While well-known as Canada's capital and, for hockey fans, as home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, the Ottawa region has transformed itself over the past quarter century into Canada's high tech capital (dare I say Silicon Valley North?). Ottawa is headquarters for Mitel, Corel, and Versatel Networks (amongst others), hosts significant facilities for Nortel, JDS Uniphase (the JDS part), Alcatel (formerly Newbridge Networks) and a major Dell support center, and is a breeding ground for many high tech startups, especially in the telecommunications sector. Under the sponsorship of OCRI,  Ottawa is the site of a new conference - Voice 2.0: beyond telecom - a week from Monday (October 16).

"There is a great need for a venue where practitioners at the forefront of building next-generation communications networks and applications can get a broad perspective on the changes in telecom," said Ross MacLeod, Voice 2.0's conference host. "Voice 2.0 will provide an environment where attendees can share experiences that will speed the adoption of leading technologies and practices in the sector."

As one primer check out Alec Saunders post: Voice 2.0 A Year Later.

Skype Journal will be there and reporting on the activities. Check out the agenda. If you are interested in attending you can register via their website. (Hint: check out Terry Matthews' Brookstreet Hotel. They serve a great Sunday brunch if you arrive a day early and want to work in some pre-conference golf.)

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Jaanus Kase. Skype's Chief Blogging Officer who visited Phil in Oakland, is also the Chief Skype Forum Officer and has recently completed leading the transition of Skype's Forums to a new platform that provides both visible and backend improvements resulting in a much more resilient and secure forum ecosystem. Key issues included login protocol, security and anti-spam measures. So what's changed? From Jaanus' Announcement: Welcome to the new Skype Forums post:

Here are the most important changes.

• separate forum logins discontinued - you now use Skype Name
• new forum platform - means more security, less spam, new features
• layout and skin changes - you can now use the Skype Emoticons and Skype My Pictures
• admin team reorganization - see below, "Who's who"
• structure changes

The most important "first use" change is the "Identity Re-claim" process for transitioning to using your Skype login information as the login to the new forums. But it's effectively the usual Skype login web page process; you do need to think about what you want to use as your Forum Display Name (which is independent of your Skype Name and becomes your identity on Skype Forum posts). The details are on the Announcement page linked above.

Jaanus, on his personal blog, has written a much more detailed description of the more than year-long process his Skype team went through in identifying problems with the previous php-BB-s platform, determining the objectives of the "forum remake", deciding on a new platform (Invision Power Board) and then executing on the transition in as seamless a manner as possible. In addition to making the change in login protocol, the most important considerations was to not lose access to three years of user feedback and passion. Makes for an especially good read if you're involved in managing a similar user forum.

Our congratulations to Jaanus and his team for such a successful transition. And may the user passion continue to be expressed!

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Last week Microsoft cranked up the hype machine and had lots of people wondering if their announcement today would be something approaching earth shaking.  In the end it turned out to be about the consolidation of several communications related servers, such as Exchange and Live Communications Server, onto on Office Communications Server, available in Q2 2007. It was announced today so that IT and communications managers can start to plan architectures, hardware requirements and budgets for its implementation shortly after availability. Fundamentally it is a server product with clients that could potentially replace PBX's. But at what cost in revamping resources, redefining business processes and defocusing an enterprise's primary business strategy.

Two good posts I have come across:

Alec Saunders has an indepth perspective as both a former Microsoft product manager and a potential competitor to iotum's Relevance Engine. But, as Alec says:

When the announcement came, it was a damp squib. Microsoft will rename Exchange as Communications Server, and add telephony features to Communicator, and other products. It's an integration announcement, as opposed to a dramatic new direction -- a reprise of the 1993 announcement that created Microsoft Office out of Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Interestingly, this tactic may backfire for them this time around. Today there's much more focus on open standards. The idea that you must buy all of your infrastructure from a single vendor just isn't palatable for many companies today. Certainly, that is the view expressed by TMC's Tom Keating in his coverage of today's announcements.

