Google Hangouts Guide for Debian / Ubuntu Linux (as well as Mac OS X and Windows)
In light of the latest events related to Skype ( blocking “old” client versions , forcibly updating clients on all platforms , frankly a raw new version of a client for Linux ), decided to share with the community successful experience of using Google Hangouts for collaboration (team development of software, pair programming ) and write a universal tutorial (tutorial, how-to) for Debian / Ubuntu Linux, as well as Mac OS X and Windows, gathering all the necessary and useful information together.
This article is for those who are looking for a full-fledged alternative to Skype for most modern platforms, and primarily for Linux.
1. NOTE
Notice that Google Hangouts is already running on WebRTC technology!
You can see this during the communication session by entering in the address bar of the browser
for Chromium, Chrome
')
or
for Firefox, IceWeasel, IceCat
Installing the google-talkplugin plug-in, in turn, is necessary to support the full functionality of Hangouts in the browser (screenshots, screenshots, overlaying and rendering of graphic effects for the video stream) and support for video stream compression formats and voice audio streams, for which codecs are needed (by the way, optimizing and improving the quality of transmission of audio-video data), which are not yet built into the browser and which are installed when installing this plugin.
GNU / Linux versions of the plugin are available (Debian / Ubuntu, Fedora + openSUSE), Chrome OS, Windows and Mac OS X, for Chromium / Chrome / Safari and Firefox / IceWeasel / IceCat browsers ( https://support.google.com/ plus / answer / 1216376? hl = en ).
2. DEBIAN LINUX - INSTALLATION AND UPDATE FROM GOOGLE'S OFFICIAL REPOSITORY
Add a repository:
Add a GPG (GNUPG) key ( Google Linux Software Repositories ) to authenticate packages by the apt package manager and to confirm the trust of the repository (trusted repository):
Update the package database (synchronize the local package database and the remote package repository database):
Install the plugin (update the same way):
3. DEBIAN LINUX - LOCAL INSTALLATION
We load the plugin in any convenient way for you:
via download page
or
or
either by direct links,
current version (recommended)
or you can specific (latest) version
Install:
or
In Debian 7.6 Wheezy (stable), all dependencies of the google-talkplugin package to be installed must be satisfied.
If, nevertheless, there are unsatisfied dependencies for the google-talkplugin package during a local installation via dpkg, then you can fix it like this:
Dependencies will be pulled by apt from the main Debian repositories.
3.1. LOCAL INSTALLATION FOR MAC OS X
Download page:
Direct link to the current version of the installation package:
3.2. LOCAL INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS
Download page:
Direct link to the current version of the installer:
4. REGULAR UPDATES
When installing the package (from the repository or local), the installation scripts contained in the package (/ deb: // DEBIAN / postrm and / deb: // DEBIAN / postinst) and executed at the end of the package installation process add the repository and key described above, as well as a symlink to the shell script file (/etc/cron.daily/google-talkplugin -> / opt / google / talkplugin / cron / google-talkplugin) in the Cron Task Scheduler directory for daily verification of the correctness of the Google repository configuration. To regularly update the plugin, you can add a task to Cron or Anacron .
You can also always upgrade the package manually:
5. GOOGLE HANGOUTS FOR THE TEMPTED
You need to sign up for Google+ to create a Google account, GMail mail and use Hangouts.
For inviting friends, groups, circles there is a universal address:
To invite one or more contacts to a meeting, you need to know the Google / Google + profile id of these contacts. You can find the contact's id by the URL of his Google+ profile in your circles, you can view your id in the circles of your contacts. For example:
To call via Google Voice / Hangouts to a number in the international format, the following request URL format is used:
Such links are convenient to use on-line (html, svg, pdf) resume or blog.
To view current meetings and invitations:
These links can be saved to the bookmarks bar for convenience and opened in the sidebar (for Firefox / IceWeasel / IceCat).
Also there is an official extension
and the application (the release took place on October 9, Thank you Nikolay Baluk (@kolyaflash) for a very useful and operational comment !)
from Google, for browsers Chrome / Chromium and Opera
To install applications for mobile devices:
There are two apps for smartphones and tablets on Android:
For iOS, there is also an app:
It should be noted that the transition between devices (desktop, laptop <-> tablet, smartphone) on which Google Hangouts is installed and launched / opened seamlessly happens during a communication session without interrupting it! To do this, you may need to copy and use the meeting link from the browser’s address bar, for example:
You can also use this type of link directly in the Hangouts chat (on GMail or on Google+) for a meeting invitation or to join an existing meeting.
That's all, enjoy a pleasant chat!
Skype is no longer needed for online calls! All you need is a Google Hangouts browser and plug-in (google-talkplugin).
Use Google Hangouts and everyone will be happy!
PS: It is necessary to note and mention other similar software for audio / video / text communication - Viber and developing P2P clients of the Tox project (for example, µTox ).
This article is for those who are looking for a full-fledged alternative to Skype for most modern platforms, and primarily for Linux.
1. NOTE
Notice that Google Hangouts is already running on WebRTC technology!
