be-nice':
> 
> Database support in common formats
> A good customisable interface to the OS as a whole
> DVD/CD/Optical media utilities
> A good file management system
> 
> That is, of course, me speaking from a personal perspective.

Well, I'd put a decent file system up at the top of the list.  If I want
to watch a movie or listen to some music I have a DVD player in the
living room attached to my TV where I can sit and watch the thing in
comfort.  Likewise I have a very nice pair of B&W 580's to listen to
music on and they are not connected to the computer.  I tend to use mine
as a tool not an entertainment centre although I do play music CD's on
it ore stream down audio while I'm working.

> 
> The open source world, to my knowledge, has most but not all of these 
> things. I stick with it because I get more and more disappointed at the 
> whole MS approach, and because once we achieve these things, I believe that 
> the open source movement will surpass the likes of Microsoft. (In some areas 
> it does already, just not quite enough).

> 
> These are my own opinions, and from my perspective as an end-user looking 
> for a suitable desktop alternative to the MS way.
Yes, as an end-user the idea of taking various programs and grabbing the
best bits out of them probably seems quite reasonable.  As a developer
the issue is perhaps to pick the project most likely to provide the
least amount of work to reach target and work on that.

There probably are developers working on getting webcam support working
and there are probably a lot of projects that almost do it but they
haven't quite cracked it yet.

Eventually they will.

Regards

L.

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