Ring (software)

Ring
Original author(s) Savoir-faire Linux Inc.
Stable release
none
Preview release
Beta 2[1] / 3 November 2016 (2016-11-03)
Development status Beta + Development
Written in C / C++
Operating system Linux, FreeBSD, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Android
Platform i386, amd64, powerpc, sparc
Available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese
Type VoIP, telephony, softphone, SIP
License GNU General Public License 3
Website ring.cx/en

GNU Ring (formerly SFLphone) is an open-source SIP-compatible softphone and instant messenger for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X and Android that can work without a central server. Ring is free software released under the GNU General Public License. In November 2016, it became part of the GNU Project.[1] Packages are available for all major Linux distributions including Debian, Fedora, and Ubuntu.[2] Separate GNOME and KDE versions are available.[3]

By adopting distributed hash table technology (as used, for instance, within the BitTorrent network), Ring creates its own network over which it can distribute directory functions, authentication and encryption across all systems connected to it.[4]

Ring is developed and maintained by Savoir-faire Linux,[5][6] a Canadian company, with the help of a global community of users and contributors; it positions itself as a potential free Skype replacement.[7] Documentation is available on Ring's Tuleap wiki.[8]

History

SFLphone was one of the few softphones under Linux to support PulseAudio out of the box. The Ubuntu documentation recommended it for enterprise use because of features like conferencing and attended call transfer.[9] In 2009, CIO magazine listed SFLphone among the top five open-source VoIP softphones to watch.[10]

One step beyond SFLphone, Ring retained SIP compatibility and support, while adding a new communication platform that does not require a centralized server to establish communication.

Design

Ring is based on a MVC model, with a daemon (the model) a client (the view) communicating. The daemon handles all the processing including communication layer (SIP/IAX), audio capture and playback, and so on. The client is a graphical user interface. D-Bus can act as the controller enabling communication between the client and the daemon.

Features

See also

References

  1. 1 2 GNU Ring beta 2 release announcement
  2. ↑ Ring Download
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Sanders, James. "Privacy-focused Skype alternative Ring shows promise - TechRepublic". TechRepublic. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  4. ↑ Say Hello to Ring (Savoir-faire Linux)
  5. ↑ Free Software Foundation
  6. ↑ Ring's Tuleap Server
  7. ↑ Robertson, Donald. "The Licensing and Compliance Lab interviews Guillaume Roguez, Ring Project Director". Free Software Foundation. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  8. ↑ Ring's Tuleap wiki
  9. ↑ Official Ubuntu documentation
  10. ↑ "5 open source VoIP softphones to watch". CIO. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  11. ↑ OpenDHT project on Github
  12. 1 2 Huber, Mathias. "Software-Telefon SFLphone KDE 1.3.0 veröffentlicht » Linux-Magazin". Linux-Magazin. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
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