Hey there,

Skype is closing down and I'm looking for a replacement that works on
a desktop PC (with Windows 10, Ubuntu 2022) without requiring a
smartphone.

I checked WhatsApp and Telegram and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then
dependent on their smartphone install.

Is there any application similar to Skype that does not depend in any
way on its installation on a smartphone?

Thanks a lot!

frank

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On 28/02/2025 21:41, frank_n_2017 wrote:

Hey there,

Skype is closing down and I'm looking for a replacement that works on a desktop PC (with Windows 10, Ubuntu 2022) without requiring a smartphone.

I checked WhatsApp and Telegram and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then dependent on their smartphone install.

Is there any application similar to Skype that does not depend in any
way on its installation on a smartphone?

Thanks a lot!

frank

Microsoft Teams:
For Windows: <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-teams/compare-microsoft-teams-home-options>

For Linux: <https://github.com/IsmaelMartinez/teams-for-linux>

For US Residents: <https://voice.google.com/about>

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On 2/28/25 05:54 PM, Jim wrote:

On 28/02/2025 21:41, frank_n_2017 wrote:

Hey there,

Skype is closing down and I'm looking for a replacement that works on a
desktop PC (with Windows 10, Ubuntu 2022) without requiring a smartphone.

I checked WhatsApp and Telegram and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then
dependent on their smartphone install.

Is there any application similar to Skype that does not depend in any
way on its installation on a smartphone?

Thanks a lot!

frank

Microsoft Teams:
For Windows: <https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-teams/compare-microsoft-teams-home-options>

For Linux: <https://github.com/IsmaelMartinez/teams-for-linux>

For US Residents: <https://voice.google.com/about>

You can use a web browser to get into Google Voice, so does it with with the mic?
I have a laptop.

--
Linux Mint 22.1, Cinnamon 6.4.8, Kernel 6.8.0-54-generic
Thunderbird 128.7.1esr, Mozilla Firefox 135.0.1
Alan K.

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On Fri, 28 Feb 2025 22:41:01 +0100, frank_n_2017 <frank_n_dale@yahoo.com>
wrote

I checked WhatsApp and Telegram and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then dependent on their smartphone install.

Is there any application similar to Skype that does not depend in any
way on its installation on a smartphone?

I am not sure about Telegram having to be previously installed on a phone
first before it can work on Windows. I think it just needs the phone to
verify that you're you. It works on Windows once you verify that data.

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On 28.02.2025 22:41, frank_n_2017 wrote:

I checked WhatsApp and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then dependent on their smartphone install.

But that's no disadvantage. The smartphone doesn't need a SIM
card, you can even use an old tablet (with at least Android 5)
with only WLAN (but you need a phone number where you at least
can receive a phone call to verify the account). Then you can use
WhatsApp on 4 additional devices (PC, smartphone, tablet) which
are automatically synchronized. I think it is even possible
to install WhatsApp in an Android emulator running on a PC
and then do a direct install on the PC as one of the 4 additional
devices.

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frank_n_2017 wrote:

Hey there,

Skype is closing down and I'm looking for a replacement that works on a desktop PC (with Windows 10, Ubuntu 2022) without requiring a smartphone.

I checked WhatsApp and Telegram and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then dependent on their smartphone install.

Is there any application similar to Skype that does not depend in any
way on its installation on a smartphone?

Thanks a lot!

frank

I use both Teams and Zoom for work, W7 and W10.
Sometimes I dial in using my old flip phone if the web connection is
bad, otherwise I use one of my comps, never a smart phone.
I don't remember if I had to give them a phone number or not.
Don't know if they work with Linux.

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A group of us older computer club members have been using a free program
called Jitsi Meet. Like Zoom we initially setup a meeting URL of our
choice we are then able to keep using it every week with out needing to
create a new one for every meeting. People can share screens and so on.

You can setup multiple URL's for various family groups or what ever
group(s) you like.

Then all you do is Email/text the URL to members of that particular
group along with a time to connect.

You can have as few as 2 people or as many as you can conveniently
connect to. One example is a teacher talking with say 30 remote
students or more.

The connections to the devices are all end-to-end encrypted and secure.

Unlike some programs Jitsi does not have a meeting time limit when using
it for free.

We have people who use Jitsi on their phones in order to join a Voice or
Video call and intermingle with those on their computers. Both Android
and apple phones as well. With the Jitsi meet app installed tablets and
such also work just fine.

