[Pidgin] #34: Voice/video support

[Pidgin]

#34: Voice/video support
-------------------------------------+--------------------------------------
 Reporter:  MarkDoliner              |        Owner:  seanegan 
     Type:  enhancement              |       Status:  new      
Milestone:  Voice and Video Support  |    Component:  libpurple
  Version:                           |   Resolution:           
 Keywords:                           |  
-------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

Comment(by morbidchimp):

 Thanks for the reply and I understand your concerns but the reason I chose
 to fork rather than try get involved directly are for the following
 reasons; If you still feels these concerns are invalid then I'll consider
 trying it the dev's way.

 Number One: I've 15 years Windows Development but in total I have less
 than 5 years C/C++ Development skills (over the course of 10 years). Since
 joining wholly the world of open source and ditching MS and the like I've
 found my skills in alot of areas lacking compared to the "hackers" in the
 GNU world. Mostly its because I have to unlearn alot of things I took for
 granted and partly because I'm so used to development in a completly
 different environment, so I'm learning as I go in alot of area's. Most of
 my experience in programming was using either Java or Borland Delphi, any
 C was able to do was few and far between because it wasn't needed for
 work. So where I see a way to implement something and I go about doing it
 that way I want to see results in a relativily short time, it may possibly
 not be the best way to do it - I'm results driven, not purity of method.
 For the moment anyway.

 Now given that and the experience the average libpurple and Pidgin
 development team has with cross platform programming, the libpurple
 framework as a whole and their experience with c programming itself I find
 myself more tempted to crash and burn on my own and make my mistakes as I
 go but where it works for my needs, use it. And should it work for someone
 else, then let them use it. Should someone else see that it could be
 implemented and used in libpurple itself then let them take it or contact
 me and I'll try my best to port it to libpurple

 NUmber 2: Also, given that pidgin/libpurple aim for cross platform
 compatibility and complete seperation of engine/protocols and API/GUI
 stuff and my own goals are much less grand I taught it better to start a
 fork because my own needs are much less limited and I dont want my own
 needs to step on the toes of others or waste anyones time rejecting
 patches that dont adhere to your general goals.

 A: It wouldn't be advertised or aimed at been cross platform (though it
 might work, we'll see)
 B: It wouldn't be advertised or aimed at some protocols (for video/sound,
 prob only specific protocols that i need to use)
 C: It may just become something completely different to what Pidgin and
 Libpurple are meant to be. Or an early evolution of something pidgin will
 eventually take over

 However, you made a few points that I wasn't aware of before I made the
 post.

 First:
 I wasn't aware of recents improvements to vv - this and I hadn't heard you
 were involved in the Gosc. and that there had been improvements to the vv
 lately will obviously change my plans.

 I'll check out the code and "get hacking!" as you say. I've only been
 doing some general reading on libpurple since yesterday and when I get
 back home (tomorrow) I'll download everything I need and take a proper
 look. I have some time off over the next two weeks, holiday plans are
 scrapped so I'm looking forward to just hacking.


 "I'm assuming Maiku can be tracked down in IRC if you have specific
 questions, to coordinate your efforts or figure out how to get your
 patches merged back in to the vv branch."

 I Have the feeling Maiku will be enundated with many questions. I'll try
 track him down and see whats happening and if I can help. I take it he
 knows the code very well by now and it may be that if our aims are
 similiar and I have the skills I can carry out some tasks and make some
 additions of my own.


 All that said, its really good to hear that someone has taken more than an
 passive interest in the voice/video area. This could open up in the future
 possibility for libpurple/pidgin to integrate possibly with some VoIP or
 SIP protocols too. Its not unreasonable to assume that once pidgin reaches
 the level of IM + Sound/Video that somewhere along the line someone will
 wonder why it doesn't integrate with VoIP/Sip and want that implemented
 too. Beyond the scope of this topic I know :)


 Thanks for your comment;

 CHeers,
 Ivan

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/34#comment:163>
Pidgin <http://pidgin.im>
Pidgin