Okay everyone, while i was browsing 4chan/g/ when i came across a thread about something called Tox. In Lieu of the recent NSA malarkey, developers from reddit and 4chan have decided to build a P2P replacement for skype with IM, Video calls, audio calls and file transfers.
The goal of this project is to create a configuration free P2P Skype replacement. Configuration free means that the user will simply have to open the program and without any account configuration will be capable of adding people to his friends list and start conversing with them. There are many so called Skype replacements and all of them are either hard to configure for the normal user or suffer from being much too centralized.
It is still currently under development but when finished, it will be an ultra secure form of communication.
Personally, I have been helping out making sounds as I have no knowledge of coding soa anyone on here that feels like its time for Skype to step aside or feels that privacy is the most important aspect to online communication, feel free to get involved whatever way you can.
I strongly wish that this program eventually becomes popular because currently I hate the fact that I depend on skype just because everyone around me uses it. Skype itself it is a good thing but I hate what microsoft has done to it.
I doubt it will ever be on even footing with it though.
This looks great. I've become overly dependent on Skype for communication, but if Tox becomes a thing and i can actually convince my friends to switch, I actually couldn't think of something better.
I will however, reserve more judgement until I can actually use the thing and see if it's even good.
It's for OSX, WIndows and Linux - thought I'd add as this is posted in the Windows section
That client is just one popular mockup. There are several clients being developed by different people as the "base" and the client are separate. You can run different clients with Tox. Whether it'll stay like this, or come with a client bundled in for simplicity hasn't been decided as it's early stages.
If you're a developer, the project can really use your help. Most of the current developers are using Linux. There should be sufficient help on the github, and you can find the project on IRC - freenode.net #InsertProjectNameHere (literally that name, not #ProjectTox)
This does look promising. I've held out on using skype after hearing the value they apparently don't place on privacy and discretion. If this meets expectations I think I'll definitely be adopting it.
One note for the developer. Although some people are comfortable using source and compiling programs, 98% of the world can't do it nor be bothered to learn.
If you want people to use your software, paste the EXE, DMG and DEB packages on the Download page and leave the Git Repo to the tinkerers and contributers.
I'm not raising this because I don't want to compile it, I'm raising this as almost all of the people on my Skype contacts list do not even know how to spell "compile" which kind of makes this program worthless to me.
I don't think you've quite understood. This project isn't anywhere near being done, like I stated in my post. It's still being developed ergo the lack of executables/packages.
The aim is to make it as user-friendly as possible, with your general PC user in mind and not power users.
1. What you mean is JavaScript not Java. Big mistake. Veeeery big mistake. It shows how much you know.
2. WebRTC is not written in JavaScript
3. WebRTC is not a program (means it is not code in any form)
4. WebRTC implementations are mostly written in C or C++ depending on which implementation you look at
2. WebRTC is not designed with complete privacy and protection. It has also had issues in the past
1. WebRTC uses a encryption standard at the implementation level (http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5764) which uses a Diffie-Hellman key exchange. That's some proven und verified encryption.
2. A new WebRTC draft requires the implementation to verify an identity.
3. there is no "past" for WebRTC, it's new hot shit
What you mean is JavaScript not Java. Big mistake. Veeeery big mistake. It shows how much you know.
Im not a programmer, I really couldnt care less
This is a quote from the website "WebRTC is a free, open project that enables web browsers with Real-Time Communications (RTC) capabilities via simple Javascript APIs". Thats where i got javascript or as i said "java"
WebRTC is just a browser messenger. Tox is an installable application. I dont understand how you fail to see the difference here.
Regardless, we are here to talk about Tox, we can sit and list alternatives all day, the merits of this are that it is a free, open source installable application voluntarily built by people from the community with video calls, audio calls and messaging. It is basically torChat without the trouble and with a nice GUI for non power users such as myself.
You can package a webbrowser (e.g. WebKit) plus the HTML and JS into an installable application if you want to.
I think youre missing the point of tox though, its supposed to be extremely accesible and require no configuration
99% of people will not do what you just said because its too much work. Why not just get a program that already did this for you and has a much better GUI as a result