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At a session on business opportunities for the Skype API's this afternoon. Charles Carleton, CEO of Jyve.com, gave a presentation on the recently launched Jyve Pro service. In the ensuing Q&A he commented on how his business relationship with Skyp. Key elements of Jyve Pro:

• Jyve Pro allows "experts" to charge for services delivered via Skype, such as music instruction or provision of personalized technical support.
• Jyve Pro is linked into payment systems such that revenue can be obtained via, say, PayPal regardless of whether it is a metered or fixed rate service.
• Jyve Pro manages sessions, tracks usage; it can be embedded into a website or weblog.
• Jyve Pro also includes a Directory listing available services by categories.
• Also available are evaluation/feedback forms and reporting features to provide analytics on usage.

Jyve has been known for developing presence and chat tools whose functionality have since been incorporated into Skype.  But they developed these tools as a precursor to developing the Jyve Pro service only because they were not available in Skype at the time; they did not see them as building a sustainable business. Charles made two key points in response to a Q&A question that came up:

1. Jyve Pro's ultimate value is provided through their aggregation of service providers (under their current beta program they already have 600); this is where they provide a unique, difficult to replicate service.
2. While they currently depend on Skype as the delivery vehicle, there is no reason they cannot migrate the service to MSN, Yahoo and/or Google should either the Skype relationship sour or one or more of these players become as relevant a player as Skype in the Voice 2.0 space.

Important points to keep in mind if you are looking to partner with Skype:

1. It's the customer partners and uniqueness of the service that builds value
2. Look for services that be can be readily migrated to other delivery vehicles.

This is no different from the experience 15 to 20 years ago where a variety of DOS utility products came and went because the utility publisher focussed on the technology (which often was often eventually incorporated into a Microsoft offering) rather than building a sustainable business servicing its customer base.

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Lots of developments in preparation for the Toronto mesh Conference:

Mark Evans reports on the selections for 15 Minutes of Fame. They're "giving three people a day 5 minutes each on stage to talk about their ideas, their companies or themselves."

Mark also reports on how they have organized this conference with no budget largely using web-based communications via the blogosphere. (I think he meant to say they have been able to "sell a whole bunch of tickets".)

Matthew Ingram expands on how Web 2.0 is rewriting the rules for the marketing business and how, with appropriate credits to Seth Godin, their success has turned out to be the result of using the web to "create a relationship, a dialogue -- a conversation".

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Here's three Skype products that aim to enhance your Skypeing experience that leaves me questioning exactly what I'm buying with Skype Certified. The three products are the VoSky Chatterbox, Jawbone Headset and the Motorola Wireless Interenet Calling Kit. Each provide a different angle on bettering the standard Skyper's headset and as you might expect each has their pro's and con's.

VoSky Chatterbox.

This simple USB device provides an easily portable plug and play speakerphone for Skype. It's simple to use and requires no additional software to be loaded. It has a volume and mute button on top and works probably as expected, as a low cost speakerphone. I'd liken it to the solution we had as kids when we could finally plug in a speakerphone box between the old phone and the whole family sat around. In principle great, in practice it left something to be desired. The Chatterbox is a little like this. It works. It's also no substitute for a decent headset. The caller on the other end of the line will know and possibly complain. Handsfree solutions curently work better with a good set of speakers and a proper stand mic. Locate them correctly and the caller won't get a any feedback. Many laptops work as good as the Chatterbox. If you feel the need try it. Just don't expect it to be a Polycom and ready for the office. For kids it may be more robust than a headset - read youngsters talking to Grandma.

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Skype Gift Certificates came out of beta testing yesterday. You can use your Skype credits to pay for someone else's Skype products.

While they make fine holiday gifts, there are a few limits in this early release. Not everyone can buy a gift certificate: you must be a Skype user, your account must be in good standing (at least with Skype's credit department), you must have been using your Skype account for three months, and you must use Euros as your Skype money setting. You don't need your giftee's permission, but they do need a Skype account. [note to self: work on the London branch of the family to get on Skype.]

When you give a gift, you get a 3% rebate. This is enough of a margin that some people and companies will probably become resellers of Skype Gift Certificates, at least for people who trust them. At least one company is experimenting with this, so a new channel of distribution for Skype may be on the way.