You can see this during the communication session by entering in the address bar of the browser
chrome: // webrtc
chrome: // webrtc-internals
for Chromium, Chrome
')
or
about: webrtc
about: webrtc-internals
for Firefox, IceWeasel, IceCat
Installing the google-talkplugin plug-in, in turn, is necessary to support the full functionality of Hangouts in the browser (screenshots, screenshots, overlaying and rendering of graphic effects for the video stream) and support for video stream compression formats and voice audio streams, for which codecs are needed (by the way, optimizing and improving the quality of transmission of audio-video data), which are not yet built into the browser and which are installed when installing this plugin.
Google Talk Plugin - /opt/google/talkplugin/libnpgoogletalk.so
Google Talk Plugin Video Renderer - /opt/google/talkplugin/libnpo1d.so
GNU / Linux versions of the plugin are available (Debian / Ubuntu, Fedora + openSUSE), Chrome OS, Windows and Mac OS X, for Chromium / Chrome / Safari and Firefox / IceWeasel / IceCat browsers ( https://support.google.com/ plus / answer / 1216376? hl = en ).
2. DEBIAN LINUX - INSTALLATION AND UPDATE FROM GOOGLE'S OFFICIAL REPOSITORY
Add a repository:
sudo echo deb http://dl.google.com/linux/talkplugin/deb/ stable main > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-talkplugin.list Add a GPG (GNUPG) key ( Google Linux Software Repositories ) to authenticate packages by the apt package manager and to confirm the trust of the repository (trusted repository):
sudo apt-key --keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/google-talkplugin.gpg add - <<KEYDATA -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.2.2 (GNU/Linux) mQGiBEXwb0YRBADQva2NLpYXxgjNkbuP0LnPoEXruGmvi3XMIxjEUFuGNCP4Rj/a kv2E5VixBP1vcQFDRJ+p1puh8NU0XERlhpyZrVMzzS/RdWdyXf7E5S8oqNXsoD1z fvmI+i9b2EhHAA19Kgw7ifV8vMa4tkwslEmcTiwiw8lyUl28Wh4Et8SxzwCggDcA feGqtn3PP5YAdD0km4S4XeMEAJjlrqPoPv2Gf//tfznY2UyS9PUqFCPLHgFLe80u QhI2U5jt6jUKN4fHauvR6z3seSAsh1YyzyZCKxJFEKXCCqnrFSoh4WSJsbFNc4PN b0V0SqiTCkWADZyLT5wll8sWuQ5ylTf3z1ENoHf+G3um3/wk/+xmEHvj9HCTBEXP 78X0A/0Tqlhc2RBnEf+AqxWvM8sk8LzJI/XGjwBvKfXe+l3rnSR2kEAvGzj5Sg0X 4XmfTg4Jl8BNjWyvm2Wmjfet41LPmYJKsux3g0b8yzQxeOA4pQKKAU3Z4+rgzGmf HdwCG5MNT2A5XxD/eDd+L4fRx0HbFkIQoAi1J3YWQSiTk15fw7RMR29vZ2xlLCBJ bmMuIExpbnV4IFBhY2thZ2UgU2lnbmluZyBLZXkgPGxpbnV4LXBhY2thZ2VzLWtl eW1hc3RlckBnb29nbGUuY29tPohjBBMRAgAjAhsDBgsJCAcDAgQVAggDBBYCAwEC HgECF4AFAkYVdn8CGQEACgkQoECDD3+sWZHKSgCfdq3HtNYJLv+XZleb6HN4zOcF AJEAniSFbuv8V5FSHxeRimHx25671az+uQINBEXwb0sQCACuA8HT2nr+FM5y/kzI A51ZcC46KFtIDgjQJ31Q3OrkYP8LbxOpKMRIzvOZrsjOlFmDVqitiVc7qj3lYp6U rgNVaFv6Qu4bo2/ctjNHDDBdv6nufmusJUWq/9TwieepM/cwnXd+HMxu1XBKRVk9 XyAZ9SvfcW4EtxVgysI+XlptKFa5JCqFM3qJllVohMmr7lMwO8+sxTWTXqxsptJo pZeKz+UBEEqPyw7CUIVYGC9ENEtIMFvAvPqnhj1GS96REMpry+5s9WKuLEaclWpd K3krttbDlY1NaeQUCRvBYZ8iAG9YSLHUHMTuI2oea07Rh4dtIAqPwAX8xn36JAYG 2vgLAAMFB/wKqaycjWAZwIe98Yt0qHsdkpmIbarD9fGiA6kfkK/UxjL/k7tmS4Vm CljrrDZkPSQ/19mpdRcGXtb0NI9+nyM5trweTvtPw+HPkDiJlTaiCcx+izg79Fj9 KcofuNb3lPdXZb9tzf5oDnmm/B+4vkeTuEZJ//IFty8cmvCpzvY+DAz1Vo9rA+Zn cpWY1n6z6oSS9AsyT/IFlWWBZZ17SpMHu+h4Bxy62+AbPHKGSujEGQhWq8ZRoJAT G0KSObnmZ7FwFWu1e9XFoUCt0bSjiJWTIyaObMrWu/LvJ3e9I87HseSJStfw6fki 5og9qFEkMrIrBCp3QGuQWBq/rTdMuwNFiEkEGBECAAkFAkXwb0sCGwwACgkQoECD D3+sWZF/WACfeNAu1/1hwZtUo1bR+MWiCjpvHtwAnA1R3IHqFLQ2X3xJ40XPuAyY /FJG =Quqp -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- KEYDATA Update the package database (synchronize the local package database and the remote package repository database):
sudo apt-get update Install the plugin (update the same way):
sudo apt-get install google-talkplugin 3. DEBIAN LINUX - LOCAL INSTALLATION
We load the plugin in any convenient way for you:
via download page
https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin?hl=en
or
https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin/download.html?hl=en
or
https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin/download.html?hl=en&platform=linux_ubuntu_x86_64
either by direct links,
current version (recommended)
https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-talkplugin_current_amd64.deb
or you can specific (latest) version
https://dl.google.com/linux/talkplugin/deb/pool/main/g/google-talkplugin/google-talkplugin_5.4.2.0-1_amd64.deb
Install:
sudo dpkg -i google-talkplugin_current_amd64.deb or
sudo dpkg -i google-talkplugin_5.4.2.0-1_amd64.deb In Debian 7.6 Wheezy (stable), all dependencies of the google-talkplugin package to be installed must be satisfied.
If, nevertheless, there are unsatisfied dependencies for the google-talkplugin package during a local installation via dpkg, then you can fix it like this:
sudo apt-get -f install Dependencies will be pulled by apt from the main Debian repositories.
3.1. LOCAL INSTALLATION FOR MAC OS X
Download page:
https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin?hl=en
Direct link to the current version of the installation package:
https://dl.google.com/googletalk/googletalkplugin/GoogleVoiceAndVideoSetup.dmg
3.2. LOCAL INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS
Download page:
https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin?hl=en
Direct link to the current version of the installer:
https://dl.google.com/googletalk/googletalkplugin/GoogleVoiceAndVideoSetup.exe
4. REGULAR UPDATES
When installing the package (from the repository or local), the installation scripts contained in the package (/ deb: // DEBIAN / postrm and / deb: // DEBIAN / postinst) and executed at the end of the package installation process add the repository and key described above, as well as a symlink to the shell script file (/etc/cron.daily/google-talkplugin -> / opt / google / talkplugin / cron / google-talkplugin) in the Cron Task Scheduler directory for daily verification of the correctness of the Google repository configuration. To regularly update the plugin, you can add a task to Cron or Anacron .
You can also always upgrade the package manually:
sudo apt-get install google-talkplugin 5. GOOGLE HANGOUTS FOR THE TEMPTED
You need to sign up for Google+ to create a Google account, GMail mail and use Hangouts.
For inviting friends, groups, circles there is a universal address:
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/
To invite one or more contacts to a meeting, you need to know the Google / Google + profile id of these contacts. You can find the contact's id by the URL of his Google+ profile in your circles, you can view your id in the circles of your contacts. For example:
https://profiles.google.com/ 113148185251129001832
https://plus.google.com/ 113148185251129001832
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/?hl=en&hpi= 113148185251129001832
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/?hl=en&hpi= 113148185251129001832 & hpi = 101017120007237603373
To call via Google Voice / Hangouts to a number in the international format, the following request URL format is used:
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/?hl=en&hip=% 2B996709773399
Such links are convenient to use on-line (html, svg, pdf) resume or blog.
To view current meetings and invitations:
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/active
These links can be saved to the bookmarks bar for convenience and opened in the sidebar (for Firefox / IceWeasel / IceCat).
Also there is an official extension
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd
and the application (the release took place on October 9, Thank you Nikolay Baluk (@kolyaflash) for a very useful and operational comment !)
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hangouts/knipolnnllmklapflnccelgolnpehhpl
from Google, for browsers Chrome / Chromium and Opera
To install applications for mobile devices:
https://www.google.com/hangouts/
https://plus.google.com/hangouts
There are two apps for smartphones and tablets on Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.talk&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.hangoutsdialer&hl=en
For iOS, there is also an app:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hangouts/id643496868
It should be noted that the transition between devices (desktop, laptop <-> tablet, smartphone) on which Google Hangouts is installed and launched / opened seamlessly happens during a communication session without interrupting it! To do this, you may need to copy and use the meeting link from the browser’s address bar, for example:
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/g7owovs34jhkundi3oizeykcjua
You can also use this type of link directly in the Hangouts chat (on GMail or on Google+) for a meeting invitation or to join an existing meeting.
That's all, enjoy a pleasant chat!
Skype is no longer needed for online calls! All you need is a Google Hangouts browser and plug-in (google-talkplugin).
Use Google Hangouts and everyone will be happy!
PS: It is necessary to note and mention other similar software for audio / video / text communication - Viber and developing P2P clients of the Tox project (for example, µTox ).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/239449/
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