-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256
I'd like to propose that Jitsi be considered as the default messaging, VoIP and webcam client for the next major Debian release (jessie). This would mean it is installed by default in a desktop install and it is the default handler for sip: and xmpp: URIs. Currently, Empathy is installed by default There are several reasons I am suggesting this and it is possible that Empathy could address some of them before the release freeze in November but we should be completely prepared to go with Jitsi if they continue to be the leaders in this area. * Google dependency: Empathy is hard-coded[1] to use Google media relay (TURN) servers for NAT traversal. It can't be configured to use a TURN server on a Debian server, even though we have three TURN servers packaged for our users. This means that when Google shifts the goal posts (as they already did, ditching true XMPP to promote Google hangouts[2]) or when they have a service outage[3] then Debian's users are left high and dry. There are also privacy concerns, Google themselves report a 120% increase in the amount of data they officially and knowingly give to their government[4]. Jitsi supports any user-specified TURN server for XMPP and they plan to support TURN for SIP too. * Convenient NAPTR discovery. Empathy does not autoconfigure itself with services (such as Debian.org's own SIP proxy) that have NAPTR records in DNS[5]. With Jitsi, this just works. * WebRTC integration (calling from browsers to Jitsi desktop). This depends on new media stream features (e.g. DTLS-SRTP and AVPF) that are not supported in Empathy yet[6]. * ZRTP - peer to peer encryption, like PGP for VoIP. Once again, it has been in Jitsi for ages but is not in Empathy[7] * Upstream. Both Empathy and Jitsi upstreams are very good developers. Jitsi seem to have an edge though. Just look at how quickly they turned out the JitMeet multi-party video conferencing solution[8] for WebRTC browsers - it is a phenomenal achievement and delivered in good time to help free software gain traction in the emerging WebRTC space before any vested interests try to monopolize the technology. The whole real-time communications (RTC) space is very important for free software in general. If it fails to work conveniently and reliably, the peer pressure of family and friends pull people back into dangerous non-free solutions. Some of these solutions are a threat to the whole concept of free software on mainstream desktops. With all the recent attention on communications privacy, there has never been a better time for Debian to try and fill this gap with a solution like Jitsi on the front-end and the various free SIP/XMPP/TURN servers in the back-end. To put it simply, the Jitsi team are blazing a trail in this area and a Debian initiative to install Jitsi on every desktop will give them more momentum and ensure more people can talk to each other in line with our agreed definition of freedom. 1. https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=704234 2. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/05/google-abandons-open-standards-instant-messaging 3. http://www.cnet.com/news/outage-hits-google-talk-hangouts/ 4. http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-26786593 5. https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=736149#10 6. http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/telepathy/2012-June/006122.html 7. https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=589778 8. https://jitsi.org/Projects/JitMeet -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.12 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Icedove - http://www.enigmail.net/ iQIcBAEBCAAGBQJTN94bAAoJEOm1uwJp1aqDRkgP/0jKZ2GfrIIxTy70p8b5PFDo e9KKTkDTEINpwAdeyP2BpX5BLTEtuzgRZh+AQi7HZHbPAfCq8Cf24FjJfQyY0AgC jDpzuX05ahNExPbpWOW4OGwinJ4S3kaPG5/o/IQC66y9tUdH0Lrh8AIvmvEgIJ9j K0Nb669heMCdrn77ihbk9MtJlGvCE1KVOnrg+SrQLSEE1HsXk8iTXlyoGfE2T/ho 24PxrKwhnjFoojIe0c2f/cMTMOL3prHyndYZB/Q86AiKExCow+6WtSwzb3po153i USHFS/e+lA1+GquJXYiJq1FMUB+HiPaLer241yodqr7R5mqSD4igiF7/oQzywYId OcxjqaLZVGxcqd5s+hmv2vCf3FXC21uDeBULZYP6TulELPGK1i6EJPpg0JqiWZbD rE8Zs1a9W0zLOamc6jpMMx/rMC1Pml00Y69ek/c1uXW3YfxaEsiyV4cv+i99XU5B hkkmQf5DbV+P3nQqblIkNPTydWlN/spsaLitWQsfr0cG3l4ZH+zCHKoNVl87g7Sy CCv8FsnyhJy2wOdB//1OreDRmNK28UWwv+GM3Kf2/BI9oylbBmGbN8q3luy8KlQd NHAledDQ0c2xEnCK0VF5NtOCQyY+cQriPcTUt1MSpq+m2mnqYj40VqBiDJITf/zz xF+ESMftdl5n0cqmMNQJ =UwwC -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-devel-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: https://lists.debian.org/5337de1f.9000...@pocock.pro
