Re: [orca-list] contacting skype users

[Michael Whapples <mwhapples aim com>]

Hello,
Firstly you're brave bringing this up considering what some say on this
topic. I will try and keep this balanced and factual.

There is a version of skype for Linux, but as it stands it isn't
accessible using at-spi. It might be possible to get some functionality
through custom scripts interacting with skype's public api, but this
isn't really a truly accessible solution as what functionality you get
will be specific to orca rather than any access technology using at-spi.

So if we proceedd with this as if scripts aren't to be written (there
are various reasons why Orca developers and others don't want to do
this, partly hinted at above and discussed in much more detail in the
past), we will need another system. You asked whether any other Linux
app can contact skype users, and this is also another area of conflict,
but the short answer being you can't. (the reason is that the skype
protocol is not open so developers of other apps can't use it because
they have no way of freely finding it out)

Now what I would suggest. You used the term voice conferencing, which
doesn't just mean skype (although it might to many people), so you could
use a system using a free open standard where a choice of windows or
linux clients are available. Unfortunately I don't know enough about
VOIP clients to know what is available on each platform, but from what I
understand ekiga supports the h.323 protocol commonly known as the
netmeeting protocol, and also it supports SIP which is supported by many
clients. May be your group would consider using one of these systems
(recommending a client for those who may find the choice daunting), but
allowing those who want/need the choice to have the choice.

Is this helpful to you?

Michael Whapples
On Sun, 2008-03-09 at 06:21 +0000, Michael Weaver wrote:
> i am very new to voice conferenceing so i don't know anything 
> about voice applications such as skype or any of the other linux 
> or windows applications although i have used msn to do keyboard 
> chat.  i am aware that a while ago on this list there seemed to 
> be some heated discussion about skype not being accessible with 
> orca or that it isn't a priority because there are other linux 
> apps.  i don't want to end up ruffling any feathers so to speak 
> on the subjecct but a group of us in my local area have started a 
> group to lease if you like between different blind organisations 
> and try to provide services ie it training etc and none of the 
> group at the moment apart from me use linux.  one of the things 
> they are wanting to do is to use voice conferenceing so we don't 
> have to awl meet formally and the chairman and vice chairman are 
> wanting people to use skype.
> if i am not gothe to be using skype are any of the linux 
> alterantighes ie ekiga able to contact skype users?
> i ask this because i did have windows running on my desktop only 
> spyhunter has put all applications out of action and i have not 
> been able to fix it when i got a trojan on my system and tried to 
> use spyhunter to remove it and it keeps uing up with a security 
> message for the spyhunter guard or something so i am just using 
> linux and my braillenote for internet access and email at the 
> moment and i have not yet been able to encourage my group to use 
> linux although it is something i have offered to help teach the 
> basics of if we were to provide it training but the group is only 
> interested in teaching  windows screenreaders such as jaws and 
> nvda etc at present.