[SLUG] Scarborough, Fintan Gaughan has invited you to try Google Talk.

[Martin Webb]

john at johnallsopp.co.uk wrote:

>>Fintan Gaughan wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Google Talk is a downloadable Windows application that lets you send
>>>instant messages to your friends and make free phone calls over an
>>>internet connection.
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>Skype also is a downloadable application with similar functionality.
>>It
>>works with Linux.  I've used it for a long time.  It's good.
>>    
>>
>
>What's the story with compatibility? Incompatible presumably? A lot of
>my clients use Skype, so to talk to them I'd use Skype (if I spoke to
>them at all .. most comms is email). It currently feels like the first
>one in wins, in which case, it's Skype. But will the Google name win
>out? And if it does, where was Microsoft when this was going on /
>isn't Google using the same brand awareness muscle that MS would use
>to win in a market against a 'young upstart'? I suppose there's
>nothing wrong with that.
>
>Oh, and a) you only get calls when your PC is on, b) presumably you
>have to be at your PC to make/receive calls, c) I've received echoey
>Skype calls and I've been cut off.
>
>J
>
I've found echoey Skype calls to be down to mixer/sound card settings at 
one or both ends of the call.  CD volume is favourite (CD volume needs 
setting to 0, and Record from CD box needs unchecking), but there are 
others: interestingly, I think I uncheck record box for mic as well.
Read somewhere (apologies, don't remember source) that Google now has 
such vast financial resources that it is having to do something with 
them.  The first thought was to buy out Skype, but Google hasn't gone 
that route.  However, same article foresaw danger of Google becoming 
Microsofty (sounds like a small ice-cream), as John also foresees above.
Martin