Home ›

Non-Linux FOSS: Telephone

Nov 04, 2011  By Shawn Powers
 in

Whether you're trying to use Google Voice and a free SIP service to get a free telephone system or trying to connect to your company's internal phone system, if you're on a Mac, you need a SIP client. A few free options exist, but none are as simple as Alexei Kuznetsov's Telephone.

Telephone even integrates with OS X's Contacts program, so you can make a SIP call directly from there. It's free, open source, and it's even available in the Apple App Store. If you need to make a VoIP call on your Macintosh, be sure to check out Telephone: http://www.tlphn.com.

______________________

Shawn Powers is an Associate Editor for Linux Journal. You might find him chatting on the IRC channel, or Twitter

Comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

I didn't knew by now that

Jeremiah's picture
Submitted by Jeremiah (not verified) on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 03:34.

I didn't knew by now that there are available so much applications from Google, it is really interesting and I think that I am going to start use them.
Incaltaminte

Working with voip sip calls

julietus's picture
Submitted by julietus on Fri, 12/23/2011 - 03:18.

There are many voip sip service provider they give us service but our exception is not satisfied so we have to need a good voip, sip service provider where they will help us to setup voip sip and other software supportand softphone building. As the SDK uses this protocol as basic background for data transport, you may want to understand the terms related to RTP
for more information see....


Working with RTP in VoIP SIP calls

Think of it this way.

Aaron Babitzke's picture
Submitted by Aaron Babitzke (not verified) on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 00:29.

If this program does seem to work well in a UNIX like enviroment. Instead of complaining about it not running on Linux, why don't we take the source code of the application, which is open source, and here is the crazy part of my suggestion, compile it to run on Linux. It's not that far of stretch to do it.

So let's all quit are complaining about it not being Linux, it's FOSS, open source, it works and it's free...

I for one compliment Linux Journal for there looking outside of the box attitude. I like to see that there are alternative FOSS applications for all of the platforms that I have to deal with as a consultant. Let's face it our industry majority is the OS none of us like to mention or use, some mac, some Linux (not as much as I want), and mobile devices. It is nice to see a small article showing that there are FOSS/open source applications that will run on these platforms.

Linux Journal; please keep up the good work in showing the wonderful world of open source!

On a side note; I do think the switch over to complete digital caught everyone off guard, and to the guy who hasn't got credited back yet... Have you tried following up with them? I haven't had any problems with them whenever I contacted them before in the past.

I think maybe I am not

JR's picture
Submitted by JR (not verified) on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 10:19.

I think maybe I am not explaining point well enough. I completely agree with your statement of " why don't we take the source code of the application, which is open source, and here is the crazy part of my suggestion, compile it to run on Linux."

If article was about porting this app or contrasting it against existing projects I would be praising it.

LJ's description of itself is "The monthly magazine of the Linux community, promoting the use of Linux worldwide" That is very different from saying you are "Linux Centered".

Linux is open source. Not all open source is Linux. I am not saying that is a bad thing. And I am also not saying that the project is not worth talking about or reviewing. This article doesn't do or make process towards what LJ stated purpose is. Which ultimately is why I read LJ

No Trolling Intended

JR's picture
Submitted by JR (not verified) on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 16:16.

Seriously,
I read LJ because as the tag line reads from googling LJ "The monthly magazine of the Linux community, promoting the use of Linux worldwide".

Realistically I know there only so many bash scripts , perl 1 liners you can do. But as it was stated by others before me, there is more to linux then just the kernel and shell tools.

You are putting out a product that is set to service a market that has a specific requirement. If this was an article about what linux could learn from the application or what is being done with it that is not being done in linux or even if it was about the differences in the coding environments. Then really I wouldn't have any thing to complain about.

I don't have a problem with the application , or that it runs only on Mac. As a reader I come to LJ for exactly what your tag line states. To use the analogy "You wouldn't go to an Italian Restaurant expecting curry dishes.

The argument of I don't get it because I am not open source enough is a silly one. No one is saying that Linux is the end all be all of open source. It just that I am going to a Linux Restaurant and tonight I don't want curry.

If you are going to include more articles like this. Then just call the magazine mostly about linux but some other stuff we think is cool. Then that would also take away from my issue with this article.

Your Analogy

Shawn Powers's picture
Submitted by Shawn Powers on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 10:16.

To continue your analogy, I think this article is more like an Italian restaurant that has a burger on the menu. You certainly don't have to order the burger, but if the guy at the table next to you is enjoying a burger, shouldn't that be OK?

We are a Linux-centered magazine, for sure. We've done non-linux FOSS articles for a very long time though. By putting "Non-Linux FOSS" in the title, we try really hard not to sell someone a burger by accident. We aren't planning on switching our focus or anything, but I think a certain amount of crossover with the FOSS world is acceptable.

If you're offended it's not about Linux, consider it our evil plan to give folks some FOSS gateway drugs. Once they start using FOSS software on their proprietary system, they'll move to Linux, and we'll TAKE OVER THE WORLD! MWaaaahahahahhaaa!

Maniacal laughter aside, our intent is not to offend, but to include everyone, even those readers that haven't switched to 100% Linux in their lives.

Shawn Powers is an Associate Editor for Linux Journal. You might find him chatting on the IRC channel, or Twitter

Agreed

Augusto's picture
Submitted by Augusto (not verified) on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 14:53.

Agreed! It's open source! I'm a linux user from more than 14 years and recencly have an OSX desktop lying around. I've used portage and manually selected my bootloader and logger, added yum repos! And used the app store! Enjoyed the burger!

