Voice over IP communication network
VoIP allows you to make voice communications(like phone call) using a computer network, over a data network like the Internet. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the internet then converts it back at the other end so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number. They require a PC microphone and speakers, or an affordable PC headset. There are several VoIP software. Ventrilo and Skype are two popular ones.
Skype and Ventrilo
Skype works like MSN but deals morewith voice commnication. You will have a friend list. You can either use it as instant meseging. you want to talk to them, you can just double click and it works like a phone . In short ,it let you talk to your friends all over the world. It's free in normal PC to PC communication. You can have 5 people talking in a group at the same time. It's very easy to install. Recently EBay Inc. (www.ebay.com) has agreed to acquire Skype Technologies .
Ventrilo ,on the other hand, is a comercial software that provides better quality, and is up to at least one hundread people to talk in a group (depends on network connection). To use ventrilo, you have to set up a server for your group unless someone let you use their server for free.
Goal and Target
Skype is amining to be the Global Telephony Company. Skype's goal is providing a simple, reliable and friendly communications tool that works for people to communicate with friends, families, and colleagues more flexibly, more cost effectively. On the other hand Skype is expanding to new platforms, including mobile devices and handsets. You will be able to use Skyping on phone home.
Ventrilo was first design to use with online games.It can be used for in an enterprise environment as a productivity tool for conducting long distance group discussions. The Ventrilo server could be setup for people who share a common interest or business. This also helps when using group collaboration programs that don't provide any kind of voice communication support. It can be use as home personal applications like talking to friends and family, or playing organized online games where Voice Comm can make them more exciting and productive.
Community
I use both software. I use skype to talk to friends and family. For me, it's the best solution for cheap and quality convbersation. I can talk to my parents in Taiwan and it's almost no delay. The network of Skype easily connects indivisual friends and family. On the other hand, most Ventrilo users for business or specific interests group . Online game communities use ventrilo heavily. I have several years online gaming experiences, and it's very suitble for the instant group talk. When you play online game, Ventrilo provides excellent cordination and very high interactivities. Some friends even connec the PC speakers to their home audio system so that they know what's happening in the virtual world in real time. The The conversation on skype is just like like we talk on the phone. The conversation on Ventrilo server area always wild and crazy. I am interested in seeing Ventrilo could be used for more interactive comunities . You can always use Ventrilo as a more reliable form of IRC without the hassles to setup a real IRC client.
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