The Skype Protocol Was Reverse-Engineered

[FreeBooteR69]

I think a better solution is here:

https://sites.google.com/site/webrtc/

Sure being able to contact the Skype network sounds nice, but that leaves the monopoly still in control of internet telephony.

[mendieta]

I have dozens contacts in skype. They don't care if I use a skype client or what. They just "see me on" and ping me. Or I ping them. And then you probably talk on the phone.

Interoperability with skype at the IM level is great, because you could potentially talk to them with IM, and send a video request over google's new video over a browser thing
http://ostatic.com/blog/google-relea...as-open-source

You just tell them "click here to do a video call", a client that talks through the skype network could do that

[Richie]

First the RAR format (http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/f...rv3-extraction) and now Skype...
It seems the last bits of widespread proprietary protocols/file formats can be finally implemented in open source software. Hopefully we will have support for both in any standard Linux distribution next year (or maybe in two years) just like ICQ support is built-in in any chat program.

[Richie]

First the RAR format (http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/f...rv3-extraction) and now Skype...
It seems the last bits of widespread proprietary protocols/file formats can be finally implemented in open source software. Hopefully we will have support for both in any standard Linux distribution next year (or maybe in two years) just like ICQ support is built-in in any chat program.

[benmoran]

We can't rely on reverse engineering, Skype can break current protocols at anytime...

I think that's a valid concern, but maybe they can't. I mean, there are a ton of Skype enable devices around, such as the Logitech Skype Wifi phone I have (and never use). While they can certainly make improvements to make people want to upgrade, I don't think they can abandon old protocols entirely.

In any case, I'm still looking forward to ditching Skype one day.

[oibaf]

First the RAR format (http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/f...rv3-extraction) and now Skype...

Unfortunately the RARv3 code appears not to be what hoped by the FSF...:
https://wwws.clamav.net/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=2907