Instant Messaging and voice chat

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This article/section is a stub — probably a pile of half-sorted notes and assertions some of which may well be wrong, and not verified as a whole. Feel free to add or refine.

Linux

  • GAIM (most IM networks)
  • Kopete (most IM networks)
  • Pidgin (most IM networks)
  • Skype (Skype network)
  • Gizmo

Mac

  • Adium (most IM networks)
  • iChat (most IM networks)
  • Pidgin (most IM networks)
  • Skype (Skype network)
  • Gizmo

Windows:

  • MSN messenger
  • AIM messenger
  • ICQ
  • Pidgin (most IM networks)
  • Trillian (most IM networks)
  • Miranda (most IM networks)
  • Pandion (XMPP/Jabber)
  • Skype (Skype network)
  • Gizmo


Cross-platform:

  • Meebo (web-based)
  • Psi
  • SIM-IM


[edit]

Voice chat

This article/section is a stub — probably a pile of half-sorted notes and assertions some of which may well be wrong, and not verified as a whole. Feel free to add or refine.

The simplest way of voice chat and possibly simultaneous video (not always well-synchronized) are instant messenger programs such as MSN and Yahoo. However, this forces people to use this particular messenger, network, and in many cases Windows.

One alternative, to voice chat at least, is the relatively well known Skype. It has versions for windows, Macs and linux, is free between computers and and allows call-in from and call-out to regular phone networks in various countries - which are local calls so almost always cheaper than international phone calls using a regular phone.

A technically more open alternative and near-equivalent is Gizmo, which has the additional feature of using SIP, meaning you can integrate it with hardware backends, existing VoIP-style networks like internal company or university networks or personal house networks (often based on Asterisk or something like it).


SIP-style internet calling:

  • Open source Asterisk as either a software-only or full-featured hardware-backed PBX
  • What looks to be Gizmo's default network, its own, though since Gizmo is SIP and open, it can interface with existing campus, company and personal networks, e.g. asterisk-based ones.


SIP soft-phones:

  • Gizmo project under windows, linux and mac (with call-in, call-out)
  • X-lite, a free version of X-Pro (from xten, now counterpath) used to be the only free softphone, but has a truly weird interface and is a little odd to configure. If gizmo works with asterisk and has its own network, I see no reason to use x-lite.
  • Gnophone and other more OS-restricted solutions


Regular phones via adapter:

  • Basically a broadband-using box that connects your regular phone to a VoIP provider that gives you connections to both the regular phone network and.
  • Variations include phones that plug into your network directly


Non-SIP voice chat:

  • Skype is quite useful but proprietary (has windows, linux and mac versions, call-in and call-out)
  • The of course entirely workable MSN voice chat, Yahoo voice chat, Google Chat, etc. Having your IM contact list already is of course quite useful.

Group chat:

  • http://www.ventrilo.com/
  • The free Teamspeak for a conference call idea, originally developed for team communication in gaming. Windows and linux. (It does need one central server, with enough bandwidth to serve all clients.)


Quality, volume/noise behaviour Landline calls OS support SIP
Google talk good no Windows client,
others can support/connect 		no (*)
Skype okay yes Windows, mac, linux no
Gizmo okay yes Windows, mac, linux yes
MSN messenger Windows no
Yahoo messenger Windows no
Gnophone Linux yes

(*) ...but a future version might.

Of course, SIP means cross-platform calls are possible anyway.

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