Viber SFS - Voice over IP (VoIP) and instant messaging (IM) app

[ronriel]

Hello.

I've had trouble running Viber desktop app for too long. I finally got it working by replacing some of the libs.
Tested this under Puppy Linux Dpup Buster 64.

-Added libxcb-keysyms.so.1
-Replaced Viber/plugins/xcbglintegrations/libqxcb-glx-integration.so (from Debian)

I have put together an SFS. This will run as spot. Hope it works for you too.

Viber 13.3.1 https://drive.google.com/file/d/16O0TzA ... sp=sharing

edit: additional Information.

"Viber is a cross-platform voice over IP (VoIP) and instant messaging (IM) software application operated by Japanese multinational company Rakuten, provided as freeware for the Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux platforms. Users are registered and identified through a cellular telephone number, although the service is accessible on desktop platforms without needing mobile connectivity. In addition to instant messaging it allows users to exchange media such as images and video records, and also provides a paid international landline and mobile calling service called Viber Out. As of 2018, there are over a billion registered users on the network"

-ronriel

[bigpup]

Any information on what it is and what it does?

[ronriel]

Any information on what it is and what it does?

I updated the original post. Thanks.

[bigpup]

Download link is dead.

Says no file found.

[mikeslr]

A 188Mb AppImage and a 127 Mb 'Ubuntu deb' can be obtained here, https://www.viber.com/en/download/. Creating a functioning application for Puppys isn't high on my ToDo List. I don't know any of the billion or so people who use viper to communicate.

[Jasper]

@mikeslr

Apparently, it is a popular application in India and Asia

[pp4mnklinux]

Hello:

FIRST OF ALL, as @mikeslr said, no one of my contacts is using VIPER.

. I don't know any of the billion or so people who use viper to communicate.

It is a software application that allows users to make free voice and video calls, send instant messages, and share files with other Viper users so in my case it is no useful since no one of my friends have got it... as I said.

It offers a range of features similar to other popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Skype, and FaceTime (MY VOTE GOES FOR TELEGRAM)

One of the standout features of Viper is its end-to-end encryption, which means that only the intended recipient can read messages and view files. This provides an extra layer of security and privacy for users.

Viper is available for download on desktop and mobile devices, and it supports cross-platform communication, which means that users can connect with others regardless of the device or operating system they are using.

In addition to its basic communication features, Viper also offers features like group chats, location sharing, and the ability to make international calls to non-Viper users for a fee but this addition is not better than TELEGRAM.

I understand that you have interest in VIPER for personal reasons (friends, contacts, bussiness...) but I suggest you to use other program.- RAMBOX ... and include all the connection methods you can imagine (Since I discovered it I forgot the proprietary whats app, telegram, gmail, meet ----https://youtu.be/UeUV1H9G1uw

[mikeslr]

Re-opening this thread. pfind found it as I a sought a solution to the problems I encountered.

Skype will reach EOL at the beginning of May. Skype has been our principle means of keeping in touch with our son in Europe. Microsoft's recommendation is to 'migrate' to Teams. Both my wife and my son, an IT professional, have found doing so problematic. Viper now appears to be a reasonable alternative.

My preferable deployment would be a portable: I run several Puppys; new Puppys are to be expected, while the AppImage and deb, now a couple years old, seem to be suggested for even the newest Windows and Linux operating systems.

[wiak]

I use Viber everyday and for years now (in fact using it right now to keep in touch with staff in the office while out for lunch). It is the principle communication app we and many others use for business hence us choosing it too. We always use the official AppImage, but I've never tried that with a Puppy Linux, but hopefully would be no problem with recent pups.

I'm in Asia, where it is indeed popular, but used it in New Zealand too since what we use depends on what global customers prefer (wechat for China, which is a problem since not supported or really available on Linux).

[mikeslr]

Thanks, Wiak, for the encouragement.

Viper under NoblePup64 24.09 (x86_64).png (122.92 KiB) Viewed 111 times

As noted above you can obtain the deb package from here: https://www.viber.com/en/download/
Under NoblePup64 --rockedge's version-- only two things were necessary to install the deb package. The first was to open a terminal and run "apt update" otherwise the installation could not download/install (IIRC)* 2 gstreamer debs. The second was to edit /usr/share/applications/viber.desktop's Exec= line to read " run-as-spot /opt/viber/Viber %u"; highlight in blue to indicate what was added. Might be able to run it without a sandbox instead. But this is one application I'd prefer to run as a limited user.

The following shows where viber's files are deployed on installation. It should make it possible to rebuild as a viber as a portable in which the necessary 'gstreamer'? files are individually obtained. [Will have to check if it was gstreamer. The above was done running pfix=ram; so easy to duplicate].

