Any thoughts about Skype?

[tw]

Originally Posted by squirell nutkin

I had verizon dsl for a while and it was more expensive than cable for comparable speed. It was problem prone, verizon customer service was the worst I've ever encountered, and after several hours of speaking with half a dozen minions from all over the world, I finally got them to send a lineman out who told me that they never installed the gazinta into my box, AND because of the way the lines ran to my house, I would never achieve the stated speed, it wasn't possible, he said.

Verizon techs have incentived to not roll a truck.

In one location, the line had no -48 volts. For all, any line connected to the CO has a constant -48 VDC - a connection to a battery. If not, wires are disconnected somewhere. But Verizon techs (in America) just do not get it. One said, "What does that mean?" Others kept switching me back to the telephone people. I could hear a large hum on that wire which also means a completely defective line that only a lineman can fix. And the DSL light would not light - also means no connection. In 30 seconds, the entire problem identified. Anyone even with 'battery and light bulb' knowledge could understand what was wrong.

Instead, these techs only understood their 'procedure'. Had me change the connection from computer to modem/router to learn if the computer could talk to that modem/router. Obvious: problem was on the other side (telco side) of that router. But the procedure did not understand something simple like "No DSL light". Techs were not taught how to think - could not "follow the evidence".

They only understand a checklist and will do anything to not roll a truck. Even when every fact provided said that only a lineman could fix it.

Five days later, we finally got a truck rolled. I learned to call at 1 AM so as to get someone in Asia. Well, the lineman arrived, located no wire connection in 90 seconds, and eventually found the broken wire inside the CO.

But its not really Verizon. A battery is inside the CO. That battery voltage appears on wires in the house. No voltage? Then the battery is disconnected. But that is too complex for many people when Verizon will not even teach them basics. Phone support get rated on the rediculous - such as less truck rolls.

In Vietnam, those same people measured performance with body counts.

[squirell nutkin]

You are preaching to the choir, tw.

I'm convinced that what will bring down this nation is the worship of "the bottom line."

I've seen too many cases a half dozen perfectly good parts are replaced because "the tech" had no analytical abilities what-so-ever.

[tw]

Originally Posted by squirell nutkin

I'm convinced that what will bring down this nation is the worship of "the bottom line."

You may believe that. But my experience; a majority of others remain in denial.

I ask this often. What is the purpose of a company? Something well above 75% of the time - the answer is "profits". A majority are still that deceived.

In another example long before you arrived - I indentified General Motors as a defective and anti-innovation company over a generation ago. Did so by viewing their products. How many knew that buying a GM product 20 years ago only contributed to American economic harm? I believe many today are still in denial.

Hell, GM still does not have a real hybrid yet. Clinton gave them $millions to design one in 1994 - and still they cannot sell one. And still so many have been in denial for so long as to buy GM products.

You would think many finally understood that bottom line accounting is destructive. I believe so many are still in denial. Virtually every Cellar dweller has read my GM criticisms for years if not decades. I don’t see anyone saying, “I did not believe it then. But now I do.”

[classicman]

I like skype - works great for a number of applications - when traveling to see ill relatives is not possible, or for homesick kids away at college, people that moved away from their families. . . Heck its a great way to get in touch with old friends and call them "old" Works for me anyway.

[Lamplighter]

Resurrecting an old thread for all you/us co-conspirators out there...

RedOrbit
Lee Rannals
7/24/12

Did Microsoft Give Skype The Ability To Snoop On Calls?

Microsoft is stuck in another swarm of controversy again,
with reports claiming that it now has the ability to spy on its users via Skype.<snip>

Skype has been known in the past to go on record saying it could not
conduct wiretaps due to its “peer-to-peer architecture and encryption techniques,”
which has effectively frustrated law enforcements who have wanted to use the service for their benefit.

However, since its May 2011 Microsoft purchase, the language Skype uses
to answer questions about whether its technology is used for wiretaps has changed.
Microsoft has switched some of the peer-to-peer network technology
to work on its dedicated Linux servers instead, making it easier to “wiretap” conversations.<snip>

However, a December 2009 Microsoft patent application describes
“recording agents” that legally intercept VoIP phone calls.
The patent application is said by Slashdot to be one of
Microsoft’s more elaborate and detailed patent papers.
“The document provides Microsoft’s idea about the nature,
positioning and feature set of recording agents that silently record
the communication between two or more parties,” Slashdot shows in a post.
This patent was granted to Microsoft a month after Skype was purchased, in June 2011.

Ryan Gallagher of Slate wrote that when he tried asking Microsoft whether
it could facilitate wiretap requests, it would not confirm or deny the question,
saying that Skype “co-operates with law enforcement agencies
as much as is legally and technically possible.”

[BrianR]

That's not really surprising. Privacy is long gone for most of us already.

Wait a year or two and someone will invent a better mousetrap via VoIP scrambling software and watch what happens.

It's all moot anyway, if the NSA can do what it is rumoured to be able to do.