3 ms·

Anyone remember NetMeeting? It had amazing features in 1997, including screen sharing. Then Microsoft killed it. Cross platform FaceTime / iMessage will be THE

Anyone remember NetMeeting? It had amazing features in 1997, including screen sharing. Then Microsoft killed it. Cross platform FaceTime / iMessage will be THE killer app. Skype could've been it but Microsoft destroyed it. Surprised Google hasn't been able to do it yet. Hope WhatsApp doesn't win this space (shudder). The clock is ticking.

kirkdouglas 10y ago
What's wrong with Skype? UI is mostly OK, but audio and video calls work fine, especially on desktop/laptop.
- niftich 10y ago
  After being acquired by Microsoft, their product strategy for Skype was unclear. It was still offered as a standalone application, and at one point it got Facebook login integration and eventually Microsoft account integration. In 2013, they shut down WLM [1] and told everyone to use Skype. Meanwhile on Windows Phone, it was discontinued on WP7 [2], while WP8 had native 'iMessage'-equivalent apps backended by Skype, but also a downloadable Skype app. If you installed both, you got double notifications. Was it supposed to be the platform-native messenger? On the phone, the answer was 'yes', but on the desktop it was 'no', or 'not yet'. Desktop Windows 8 eventually also got a Metro app, but then it was killed [3]. Now they're about to release another one [4]. [1] http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/15/3991370/windows-live-messenger-skype-upgrade-april-onwards http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/15/3991370/windows-live-messe... [2] http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-discontinues-skype-windows-phone-7 http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-discontinues-skype-w... [3] http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/microsoft-dropping-metro-skype-app-going-back-to-the-desktop/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/micros... [4] http://blogs.skype.com/2016/03/24/skype-universal-windows-platform-app-preview-for-windows-10-is-coming-to-windows-insiders/ http://blogs.skype.com/2016/03/24/skype-universal-windows-pl...
- iamdave 10y ago
  I was wondering what's wrong with WhatsApp. Sure it lacks video calling, but it's arguably my number 2 messaging app. Rock steady, deliver/read receipts, fast..
  - hackaflocka 10y ago
    > what's wrong with WhatsApp It's owned by FaceBook.
    - iamdave 10y ago
      That's the best knock against it you can come up with? I'll take that over "Love the app yet? Good because we're killing it" when owned by Google....
- williamscales 10y ago
  Not on Linux.
- hackaflocka 10y ago
  The text messaging sucks in multiple ways.
oedenfield 10y ago
I agree with you that Facetime/iMessage could have been the standard but Apple never opened it up (API/SDK). When iMessage was announced years ago they had an opportunity, now there are too many players and too much at stake (Facebook paid how much for WhatsApp?!).
JBReefer 10y ago
You're describing Facebook Messenger, which is my primary mode of communication

kirkdouglas 10y ago

What's wrong with Skype? UI is mostly OK, but audio and video calls work fine, especially on desktop/laptop.

niftich 10y ago
After being acquired by Microsoft, their product strategy for Skype was unclear. It was still offered as a standalone application, and at one point it got Facebook login integration and eventually Microsoft account integration. In 2013, they shut down WLM [1] and told everyone to use Skype. Meanwhile on Windows Phone, it was discontinued on WP7 [2], while WP8 had native 'iMessage'-equivalent apps backended by Skype, but also a downloadable Skype app. If you installed both, you got double notifications. Was it supposed to be the platform-native messenger? On the phone, the answer was 'yes', but on the desktop it was 'no', or 'not yet'. Desktop Windows 8 eventually also got a Metro app, but then it was killed [3]. Now they're about to release another one [4]. [1] http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/15/3991370/windows-live-messenger-skype-upgrade-april-onwards http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/15/3991370/windows-live-messe... [2] http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-discontinues-skype-windows-phone-7 http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-discontinues-skype-w... [3] http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/microsoft-dropping-metro-skype-app-going-back-to-the-desktop/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/micros... [4] http://blogs.skype.com/2016/03/24/skype-universal-windows-platform-app-preview-for-windows-10-is-coming-to-windows-insiders/ http://blogs.skype.com/2016/03/24/skype-universal-windows-pl...
iamdave 10y ago
I was wondering what's wrong with WhatsApp. Sure it lacks video calling, but it's arguably my number 2 messaging app. Rock steady, deliver/read receipts, fast..
- hackaflocka 10y ago
  > what's wrong with WhatsApp It's owned by FaceBook.
  - iamdave 10y ago
    That's the best knock against it you can come up with? I'll take that over "Love the app yet? Good because we're killing it" when owned by Google....
williamscales 10y ago
Not on Linux.
hackaflocka 10y ago
The text messaging sucks in multiple ways.

oedenfield 10y ago

I agree with you that Facetime/iMessage could have been the standard but Apple never opened it up (API/SDK). When iMessage was announced years ago they had an opportunity, now there are too many players and too much at stake (Facebook paid how much for WhatsApp?!).

JBReefer 10y ago

You're describing Facebook Messenger, which is my primary mode of communication