The website for this program can be found at; https://jitsi.org/

On 2/28/2025 3:41 PM, frank_n_2017 wrote:
Hey there,

Skype is closing down and I'm looking for a replacement that works on a desktop PC (with Windows 10, Ubuntu 2022) without requiring a smartphone.

I checked WhatsApp and Telegram and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then dependent on their smartphone install.

Is there any application similar to Skype that does not depend in any
way on its installation on a smartphone?

Thanks a lot!

frank

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On Sat, 1 Mar 2025 01:23:19 +0100, Herbert Kleebauer wrote :

I checked WhatsApp and found out that the installation
relies on their previous installation on a smartphone. It works then
dependent on their smartphone install.

But that's no disadvantage. The smartphone doesn't need a SIM
card, you can even use an old tablet (with at least Android 5)
with only WLAN (but you need a phone number where you at least
can receive a phone call to verify the account). Then you can use
WhatsApp on 4 additional devices (PC, smartphone, tablet) which
are automatically synchronized. I think it is even possible
to install WhatsApp in an Android emulator running on a PC
and then do a direct install on the PC as one of the 4 additional
devices.

I am usually the last person to recommend something from Meta,
but one great thing that WhatsApp does is it allows 'clear' videos from
Apple owners.

When the great grandchildren were born to Apple owners, all we received
from them daily were blurry videos until we bit the bullet to install
WhatApp on Android.

The result was clear videos plus video phone calls with the twins.

There may be other programs that supply clear videos from Apple owners, but
the problem will be it has to be something that Apple owners will install.

It turns out that Apple owners typically have no problem installing Meta software, so it's really the only solution to the Apple video problems.

However, if there is a better solution, I'm all ears, but Apple owners have
to be OK with it - not technically astute people like most of us are.

BTW, as a privacy aside, you can't get this privacy with Apple, but on
Android you can use a separate WhatsApp Dialer which preserves your
contacts (which then don't get uploaded to meta's mothership servers).
"WhatsApp Dialer" lets you start a chat with any number
without needing to add it to contacts!
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.applaud.wabi.wa_dialer>

Drat. I just checked. It's not there anymore. Luckily it still works.
There's also this (which I have successfully used in the past):
"Click to Chat"
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trianguloy.openInWhatsapp>

Did you know you can open a chat in WhatsApp with any number without saving first into contacts by entering it on the search box inside WhatsApp?
<https://faq.whatsapp.com/1183494482518500>

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On 01/03/2025 07:42, Larry Wolff wrote:

On 3/1/2025 2:27 AM, GlowingBlueMist wrote:

A group of us older computer club members have been using a free program
called Jitsi Meet.

Jami too!
https://jami.net/download-jami-windows/

Had to go to the online manual to find out what Jami is

"Jami is a free/libre, end-to-end encrypted and private communication
platform that requires no central authority.

Jami’s features include: text chats, voice and video calls, screen
sharing, file sharing, conference calls, and group chats. Jami can also function as a regular SIP client.

Jami works on GNU/Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Multiple
devices can be linked to a Jami account, and no personal information is required to create an account.

The Jami project is led by Savoir-faire Linux Inc. – a
Canadian/Québécois GNU/Linux consulting company – and is supported by a global community of free software enthusiasts, users, and contributors.

Jami is free software and an official GNU package, developed and
distributed under the GNU GPLv3+ license."
- https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/introduction.html

--
Regards
wasbit

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On 01.03.2025 08:55, Marion wrote:

Did you know you can open a chat in WhatsApp with any number without saving first into contacts by entering it on the search box inside WhatsApp?
<https://faq.whatsapp.com/1183494482518500>

or open the link: http://wa.me/phonenumber

For example, to chat with ChatGPT use: http://wa.me/+18002428478
(just enter the link in Firefox and it opens WhatsApp)

And always open a chat to yourself. This is an easy way to
transfer text or a picture between your PC an your smartphone.

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On Sat, 1 Mar 2025 13:55:56 -0700, ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ wrote :

Teams
Zoom
WhatsApp
Discord
Signal

I try to maintain a working library of apps suggested on this newsgroup.
Is this the full list yet?

zoom
<https://zoom.us/download>

jami
<https://jami.net/download-jami-windows/>

jitsi
<https://desktop.jitsi.org/Main/Download#stableline>

whatsapp
<https://get.microsoft.com/installer/download/9NKSQGP7F2NH?ocid=sideload_experiment_test>

telegram
<https://desktop.telegram.org/>

msteams
<https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-teams/compare-microsoft-teams-home-options>

discord
<https://discord.com/download>

signal
<https://signal.org/download/windows/>

Note: Is it really nearly impossible to find a no-login offline installer
for MS Teams (I found the combination of bootstrapper & setup & msix only).