This release of Skype Certificates and Skype Groups is an important milestone for Skype. It paves the way for elegant and rich business and technical architectures for commerce. Edge commerce (pay a dollar for my time or my file), reputation management, currency arbitrage, dispute resolution, identity services, and market making. All with web services and APIs for developers to build Skype's commerce into their own sites, software, and gadgets.

Short term, this could wind up booking purchases of Skype products to eBay's Fourth Quarter. Since they are prepaid services, I don't know if the money received goes on the books as revenue or debt. The SkypeOut TOS says Skype will refund money if asked. Does Skype get to keep unclaimed money? Or does Skype only get to reflect the revenue when a service is consumed or a prepaid account is abandoned?

See also:

• Skype's announcement
• Bill Campbell's first take on their announcement
• Skype Gift Certificate FAQ
• Skype Gift Certificate forum
• Skype Journal articles on commerce
• Skype Journal's translation of the SkypeOut Terms Of Service

Deal done. Retail VOIP in the offing? Views later.

eBay has agreed to acquire Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration.

Skype generated approximately $7 million in revenues in 2004, and the company anticipates that it will generate an estimated $60 million in revenues in 2005 and more than $200 million in 2006. For Q4-05, eBay expects the acquisition to be dilutive to pro forma and GAAP earnings per share by $0.01 and $0.04 respectively. For the full year 2006, eBay expects the transaction to be dilutive to pro forma and GAAP earnings per share by $0.04 and $0.12 respectively, with breakeven on a pro forma basis expected in the fourth quarter of 2006. On a long-term basis, eBay expects Skype operating margins could be in the range of 20% to 25%.

The acquisition is subject to various closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Full text of news release...

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I don't know what is wrong with people...
i put my status skype me, and in my profile i say: I am on air on the radio.. if u wanna listen ok.. i can't answer calls!
They made my PC freeze!
I swear!
People calling..., asking if i liked sex, even after i told them i was on air on my radio... i swear... people sending weird invitations!
In my profile is nothing that gives the idea of me having cyber sex...
Please guys... try to be more respectful to girls!
A female is not only for sex, try to like her for her mind, thoughts and ideas... not her "being female".
I AM MAD....

This comment, among many others, from one angry lady in the Skype Forums spurred me to experiment with and explore this area some more. I switched on SkypeMe at my profile, and waited. In the short span of 10 minutes, I got 4 requests for authorisation, had 4 calls, and 3 chats. With guys mainly from Africa and Asia. All getting personal real quick, some wanting me to move over to MSN, asking for photos and webcams, pretty much all after my body. In fact, I ended up interviewing one caller and he told me he was at the office, and usually spent half an hour from 9.30- 10 am looking for female company. He had made many women friends in China and Vietnam. Most of the calls however terminated when I told them I was merely interested in researching this area!

It felt a bit like hanging out in a chatroom - except that I didn't get pinged by bots. As a medium too, I felt less in control, as I couldnot lurk or watch others.

In contrast, Stuart who was experimenting with me, got 1 authorisation request from a male conference call with doctors in England, within the time.

Makes me wonder whether the SkypeMe indicator tag attached to a 'female' profile somehow suggests a new form of phone sex. The discussion at the forum indicates this.

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Skype said it will be re-launching their Software Developer Program, SDP, this month. They have 2 days to go! Please hurry!

Since I was the first member of the SDP eight months ago I can say this is a much-needed upgrade. Skype continues to innovate. But the real long-term innovation engine will be driven by an ecosystem of global software and device developers. Small, like Khaoslabs in Toronto, Canada, with the two genius Kevin’s (Kevin 1 and Kevin 2) who we work with, and large, like Motorola.

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There are frequent requests in the forums for chat messaging that originate on websites or forums.

Here is an example of a Skype Chat solution that enables you to activate your website to send chat notifications. I presume it is working by using a Skype client (see this paper) and then sending the message to any destination.

There are some big downsides with this approach. As you can see one can send an anonymous message to any Skyper. Put this format on your site and spammers could delight in sending messages. There are other solutions in the works that will cure this problem. I'm an advocate for experimentation. This one just needs a little more development time before it hits prime time. Still another example you can learn from and find ideas for whats coming.

