How to use WIRE in Puppy.....
Posted: Sun 08 Oct 2017, 14:33
Afternoon, all.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Firstly, my apologies to Flash if this appears to duplicate other postings of recent months. I wanted to collate all the information about this in a single thread, rather than having it scattered across multiple threads.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIRE is a totally open-source, modern VOIP/chat client, and is a thoroughly viable replacement for Skype, since it is available cross-platform.
https://wire.com/en/
Even though in this case it uses the non-viewable AppImage format (amongst many others), the source code is freely available, and viewable at Github, here:-
https://github.com/wireapp
There are 119 'pinned' repositories. Amongst these is the Electron-based version, which is another 'rising star' among cross-platform app formats.....and it's another format I can thoroughly recommend.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The easiest way to use WIRE in Puppy is to make use of the WIRE AppImages, available from the download page, here:-
https://wire.com/en/download/
Scroll down to the bottom, and you will see the Linux stuff. Use the little arrow to bring up the drop-down list, and select either the 32-bit, or 64-bit AppImage, depending on your requirements. Download which one you need.
(DON'T bother going to the AppImage download site
https://bintray.com/probono/AppImages
.....as they're still offering the now out-of-date version which I've just updated from (see below - 10/10/17), which is more than a year old, and now unsupported & non-functional.)
----------------------------------------------------------------
These AppImages can be run from anywhere, simply by clicking on the AppImage 'binary'.....although there is a 'minimum requirement' of >=glibc 2.15. Personally, I've run up a Menu entry for this, so's I could add it to the tray 'launcher' area, using JWM DeskManager. When you start WIRE for the first time, after a few moments (since it's unpacking in /tmp), you'll be presented with a window, in which you can either create a new a/c, or log-in to an existing one. Follow the instructions - it's all very self-explanatory - and do what you wish to do.
Upon start-up, WIRE will create a configuration directory within /root/.config. This will contain, amongst other things, your usage history. More on this in a bit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since it's cross-platform, you can probably (with a little bit of 'wheedling' ) get friends/family to easily install the Windows/Mac versions, so that you can make use of this as you would Skype. It does work well; I've been using this for a few months now to chat with a couple of friends in the States, without issue.
Webcams are detected straight-away. It helps to use a UVC-compliant model if at all possible, since this makes life easier for the kernel drivers. I've just recently replaced the big Compaq's HP HD 2300 with a Creative Live Cam! Sync VF0770HD; both UVC-compliant, and both on the UVC Projects's supported list:-
http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/
The HP is now performing sterling service on the old Dell lappie.
Don't worry about product names & model numbers; the all-important thing is the device ID code. If that appears anywhere on the list, the chipset will be supported by the uvc (USB Video Class) kernel module. You may have an ID not on the list which still works OOTB; the support list is a 'work in progress', and is being constantly updated.
For audio, I use a headset, with integrated microphone, which plugs into the big Compaq's standard front mike and headphone sockets via 3.5 mm plugs. As long as the correct audio card is selected (check with Menu->Setup->Multiple Sound Card Wizard), capture level is set to around 1/4 to 1/3 in Retrovol (rt-clk volume icon->Full window), capture source set to 'Mic', and the correct microphone input selected (check this with 'arecord' in the terminal), it should work fine.
I haven't tried this with the webcam's built-in microphone, but again, it should only be a case of selecting the correct sound card and mike.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For those of you running a single Pup, you can ignore the next section. For anyone running multiple Pups on the same machine, read on...
WIRE's single annoying habit is that if you 'install' or use this on more than one Puppy, it creates a separate 'chat history' per install. They don't 'sync', the way Skype does. It creates a config folder in /root/.config where all this info resides. Skype's config is cloud-based, linked to your a/c; WIRE's is local, linked to the 'install'.
I run a single instance of WIRE (a single 32-bit AppImage shared between 9 Pups), and a separate 64-bit AppImage for Tahr64. To get around the lack of syncing, I've copied the 'Wire' folder in /root/.config from one Puppy to a remote location, accessible to all Pups.....and then, deleted/sym-linked this back to /root/.config. I've then sym-linked this config folder into every other Pup at the same location. Result? As far as WIRE's now concerned, you're running a single instance of itself.....and your chat 'history' is preserved across all of your Puppies.
WIRE GmBH say that this lack of 'syncing' is for 'security reasons'. I understand the logic behind it; it's primarily a smartphone app. Most people have a single smartphone, which they keep with them at all times. If it falls into the wrong hands, without this two-step 'verification' (if you like), then your chat history/settings/details are inaccessible. Theoretically....
Although the Linux desktop client is freely available, it still behaves like the phone app.....although, in practice, it's only folks like us, wanting to run the same apps in more than one OS, that would run into this wee 'problem'..!
However, you do NOT need to give a phone number to be able to use this.
Because WIRE is hosted in the EU, and developed by a Swiss company, you can trust that the full end-to-end encryption is as good as it says.....because the Swiss are bordering on OBSESSIVE when it comes to secrecy, security, and total privacy.
(Think Swiss bank accounts.....)
(And for those of you concerned about such things, the open-source security components of WIRE are regularly audited. Scroll to the bottom of this page to view the PDF report's findings.)
Mike.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Firstly, my apologies to Flash if this appears to duplicate other postings of recent months. I wanted to collate all the information about this in a single thread, rather than having it scattered across multiple threads.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIRE is a totally open-source, modern VOIP/chat client, and is a thoroughly viable replacement for Skype, since it is available cross-platform.
https://wire.com/en/
Even though in this case it uses the non-viewable AppImage format (amongst many others), the source code is freely available, and viewable at Github, here:-
https://github.com/wireapp
There are 119 'pinned' repositories. Amongst these is the Electron-based version, which is another 'rising star' among cross-platform app formats.....and it's another format I can thoroughly recommend.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The easiest way to use WIRE in Puppy is to make use of the WIRE AppImages, available from the download page, here:-
https://wire.com/en/download/
Scroll down to the bottom, and you will see the Linux stuff. Use the little arrow to bring up the drop-down list, and select either the 32-bit, or 64-bit AppImage, depending on your requirements. Download which one you need.
(DON'T bother going to the AppImage download site
https://bintray.com/probono/AppImages
.....as they're still offering the now out-of-date version which I've just updated from (see below - 10/10/17), which is more than a year old, and now unsupported & non-functional.)
----------------------------------------------------------------
These AppImages can be run from anywhere, simply by clicking on the AppImage 'binary'.....although there is a 'minimum requirement' of >=glibc 2.15. Personally, I've run up a Menu entry for this, so's I could add it to the tray 'launcher' area, using JWM DeskManager. When you start WIRE for the first time, after a few moments (since it's unpacking in /tmp), you'll be presented with a window, in which you can either create a new a/c, or log-in to an existing one. Follow the instructions - it's all very self-explanatory - and do what you wish to do.
Upon start-up, WIRE will create a configuration directory within /root/.config. This will contain, amongst other things, your usage history. More on this in a bit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since it's cross-platform, you can probably (with a little bit of 'wheedling' ) get friends/family to easily install the Windows/Mac versions, so that you can make use of this as you would Skype. It does work well; I've been using this for a few months now to chat with a couple of friends in the States, without issue.
Webcams are detected straight-away. It helps to use a UVC-compliant model if at all possible, since this makes life easier for the kernel drivers. I've just recently replaced the big Compaq's HP HD 2300 with a Creative Live Cam! Sync VF0770HD; both UVC-compliant, and both on the UVC Projects's supported list:-
http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/
The HP is now performing sterling service on the old Dell lappie.
Don't worry about product names & model numbers; the all-important thing is the device ID code. If that appears anywhere on the list, the chipset will be supported by the uvc (USB Video Class) kernel module. You may have an ID not on the list which still works OOTB; the support list is a 'work in progress', and is being constantly updated.
For audio, I use a headset, with integrated microphone, which plugs into the big Compaq's standard front mike and headphone sockets via 3.5 mm plugs. As long as the correct audio card is selected (check with Menu->Setup->Multiple Sound Card Wizard), capture level is set to around 1/4 to 1/3 in Retrovol (rt-clk volume icon->Full window), capture source set to 'Mic', and the correct microphone input selected (check this with 'arecord' in the terminal), it should work fine.
I haven't tried this with the webcam's built-in microphone, but again, it should only be a case of selecting the correct sound card and mike.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For those of you running a single Pup, you can ignore the next section. For anyone running multiple Pups on the same machine, read on...
WIRE's single annoying habit is that if you 'install' or use this on more than one Puppy, it creates a separate 'chat history' per install. They don't 'sync', the way Skype does. It creates a config folder in /root/.config where all this info resides. Skype's config is cloud-based, linked to your a/c; WIRE's is local, linked to the 'install'.
I run a single instance of WIRE (a single 32-bit AppImage shared between 9 Pups), and a separate 64-bit AppImage for Tahr64. To get around the lack of syncing, I've copied the 'Wire' folder in /root/.config from one Puppy to a remote location, accessible to all Pups.....and then, deleted/sym-linked this back to /root/.config. I've then sym-linked this config folder into every other Pup at the same location. Result? As far as WIRE's now concerned, you're running a single instance of itself.....and your chat 'history' is preserved across all of your Puppies.
WIRE GmBH say that this lack of 'syncing' is for 'security reasons'. I understand the logic behind it; it's primarily a smartphone app. Most people have a single smartphone, which they keep with them at all times. If it falls into the wrong hands, without this two-step 'verification' (if you like), then your chat history/settings/details are inaccessible. Theoretically....
Although the Linux desktop client is freely available, it still behaves like the phone app.....although, in practice, it's only folks like us, wanting to run the same apps in more than one OS, that would run into this wee 'problem'..!
However, you do NOT need to give a phone number to be able to use this.
Because WIRE is hosted in the EU, and developed by a Swiss company, you can trust that the full end-to-end encryption is as good as it says.....because the Swiss are bordering on OBSESSIVE when it comes to secrecy, security, and total privacy.
(Think Swiss bank accounts.....)
(And for those of you concerned about such things, the open-source security components of WIRE are regularly audited. Scroll to the bottom of this page to view the PDF report's findings.)
Mike.