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On Sat, 1 Mar 2025 21:29:20 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :

I try to maintain a working library of apps suggested on this newsgroup.
Is this the full list yet?

Is this a good list yet of all the free similar voip apps on Windows?

3CX:
A software-based PBX (Private Branch Exchange) that provides unified communications, including voice and video calls, instant messaging, and web conferencing. It's primarily aimed at businesses.

Chanty:
A team collaboration tool offering messaging, voice, and video calls, with integrated task management features.

Discord:
Popular for community communication, especially among gamers, providing
voice, video, and text chat with server-based organization.

Ekiga:
An open-source softphone that supports SIP and H.323 protocols, enabling
voice and video conferencing.

Element (formerly Riot):
An open-source, decentralized communication platform built on the Matrix protocol. It offers encrypted messaging, voice, and video calls.

Google Voice:
A telephone service that provides a U.S. phone number, call forwarding,
and voicemail services, accessible via various devices.

Jami:
A free and open-source communication platform focusing on privacy,
offering decentralized messaging, voice, and video calls.

Jitsi:
An open-source video conferencing platform emphasizing privacy and
security, allowing for free and easy online meetings.

Linphone:
An open-source SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) phone, allowing you to
make voice and video calls over the internet. It's often used by those who
want more control over their communication setup.

Microsoft Teams (MSTeams):
A business communication platform integrating chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration.

RingCentral:
A unified communications platform providing cloud-based voice, video, and messaging services for businesses.

Signal:
A privacy-focused messaging and calling app with end-to-end encryption for secure communication.

Skype:
A long-standing communication platform offering voice and video calls,
instant messaging, and file sharing.

Slack:
A team collaboration platform with channel-based messaging, file sharing,
and voice/video call capabilities.

Telegram:
A messaging app with a focus on speed and security, offering encrypted
chats, large group support, and file sharing.

Viber:
A messaging and calling app with voice and video calls, known for its user-friendly interface and global reach.

Webex:
A business-oriented platform for video conferencing, online meetings, and
team collaboration.

WhatsApp:
A widely used messaging app with voice and video calling, known for its simplicity and end-to-end encryption.

Wire:
A secure collaboration platform with end-to-end encryption, offering messaging, voice, and video calls. It's designed for both personal and professional use, with a strong emphasis on privacy.

Zoiper:
A softphone application for making voice and video calls over IP networks.
It supports various protocols and codecs, making it compatible with many
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services.

Zoom:
A popular video conferencing platform used for online meetings, webinars,
and virtual events.

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On 3/1/2025 2:27 AM, GlowingBlueMist wrote:

A group of us older computer club members have been using a free program called Jitsi Meet.

Jami too!
https://jami.net/download-jami-windows/

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On 2025-03-01 08:27, GlowingBlueMist wrote:

A group of us older computer club members have been using a free program called Jitsi Meet.  Like Zoom we initially setup a meeting URL of our
choice we are then able to keep using it every week with out needing to create a new one for every meeting.  People can share screens and so on.

You can setup multiple URL's for various family groups or what ever
group(s) you like.

Then all you do is Email/text the URL to members of that particular
group along with a time to connect.

You can have as few as 2 people or as many as you can conveniently
connect to.  One example is a teacher talking with say 30 remote
students or more.

The connections to the devices are all end-to-end encrypted and secure.

Unlike some programs Jitsi does not have a meeting time limit when using
it for free.

We have people who use Jitsi on their phones in order to join a Voice or Video call and intermingle with those on their computers.  Both Android
and apple phones as well.  With the Jitsi meet app installed tablets and such also work just fine.

The website for this program can be found at;  https://jitsi.org/

And you can create your own server.


--
Cheers, Carlos.

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On Sat, 01 Mar 2025 15:59:07 -0600, Marion <marion@facts.com> wrote:

On Sat, 1 Mar 2025 21:29:20 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :

I try to maintain a working library of apps suggested on this newsgroup.
Is this the full list yet?

Is this a good list yet of all the free similar voip apps on Windows?

