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Anyone using Skype?


Mush

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Yup, I'm a member. Haven't actually used it yet though because:

:)

A: None of my friends have it

B: Because of how my sound card works, one socket functions for mic level and line level in, and my TV card is plugged into it and I'm too cheap to buy USB phone.

/ :)

 

Heard nothing but good things about it elsewhere on the net.

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It works really well.

 

But be aware of the license agreement which you must sign up to.

 

Skype, at present, contains no spyware or malware.

 

BUT..... it comes from those nice people who brought you KaZaA, which was notorious for deliberately introducing nasties.

 

The license says:

4.1 Permission to utilize Your computer. In order to receive the benefits provided by the Skype Software, you hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilize the processor and bandwidth of Your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between You and other Skype Software users.

However, their interpretation of this can be fairly liberal - if your machine gets elected as a "supernode", it may provide services to other skype users and you are not involved. We once set up a Skype system, and monitored connections to it from around 20,000 machines - mostly in asia - over a 24 hour period.

 

And more worryingly:

12.1 New versions of the Agreement. Skype reserves the right to modify this Agreement at any time by providing such revised Agreement to You or by publishing the revised Agreement on the Skype Website. Your continued use of the Skype Software shall constitute Your acceptance to be bound by the terms and conditions of the revised Agreement.

 

ie "you have agreed to this license which allows us to basically do whatever we want on your computer. Today we don't do anything nasty. But we can change this license at any time, without explicitly telling you, and you agree to agree to the new terms (whatever they may be......)"

 

Or maybe I'm just paranoid...

 

Bruce.

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Yup, I use it. Only started to do so recently, but very impressed so far.

 

The license says:
4.1 Permission to utilize Your computer. In order to receive the benefits provided by the Skype Software, you hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilize the processor and bandwidth of Your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between You and other Skype Software users.

However, their interpretation of this can be fairly liberal - if your machine gets elected as a "supernode", it may provide services to other skype users and you are not involved. We once set up a Skype system, and monitored connections to it from around 20,000 machines - mostly in asia - over a 24 hour period.

I noticed that, too, when I was reading through the Skype support forums on their site. From what was said, I get the overall impression that it isn't really anything to worry about - and also that if, like me, you're behind a router with NAT, then you're never going to become a node, so no worries for me on that score! :)

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Aye, and if you lock it down to the vital ports open only, then even less to worry about. Just wondering if the could add "By using this software you agree to give over ownership of your car to us" to the licence and still have it valid. They wouldn't even need to notify you.
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