Shock threat to shut Skype

Anchor · 07-31-2009, 12:52 PM

This one caught my eye.

Quote:

eBay says it may have to shut down Skype due to a licensing dispute with the founders of the internet telephony service.

The surprise admission puts a cloud over the 40 million active daily users around the world who use Skype for business or to keep in touch with friends and far-flung relatives.

A recent study by market researcher TeleGeography found Skype carried about 8 per cent of all international voice traffic, making it the world’s largest provider of cross-border voice communications.

The online auction powerhouse bought Skype from entrepreneurs Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis for $US2.6 billion in 2005, but this did not include a core piece of peer-to-peer communications technology that powers the software.

eBay has since been licensing the technology from the founders’ new company, Joltid, but the pair recently decided to revoke the licensing agreement.

The matter is now the subject of a legal battle in the English High Court of Justice, with eBay trying to force Joltid to let it continue using the technology.

...

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz...0731-e3qe.html

Anchor · 07-31-2009, 12:54 PM

Is skype too useful for us? Is it too hard for unsophisticated governments to monitor?

Does it lack sufficient ability to mine for personal information?

What is wrong with ebay/Skype that means that a simple licensing deal cant be worked out?

A..

Steve_A · 07-31-2009, 02:48 PM

Hi Anchor,

I shouldn't worry about this one too much. If Skype shuts down there are a whole host of other service providers out there. It's been reported that Skype covers 8% of internet telephony. That leaves a whopping 92% to exploit. Yahoo! Messenger, MSN, Net2Phone..... and Google Voice (comming soon) the list goes on.

Just Google "Free internet telephony".

Best regards,

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchor

This one caught my eye.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz...0731-e3qe.html

DoctorWho · 07-31-2009, 09:36 PM

I have Gizmo as a backup.
Bill "the Doctor"

Anchor · 08-01-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_A

Hi Anchor,

I shouldn't worry about this one too much. If Skype shuts down there are a whole host of other service providers out there. It's been reported that Skype covers 8% of internet telephony. That leaves a whopping 92% to exploit. Yahoo! Messenger, MSN, Net2Phone..... and Google Voice (comming soon) the list goes on.

Just Google "Free internet telephony".

Best regards,

Steve

I am not worried

07-31-2009, 12:54 PM	#2
Anchor Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 2,280	Re: Shock threat to shut Skype Is skype too useful for us? Is it too hard for unsophisticated governments to monitor? Does it lack sufficient ability to mine for personal information? What is wrong with ebay/Skype that means that a simple licensing deal cant be worked out? A..

07-31-2009, 09:36 PM	#4
DoctorWho Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central, IL Posts: 395	Re: Shock threat to shut Skype I have Gizmo as a backup. Bill "the Doctor"