But you don't seek an Italian

JR's picture
Submitted by JR (not verified) on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 10:20.

But you don't seek an Italian restaurant for a burger.

For that you go to Five Guys ;)

I would

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 08:13.

If the Italian restaurant made awesome burgers, I'd go tothe Italian restaurant TO EAT BURGERS.

And probably some cannelloni too.

Enough already with the analogies. There is no harm, except to the devout, in submitting some articles about open-source apps from another 'world'. Quite often that news may well be specifically because the app is good and the the belief is kind of along thelines of more exposure would mean more supporting voices gets you a port. And then the news becomes 'App N gets a Linux port. Yay!'

Jees.

Excellent app

Paul Howard's picture
Submitted by Paul Howard (not verified) on Fri, 11/04/2011 - 11:28.

I have been using this app for the last few months to connect from my macbook to my Asterisk server I have running my business phone system.

No bells or whistles, it just works and doesn't take up a huge memory footprint either.

By far the best OSX softphone out there.

Glad for them

JR's picture
Submitted by JR (not verified) on Fri, 11/04/2011 - 09:26.

I glad it is open source and I am sure that it is fine application. But this isn't MacWorld and other than the points of 'well it can work with linux services' or 'it is open source'. This really doesn't relate to Linux. That is like writing an article on Safari stating that 'well it connects to apache servers' or 'it is built off of webkit'. Not to take away from the application or the quality of it's code. But it really doesn't relate to Linux.

But what do I know, I am just a reader.

"doesn't relate to Linux"

Franki's picture
Submitted by Franki (not verified) on Sat, 11/05/2011 - 03:06.

Hmm, Linux Journal is writing about many things, which "doesn't relate to Linux. I agree with you, but then, every article which "doesn't relate to Linux" has to be abandoned:

Lua "doesn't relate to Linux"
Scribus "doesn't relate to Linux"
imagemagick "doesn't relate to Linux"
"awk doesn't relate to Linux"
"gcc doesn't relate to Linux"
... "doesn't relate to Linux"

These things, and thousands more, have nothing to do with Linux, some exists long time before Linux was even invented. Be a little bit smart and investigate the history of Unix, please. All *nixes are standing on the shoulder of Unix (all flavours) and GNU is not Linux and Applications are not Linux. Only Linux kernel is Linux. A rose is a rose is a rose.

I think, the only problem for you is, that an application were mentioned, which is running on Apple Mac OS X. So what?

Linux is parentage is Unix.
Apple is Unix (derived from freeBSD)

If we all agree that we talk only about things that "does relate to Linux" then Linux Journal could only write about articles that deal with the Linux Kernel. All other themes are only on top of Linux and no one can forbid to compile it on other platforms.

regards

Yes, but they run on linux.

JR's picture
Submitted by JR (not verified) on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 00:38.

Yes, but they run on linux. This app does not.

Non-Linux FOSS

Shawn Powers's picture
Submitted by Shawn Powers on Fri, 11/04/2011 - 09:41.

The title is "Non-Linux FOSS" -- we highlight other FOSS from time to time. We just love us some Open Source. :)

Shawn Powers is an Associate Editor for Linux Journal. You might find him chatting on the IRC channel, or Twitter

That does not answer any of

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/05/2011 - 02:42.

That does not answer any of the points raised.

You must be new here. This is

Anonymouser's picture
Submitted by Anonymouser (not verified) on Sun, 11/06/2011 - 20:36.

You must be new here. This is Linux Journal, the publication that breaks agreements with subscribers, ignores customer service emails, and certainly doesn't address concerns of comment posters.

Yeah True

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 22:57.

Yeah, well said on that. Thanks
Tobby

Contract agreement

Dan Hergott's picture
Submitted by Dan Hergott (not verified) on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 17:38.

That's interesting you mention Linux Journal breaking customer agreements.

I signed up last year for two years of the Linux Journal magazine in print and digital formats. I received the email from Linux Journal stating they were stopping the paper version of the magazine. However I never received a credit on my credit card for the balance of Paper magazines that I paid for.

Wouldn't that be considered mail fraud by the US postal service?

I agree, they may as well

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/07/2011 - 15:44.

I agree, they may as well wrote about Microsoft Windows software.... idiots

Webcast
More Resources
How to Build an Optimal Hadoop Cluster to Store and Maintain Unlimited Amounts of Data Using Microservers

Realizing the promise of Apache® Hadoop® requires the effective deployment of compute, memory, storage and networking to achieve optimal results. With its flexibility and multitude of options, it is easy to over or under provision the server infrastructure, resulting in poor performance and high TCO. Join us for an in depth, technical discussion with industry experts from leading Hadoop and server companies who will provide insights into the key considerations for designing and deploying an optimal Hadoop cluster.

Learn More

Sponsored by AMD

White Paper
More Resources
Private PaaS for the Agile Enterprise

If you already use virtualized infrastructure, you are well on your way to leveraging the power of the cloud. Virtualization offers the promise of limitless resources, but how do you manage that scalability when your DevOps team doesn’t scale? In today’s hypercompetitive markets, fast results can make a difference between leading the pack vs. obsolescence. Organizations need more benefits from cloud computing than just raw resources. They need agility, flexibility, convenience, ROI, and control.

Stackato private Platform-as-a-Service technology from ActiveState extends your private cloud infrastructure by creating a private PaaS to provide on-demand availability, flexibility, control, and ultimately, faster time-to-market for your enterprise.

Learn More

Sponsored by ActiveState