Bob Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Jeff_W wrote: > > > Hum; but is it better? They claim to be able to offer the service > > to dialup clients as well - not just broadband users. > > Define "better". Is WMV better than MPEG? Is RealAudio or AAC > better than Ogg? Is Windows better than NetBSD? AOL better than > Willamette.NET? eBooks better than text files? > > Currently, there is an open standard for VoIP and a bunch of small > players. There's no natural monopoly as long as the bulk of users > stay with the open protocols. If a critical number of people adopt a > closed protocol, a natural monopoly will develop because of Metcalfe's > Law. Then VoIP will be screwed.
for the curious: Metcalfe's Law: The usefulness, or utility, of a network equals the square of the number of users. I think "better" in this case is "does the product perform better than comparable products?". If Skype has superior sound and transmission and is easier to use than I'd say it was better. Skype doesn't claim that you can use their product with other similar products; I have no idea if FWN's product does either. As for sticking to standards I suspect there isn't much point to it in the early stages of development or if the existing standards have a limiting effect on performance improvement. If what Skypes is doing turns out to be significantly "better" it'll probably become the standard, no? _______________________________________________ EUGLUG mailing list euglug@euglug.org http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug
