Show HN: Create a WebRTC service in less time than it takes to install Skype

Show HN: Create a WebRTC service in less time than it takes to install Skype
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>> This just seems like a wrapper around webrtc, with some presence stuff thrown in.

It turns out there is quite a bit of server-side infrastructure required to support webrtc apps. The biggest ones being relay, STUN, and signaling servers. Operating these yourself is non-trivial, especially if you want good performance around the world. We also have a pretty full-featured chat service.

Doing a good job of session management (which is a large part of what our javascript framework does) is also a pretty complex problem, especially doing a good job of handling a single user logged in from multiple devices / browser tabs.

>> Your website does not mention anywhere that the majority of web users do not support webrtc

Good point. We should definitely cover supported browsers. Since full WebRTC support will be enabled in Firefox 21, the majority of web users actually will have support soon. Also, I have no data to back this up, but I have strong anecdotal evidence that users who have webcams and do video chat are much more likely to be on a modern browser.

- Is this a product?

It's a platform that includes cloud infrastructure (signaling, messaging, STUN, and relay), a javascript framework for using said infrastructure in your own web app, and a pre-built "web client" (a skype-like web app that you can use on its own, in conjunction with your web app, or not at all).

>> Why would I use this?

If you are a developer looking to add WebRTC to your app, the answer is that running the cloud infrastructure to support it is hard and costs a lot of money. We take care of those parts.

> Are you actually aiming at replacing skype?

As a general-purpose communications network, no. As a tool that businesses use to communicate with their customers, yes. A surprising number of companies, including a lot of startups, are doing skype calls with their customers, which involves walking them through the install process, adding them as contacts, and then coordinating the call. Everyone who is doing this hates it and is looking for a solution that doesn't require an install, doesn't require a permanent "contact" relationship, and has better call quality.

>> Do you intend on having users embed it in their site?

Yes, absolutely. One of the most compelling use cases is to have customers placing a call from your site, while your reps/salespeople/stylists/doctors/etc are using the "web client" to answer the calls.

>> Make paid chat applications with your platform?

This is certainly possible and is a use-case we want to support, but the bigger problem we're trying to solve is let business communicate more effectively with their customers on their own web sites.

If not, will I be able to run this concurrently with multiple audio gathering programs? Should probably google if a computer's input source can be multiplexed in that way :)