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Lenn Pryor posts his first post in the Skype Forums and immediately gets some good questions and pointers. He's added some questions on his blog. I'm going to think about them and answer them. I'm certainly curious about his definition of "developer"?

I will be working on all kinds of cool stuff on our product management team. One of those things is making sure our Skype Developers Program and API are just rockin and giving you what you need to be successful in using Skype to help enhance your application or to even build a new business around Skype. Afterall ... sharing is good Wink

I will be working with Mat Taylor, whom many of you have already spoken with in this forum. Right now I am trying to wrap my head around everything that we need to do to really build a top notch program and API to support you. I mean, I want to build something that makes you smile, makes all other developer programs blush with envy ... I used to run MSDN Online at one time, so I know a thing or two about this stuff. I also know just how hard and confusing this stuff can be when it gets too complex, too messy, and people stop listening. Skype Forums

We've had a lot of great feedback in the two months that Skype Journal has been going in this format. Plus some great suggestions for improvements --- some which are still coming. Well deserved Bill! Now where's the follow-up?

I just went through the "Learning Skype’s Plug-In Architecture" by Bill Campbell. Being in the software industry for 20 years, I take incomplete, hard to read, and poorly written documents for granted. This guide is none of that. It is easy to read without having too basic stuff or a lot of fluff. And I was even able to do things without having to put-on my geek hat. Thanks Bill.

Regards,
Vinay Agarwal

Skype Forum

Om Malik get's after me for not being more explicit about Skype's payment challenges. Skype Forum announcements last week and a Skype Help
update confirmed that US credit card payments are only available through Moneybookers. Moneybookers enables:

Integration is FREE - no set up or monthly fees.
Low transaction fees (as low as 1% capped at EUR 0.50).
All payments are made instantly
100% fraud and chargeback protection.
High payment security. MoneyBookers

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New Skype Forum user asks:

Question: Is there any unlimited minutes plan?
Answer: Yes - Skype to Skype. Talk as long as you like for free!

Here's the results of a test I was about to try now that Skype can record up to a 10 minute VM.

I added voice mail to a second Skype ID and while a second Skype ID would record me if I called it, I was unable to conference in a third person.... somehow the conference facility is "helpful" and will not let us conference in someone with a Skype ID if they are not online.

So much for indirectly being able to record Skype calls.

Perhaps when an area code becomes available in my area I could call another person by regular phone and also 3 way call in to Skype in? Boy it sure is hard to record Skype calls.

Skype Forum

Will Pate posts on "Why Skype Should Start Blogging". Should I ask or wonder why they need to start blogging when "we" blog Skype here? (Tongue in cheek!) I'd be more interested to see the advice for the companies that don't blog (eg Apple) and still have massive blogging support. What do you think? Should Skype go blogging? With the Skype Journal is there a benefit to Skype starting a blog? Plus who will share with our reader their thoughts on how Skype should handle the Skype Journal?

I sometimes find a Skype Journal entry emerging from what other write or are saying. So for "customer complaint" numbers rather than heresay evidence I looked for some insights in the Skype Forum. These numbers aren't quoted or looked deeply into when one looks casually at the Skype Forums and says... "wow lots of problems"

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Another gem from the Forum this week from a gem of a guy MadRaven.

Responding to angry calls to put call "Auto Answer" feature aback in the lastest Skype release MadRaven pointed out that the feature has not been removed, but simply moved.

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MiTunes (beta) is a SkypeAPI plug-in I've really been looking for. If you love iTunes and Skype then try it out. Simply it auto pauses and auto-resumes iTunes whenever you are on Skype. The program was created by Hans Blaaw who is creating a range of API enabled solutions at Skypeteer which include SMS solutions IE support. They are all in an early stage of development.

I installed MiTunes (requires Windows PC's and latest version of iTunes)and it docked with through API without any problems. It worked flawlessly until I received a second call while in a call which went to VM. It then assumed I had hung up and restarted itunes, so I was listening to both itunes and caller one. So that's a bug that still needs some work.

Get the download.

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