Viper's deployment.png (50.04 KiB) Viewed 111 times

Still no luck with the AppImage. Running in terminal reports:

qt.qml.typeregistration: Invalid QML element name "ViberAdsItem"; value type names should begin with a lowercase letter
mv: /tmp/.mount_viber.YhKYrr/usr/lib/libselinux.so.1: no version information available (required by mv)
[116500329/170730.173815:ERROR:zygote_host_impl_linux.cc(100)] Running as root without --no-sandbox is not supported. See https://crbug.com/638180.
Script completed hit RETURN to close window.

Solving problems noted by the Lines in blue are above my paygrade.
-=--=-=
* Ah, I had the good sense to copy the error output, truncated to avoid errors:

Failed to fetch ...archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/gst-plugins-base1.0/libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0_1.24.2-1ubuntu0.1_amd64.deb
Failed to fetch ...archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/g/gst-plugins-base1.0/gstreamer1.0-plugins-base_1.24.2-1ubuntu0.1_amd64.deb

Edit Update: Had the same results as above running Bookworm64. I thought the following log in var showing what was installed might be helpful to anyone trying it under other Puppys:

var-log.txt.gz

(14.54 KiB) Downloaded 1 time

Remove the false ".gz"

[mikewalsh]

@mikeslr :-

Mm-hm. Yeah, the above is all fairly normal these days, Mike. Years back, stuff was written & built specifically for the PC. Now, most PC apps are but mirrors of their mobile counterparts.....and the mobile application is now considered as the "primary" app, required for authenticating everything else.

Skype will reach EOL at the beginning of May. Skype has been our principle means of keeping in touch with our son in Europe. Microsoft's recommendation is to 'migrate' to Teams. Both my wife and my son, an IT professional, have found doing so problematic.

Um.....o-kay. You say your wife and son are having problems with Teams? Don't tell me; they're trying to use the "official" desktop client. Care to "share" what those problems are?

You tell them from me; don't even GO there. BAD idea..!!! The desktop client is incredibly fussy, wanting all kinds of systemd-related authentication dependencies added before it'll hitch up its skirts and condescend to actually run (at least, under Linux). I don't know what it's like on other platforms; from what I recall, your other half runs Windows. doesn't she? I should have thought that M$ would go out of its way to make its own app as easy to use as possible...(Remember, this one WAS originally developed for enterprise; hence the additional authentication requirements).

There's a much simpler way of running Teams, though. This is the way that I run it......as a webapp, from a dedicated launch script inside Chrome-portable. Like this:-

[Click to enlarge:-]

....which I then launch from a desktop 'multi-launcher'. It's no more of a resource hog than the desktop client, since that's Electron-based.....meaning it's running a stripped-back Chromium browser underneath anyway.

IF you're interested, I can let you have the relevant scripts to add to an existing Chrome-portable, along with a brief description of how to set it up. It's a bit fiddly, but not hard. And once it's set-up, you'll be able to launch Teams from its own dedicated Menu entry every time.

Mike.

[mikeslr]

@mikewalsh Thanks for the info. Both my wife and son run Windows 11. He has to. She --well I once had her running a Puppy. But she bought a new computer which, of course, came with Windows. The idea of dual booting got lost.

Brian is 6 hours ahead of us. We have to know that he's trying to reach us. The problem with any substitute for Skype is knowing that someone is trying to reach you. Skype 'calls' always ring on her smartphone; sometimes on her Laptop. The main 'Con' I notice about Viber was it's constant notifications. Hopefully, that's just what we want.

Do you know if using Chrome with a Teams app generates any kind of notification?

[mikewalsh]

@mikeslr :-

Huh. TBH, looking through the 'Notifications' section of 'Settings' in Teams, it's the usual M$ smorgasbord; you're spoilt for choice. What sort of notifications d'you need? There's email; there's "in-app"; there's browser notifications (Teams would use this latter one by default, since both webapp and desktop client are using the exact same Electron code-base.....which is, of course, built around Chrome/Chromium's 'Blink' engine. 'Nuff said.)

You ARE aware that Teams is primarily video all the way? Video & chat messaging... AFAIK, Teams doesn't have the VOIP "internet phone" option that Skype has/had. Is that a requirement? Will you want voice-only calls?

Mike.

[Clarity]

Hi @mikeslr

I have been using the following to address what you describe for awhile (students use it too):

1. Google Meet, no necessary system changes (it does video and voice calling, both)

2. Most recently there is a Chrome to Chrome feature which would require some firewall work for it to be perfect.

No issues that I am aware of.

[mikeslr]

My wife and I are of a generation before it became uncomfortable not to be assimilated into the Borg's Hive-Mind. Our generation required telephones to RING in order for us to become aware that someone wanted to communicate. Skype satisfied that need: When someone calls via skype her Android Smartphone and Tablet would generate an auditory chime; sometimes her Laptop would as well.

Anyone know of an program with similar capabilities? Program being one that runs under Windows, thus useful to my wife and son. Cross-platform would be great, but not essential.