inquiring mind
2011-05-17 11:22:37 UTC
I don't have to pick up a Motorola phone to speak to another Motorola user and then pick up a Nokia phone to speak to someone with a Nokia. I don't have to have 4-5 different phones to talk to people, why should I have to have 4-5 different programs and jump between them just to speak to people online??
So I've decided to get rid of them all: Skype, Yahoo, QQ, everyone. I'm going with an open system accessible to all, just like the phone system. One ID, one program.
But it's unfamiliar territory for me, and I don't just need advice for myself (a semi-pro Windows & Linux user) but also easy options to recommend to family, friends and co-workers on Windows and Mac.
I need advice on which service to use. I see there are two open ones: SIP & XMPP.
And I need advice on which program to use to access whichever service.
Must-haves: PC-to-PC voice calls, video calls, IM, see online contacts, message saving, works on Windows.
Nice-to-haves: File transfers, calls to regular phones, calls to mobile phones, easy to use, stable, low-memory requirements, options for Linux/Mac.
Any guidance appreciated.