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The problem is, Skype is (as of my knowledge) really the only available, actively developed, cross-platform client offering both audio and video connections, let alone being free software. If you abandon Skype, you either have to abandon video-phoning with friends on other platforms or you have to change platforms yourself. As sad it is, there simply is no working free substitute for Skype right now.

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Ekiga (http://ekiga.org/), at least, is both free software (by definition, not free to download binaries) which runs on at least windows and unix-like OSes, supports audio and video connections, works over open standards (SIP and H.323) and even lets you get a free SIP account at ekiga.net.

The uniqueness of Skype is overstated, the principal advantage is the same that using Facebook has over using any open standard social networking, everyone you want to contact is on it. So Skype and Facebook are a good match, both are walled gardens with limited (or no) interoperability or support for open standards.

You're right, though at that point there would be quite a bit of demand for a solution. I already pay for unlimited calling w/ Skype and I'd be happy to move that $ to any solution that meets my needs.

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