3CX:
A software-based PBX (Private Branch Exchange) that provides unified communications, including voice and video calls, instant messaging, and web conferencing. It's primarily aimed at businesses.

Chanty:
A team collaboration tool offering messaging, voice, and video calls, with integrated task management features.

Discord:
Popular for community communication, especially among gamers, providing voice, video, and text chat with server-based organization.

Ekiga:
An open-source softphone that supports SIP and H.323 protocols, enabling voice and video conferencing.

Element (formerly Riot):
An open-source, decentralized communication platform built on the Matrix protocol. It offers encrypted messaging, voice, and video calls.

Google Voice:
A telephone service that provides a U.S. phone number, call forwarding,
and voicemail services, accessible via various devices.

Jami:
A free and open-source communication platform focusing on privacy,
offering decentralized messaging, voice, and video calls.

Jitsi:
An open-source video conferencing platform emphasizing privacy and
security, allowing for free and easy online meetings.

Linphone:
An open-source SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) phone, allowing you to
make voice and video calls over the internet. It's often used by those who want more control over their communication setup.

Microsoft Teams (MSTeams):
A business communication platform integrating chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration.

RingCentral:
A unified communications platform providing cloud-based voice, video, and messaging services for businesses.

Signal:
A privacy-focused messaging and calling app with end-to-end encryption for secure communication.

Skype:
A long-standing communication platform offering voice and video calls, instant messaging, and file sharing.

Slack:
A team collaboration platform with channel-based messaging, file sharing, and voice/video call capabilities.

Telegram:
A messaging app with a focus on speed and security, offering encrypted chats, large group support, and file sharing.

Viber:
A messaging and calling app with voice and video calls, known for its user-friendly interface and global reach.

Webex:
A business-oriented platform for video conferencing, online meetings, and team collaboration.

WhatsApp:
A widely used messaging app with voice and video calling, known for its simplicity and end-to-end encryption.

Wire:
A secure collaboration platform with end-to-end encryption, offering messaging, voice, and video calls. It's designed for both personal and professional use, with a strong emphasis on privacy.

Zoiper:
A softphone application for making voice and video calls over IP networks. It supports various protocols and codecs, making it compatible with many
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services.

Zoom:
A popular video conferencing platform used for online meetings, webinars, and virtual events.

Another program to add is Session.
https://getsession.org/

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On Sat, 01 Mar 2025 16:25:00 -0600, Allan Higdon wrote :

Another program to add is Session.
https://getsession.org/

Thanks. I thought I did my research, but I missed Session completely!
I'm embarrassed I missed it, but I do very much appreciate your input.

Thanks for finding it.
https://getsession.org/download
https://getsession.org/windows
Name: session-desktop-win-x64-1.14.5.exe
Size: 100550776 bytes (95 MiB)
SHA256: 5690F49E83C539D816C30CF48E870C8B52D1985802E7B7B7D3E088F998E16B72

Reading up on the open source "Session" software, it seems to focus on
privacy and anonymity by using a decentralized server network, onion
routing, E2E encryption, and no phone number or email being required.

It apparently differs from Whatsapp and Signal by anonymizing metadata,
where the closest apps in my list seems to perhaps be Jitsi & Jami.

It seems the video/voice calling features may be in beta at this moment.
Is that a decent quick summary from reading the Session web pages?

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On Sat, 01 Mar 2025 18:45:18 -0600, Marion <marion@facts.com> wrote:

On Sat, 01 Mar 2025 16:25:00 -0600, Allan Higdon wrote :

Another program to add is Session.
https://getsession.org/

Thanks. I thought I did my research, but I missed Session completely!
I'm embarrassed I missed it, but I do very much appreciate your input.

Thanks for finding it.
https://getsession.org/download
https://getsession.org/windows
Name: session-desktop-win-x64-1.14.5.exe
Size: 100550776 bytes (95 MiB)
SHA256: 5690F49E83C539D816C30CF48E870C8B52D1985802E7B7B7D3E088F998E16B72

Reading up on the open source "Session" software, it seems to focus on privacy and anonymity by using a decentralized server network, onion
routing, E2E encryption, and no phone number or email being required.

It apparently differs from Whatsapp and Signal by anonymizing metadata,
where the closest apps in my list seems to perhaps be Jitsi & Jami.

It seems the video/voice calling features may be in beta at this moment.
Is that a decent quick summary from reading the Session web pages?

Yes, it is.
Many consider Session the best for privacy.
The main negative is the slow network, so video would be limited.

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