Posted on 07/17/2006 11:27:48 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Stealth firm plays reversi with VoIP code
Chinese software developers have reportedly reverse engineered Skype's internet telephony software to develop a clone. The unnamed company has developed a software client using the same protocol and encryption technology used by Skype. This software, which is still in the early stages of development, was used to call Charlie Paglee, co-founder of Voice over IP startup Vozin Communications.
Although the software lacks features that indicate whether someone is online or instant messaging technology, Paglee reports that the mystery firm involved plans to add these features (along with stability improvements) and release a stable version of the software by August. The development paves the way for the possible creation of third party Skype clients.
In April, VoIP firm Skype admitted that its Chinese partner (Tom Online) filters instant messages sent using its software to comply with local censorship laws. The Chinese authorities might take a dim view of a locally produced client that omits these features, regardless of the ethical arguments over the production of a "knock-off" clone. On the other hand, as Paglee notes, Chinese telcos might welcome the possibility of licensing locally produced VoIP technology that allows them to claw back revenue lost on international calls to Skype's officially sanctioned version of its software.
In a statement, Skype played down the possibility that the development of third party Skype clients might affect its business. "Skype is aware of the claim made by a small group of Chinese engineers that they have reverse engineered Skype software. We have no evidence to suggest that this is true. Even if it was possible to do this, the software code would lack the feature set and reliability of Skype which is enjoyed by over 100 million users today. Moreover, no amount of reverse engineering would threaten Skype’s cryptographic security or integrity," it said.
Ping
Spoke at length and for free with a buddy in Uruguay yesterday using Skype.
The sound quality was very good!
Back in the Old Days (circa 1983) I remember some overseas operator having to flip a switch back & forth between both sides of the conversation when calling there. That, and the call cost an arm and a leg.
We've come a long way.
Skype Code swipe gripe called tripe hype...........
I hope Skype highers a bunch of grade A hackers and does maliciouse things to this rip off. If the commies don't play by the rules and steal tech, why should Skype play by the rules and do everything to scew over the coppycat.
Not very familiar with skype at all. But I have a big problem with communists mooching our tech.
With that attitude, you'll never work for the govt. :)
How about back when you had to go to the post office to make a long distance phone call?
You are SO dating yourself, Gramps.
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What about when COMPAQ reverse engineered the IBM PC BIOS? Had COMPAQ not done that it is very likely the current computing landscape would be much different.
Actually, I'm only 27 but I remember having to do this in Western Samoa. I'd visit my grandmother, and in order to call my parents in American Samoa, we'd have to drive to the nearest post office to make the call. They updated their phone system not much afterward, and we were able to call from the home phone and go through the operator. Now one can direct dial.
But it is still very expensive.
Is/was COMPAQ a company based in a foreign communist country? I think I can say I don't know as much about the history of computer development, but that still sounds kinda shady what COMPAQ did. Was it completely legal or did they break the law?
It was completely legal - companies reverse engineer their competitors products all the time.
Why should it be wrong or illegal to take apart a competitors product to see how they work?
"I get tired of commies mooching our tech."
"With that attitude you'll never work for the government."
Bwahahahahahahaha! Excellent post.
See the SCO Unix versus IBM lawsuit for that answer.
If the code is substantially similar, you have a problem. If not, you don't.
It's that simple.
It is tiring isn't it?
But I imagine that the real purpose behind the Chicoms reverse engineering Skype isn't to compete but to crack the network for censorship and surveillance purposes.
Good God! Back in those days you'd pick up your "best gal" in the "jalopy" and "paint the town red" at a speakeasy, huh?
Wasn't long distance back then defined by "can't get there in 2 hours by horse."
"With that attitude, you'll never work for the govt. :)"
Maybe I can settle on a big corp. who makes military weapons. I want out of retail.
For some reason, that reminded me of the Shrap calculators I once saw for sale...
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| The Museum Plagiarius in Berlin houses 150 knock-off products, each paired with its "inspiration." The pairs are not exact matches (note the right-hand calculator is a "Shrap"), but they are very close. |
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