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Re: [orca-list] why Skype works in Ubuntu 15.04

I agree with most of what you say, but I think you miss understood part of what Storm is saying. He is saying that only about 1% of people who can't use his alternative or won't use it are worth talking to. I think I'll go on a post my on hold reply to this conversation although I don't think this is the place for getting on a soapbox as well because it highlights use cases that have not been brought up yet for not getting rid of and or boycotting skype. Skype is a pretty damned good program in many ways, and yes far from perfect in others. Part of the issue here is that skype has achieved critical mass, and it would take years for its importance to wane to the point where it is not a must have for a lot of computer users under just about any scenario. Of course in 10 years it's possible that the kids coming online will see skype as irrelevant, i.e. folks may think of skype like they think of myspace now, but I'd not bet on that. Skype is used by schools, businesses and private individuals in the hundreds of millions. It's not just for bored folks to raise their "skypeme" flag. Add the fact that Skype is integrated with other apps and services that are not going away any time soon, and one starts to get the big picture. 

     B.H.
   Registerd Linux User 521886

On 14/05/15 09:41 PM, Christopher Chaltain wrote:

talky.io is a great solution. I just wish this list could be more
about solutions, answering people's questions and helping blind people
be successful and less about preaching one way of doing things or one
philosophy.

Just because one person feels only 1% of the people who use Skype are
worth talking to doesn't mean that's true for everyone. For me, it's
closer to 30%, and I know blind people who are asked to interview for
jobs using Skype. Just because I'll use a proprietary application
because it's better than the free alternatives or I'm required to do
it for my job doesn't mean I'm not working on and promoting open
source solutions. Using a proprietary application in this case isn't
the same thing as running back to proprietary crap at the first sign
of a glitch.

Just because one person has the belief and the ability to turn down
jobs with organizations that use applications like Skype doesn't mean
that's the right answer for everyone. I've worked for several large
companies with large IT organizations, and they're not going to change
the solutions they've settled on and rolled out to their large
organizations because of my opinion. I've been very fortunate to work
in the software engineering field my whole career, I've had some great
jobs, influenced a lot of people and products and made a very good
living. I've made lives better for blind people at the companies where
I've worked. I can't imagine any of this would have happened if I'd
drawn a line in the sand and said I won't work for companies that use
these products. I don't feel like I've sold out, and I'm proud of what
I've accomplished.

What works for someone isn't going to be the right answer for
everyone. If someone asks a question, and you can help out, then go
ahead. Don't use every question as an opportunity to get on your soap
box in lieu of offering practical solutions for blind people looking
for real world solutions to problems their facing. You're not going to
make me feel inferior because of the choices I've made to be
successful, so don't waste the list's bandwidth trying.

On 05/14/2015 11:20 AM, Storm Dragon wrote:

Hi,
Lol what's the point in being involved with free software if you just
run back to the proprietary crap every time there's a glitch? I don't
use skype, I won't use skype, end of story. In all honesty, it's not for
the whole proprietary issue, but the lack of skype accessibility in 64
bit Linux. x ASure there's people who wonn't accomidate by switching to
something free that I can use, but in 99.9% of cases those people really
aren't worth talking to anyway. In the other .1%, there's
http://talky.io. Surely even the most computer newbie can open their
browser and type in an address. If not, they probably don't need to be
using said computer... lol. Oh, and talky doesn't require installing
anything. So, if you can skype, you can talky. Hell, even if you can't
skype you can talky, all you need are headphones and a mic.
Storm
On Thu, May 14, 2015 at 10:55:46AM -0500, Alex Midence wrote:

Again, the key word here is "have to" not "choose to."  Some people
need to use it whether they want to or not.  I'll give you a use case:

There is a service out there for people interested in learning a
second language that, in turn, provides employment to teachers in
other countries.  The way it works is, you sign up for a given
language like ... say ... Vietnamese.  You then are assigned an actual
native speaker as a tutor in Vietnam itself who is going to sit with
you over video chat and coach you through your lesson for a small fee
like $10 per course.  (Ten bucks goes a long way in some countries.)
The kicker is that this service relies on Skype for you to communicate
with their people.  They won't use Ekiga, Linphone or whatever other,
to them, obscure and unknown service out there.  If you are a teacher
hired by this firm, what do you do?  Do you say:  "No, I'm sorry, have
my paying students use Ekiga if they want to talk to me.  Send them
the instructions and documentation on how to use it please." Nor
could the prospective students get stubborn and boycott them because
they use a non-free chat servic
e to deliver the courses they offer.  If you do that, you cheat
yourself out of an inexpensive way to study the language of your
choice with a native speaker.

It's all well and good to tell people about all these free software
alternatives out there but, just turning your back on well-established
products that the rest of the world uses is not the anser. Aunt Betsy
and uncle George want to skype with you, not Ekiga with you. Finding
a way to make it happen seems more productive to me.

Alex M
-----Original Message-----
From: orca-list [mailto:orca-list-bounces gnome org] On Behalf Of Dave
Hunt
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 10:32 AM
To: orca-list gnome org
Subject: Re: [orca-list] why Skype works in Ubuntu 15.04

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Hash: SHA256

I don't use the non-free stuff.

On 05/14/2015 11:22 AM, Alex Midence wrote:

What do you do if you have to use the non-free stuff?


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_______________________________________________
orca-list mailing list
orca-list gnome org
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Visit http://live.gnome.org/Orca for more information on Orca.
The manual is at
http://library.gnome.org/users/gnome-access-guide/nightly/ats-2.html
The FAQ is at http://live.gnome.org/Orca/FrequentlyAskedQuestions
Log bugs and feature requests at http://bugzilla.gnome.org
Find out how to help at http://live.gnome.org/Orca/HowCanIHelp




_______________________________________________
orca-list mailing list
orca-list gnome org
https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/orca-list
Visit http://live.gnome.org/Orca for more information on Orca.
The manual is at
http://library.gnome.org/users/gnome-access-guide/nightly/ats-2.html
The FAQ is at http://live.gnome.org/Orca/FrequentlyAskedQuestions
Log bugs and feature requests at http://bugzilla.gnome.org
Find out how to help at http://live.gnome.org/Orca/HowCanIHelp
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