Google has launched Video Chat in Gmail but the Linux users will have to wait for awhile. Google might be the most open source friendly company but they have not been in time for developing their applications for Linux. They were late in bringing the Linux version of Picassa while they are yet to launch the Linux versions of Google Chrome and Google Talk, two of the Google products which I use most. Now that Google has come up with a plugin in Gmail which will allow users to do video chat, the Linux users will have to wait again like always to get their share.
I don’t use Video chats but I do believe that Ubuntu users like me have little option when it comes to it. Ubuntu comes preloaded with Ekiga Softphone which although does solve the purpose to some extent but most users would love to have an application which can parallel the video chat experience of Yahoo messenger or MSN. There is another chatting client called Kopete which although supports Video support but lacks Voice support so you can see what your friend is doing but can’t say anything.
I either use Pidgin or the web messengers of MSN and Yahoo in Mozilla Prism to do most of routine chatting but there is hardly any compelling choice if I wish to do video chatting.
There is one application called Gyachi which can although solve the purpose if you want to do video chatting on Yahoo but it said to be buggy. Gyachi also happens to be very notorious among its users and they even call it the ugliest Linux application ever. There is Skype on Linux as well but then you can’t talk to your friends on Yahoo and MSN with it.
The best that I have been able to get as of now is the online IM client Meebo which introduced Video Chats with support from TokBox earlier this year. I hope that Google launches the Video Chat support for Gmail soon on Linux so that I can compare both of them. I will stick with Meebo for now though.
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Tags: chat, IM, Linux Ubuntu
Ubuntu needs a good video chat app that works with all the popular protocols. I hope it’s coming soon, this is almost a basic requirement these days.
The skype beta program works video chatting although its not as refined. it works..
also it doesnt have a tab specifically for video chatting.. .so someone has to video call you and then you allow the video to go to their comp..
I recently switched to Linux, Ubuntu that is. It is very frustrating that one can’t find a decent looking and working Yahoo, MSN,Gtalk etc compatible IM client (all in one) that supoports video and audio chat as well.
Pidgin is quite good but it looks like something from 15 years ago…
I’m a new Linux user as well (Ubuntu 9.04) and I love it. Haven’t gone back to windows ever since I installed it. I rarely use video chat, but sometimes I would like to. I’ve been using Meebo as my IM client for years now, and I must say that it’s been good to me, and for my needs it’s far better than any other. Having online chat history that you can access anywhere, not leaving any trace on guest computers kicks ass.
However I couldn’t get Meebo to use my webcam for some reason, it just says “device disabled”. I’ve tried Ekiga and the video works fine with that. Could it be a flash player problem? Will have to investigate
“Gyachi also happens to be very notorious among its users and they even call it the ugliest Linux application ever.”
Well I’m one, & I find that statement to be ridiculous beyond belief.
Rob, I had the same problem with my webcam on Meebo. See this thread on setting your Flash permissions to allow the meebo site to access your webcam (http://getsatisfaction.com/tokbox/topics/my_webcam_doesnt_work_on_tokbox). That fixed it for me.