Section 5.1. Hacks 5259: Introduction

5.1. Hacks 5259: Introduction

It might be some time before large organizations adopt Skype, partly because Skype lacks the features and reliability demanded by such organizations, and partly because of simple inertiathe bigger the organization, the slower it moves, or so it seems. Skype is known to be working on "enterprise" features and even a specific version of Skype targeted at business users. Even so, Skype as it is now has a lot to offer businesses, local government agencies, and charities that are willing to give it a try. Perhaps, as happened for instant messaging, Skype is a technology that will come in through the back door!

One advantage of Skype is that it's not an all-or-nothing proposition, as you can run it in parallel with existing phone systems, often with very little initial outlay in terms of both cost and effort. In addition to the possible cost savings of using Skype, you also should not overlook the technological wonders Skype can perform, as its capabilities are utterly different from, and in my opinion superior to, those of any regular phone system you have seen before. So, if you're thinking of giving Skype a try in a small business, department, agency, or whatever, these hacks should help get you started and give you some ideas of how Skype can improve your organization's phone services.