Originally posted by Scottyee:
Dave, Good question. For instant text messaging, MSN remains my #1 software choice, but Unfortunately (at least with my computer), MSN Messenger's voicephone feature won't work unless I disable/lower my PC Firewall settings, which is a risky proposition at best. Skype, on the otherhand, allows you to keep your PC's Firewall turned on (mine is: Norton Personal Firewall) & set at full security.
This happens because Skype does not use the same networks as MSN/other communication software. It uses p2p (peer-to-peer) networks [the ones used in Kazaa, for example] and they seem to allow amazing quality standards (particularly good because of rare or in many cases inexistant interruptions). I have been using it to keep in contact with friends in the USA and Canada (fixed phone, not PC-to-PC) at much lower rates than the ones practiced by the companies operating in my country (unfortunately the fixed phones market is in practice a monopoly, in POrtugal, preventing the prices of communications to be lower).
New forms of collaboration over broadband internet are one of hottest and most promising fields in this moment. Stay tuned in the progresses we will see in a near future!
Those interested in voice over internet might like to read this article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4254399.stm -- José.
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