I'm really intrigued by these services like Skype that allow for free phone calls between computers, as long as both computers have the software installed. You can also call out or call in to regular landline phones or cell phones for very low prices. Two of Skype's big competitors seem to be Gizmo and Yahoo Messenger with Voice (needs a catchier name).

The promise is great, but I don't know if right now I'm leaving money on the table or wisely staying out of the fray until a clear winner emerges, if one does at all.

In trying to research some of these services, I see that various users have different experiences with call quality, installation issues, etc. Some Skype users say that Skype uses up too many computer resources and freezes your computer. There's also some issue about open source versus closed source technology that is over my head.

I'm not a technophobe at all, in fact I'm probably more confident of my geek abilities than I should be. But unless I feel confident that I can replace my other phones with one of these services, I don't know that they're worth it for me. I've already got a very cheap discount long distance provider, but I am getting the shaft from AT&T when it comes voice mail charges and other mysterious charges that only they seem to understand, so I'm open to a switch.

At the Business 2.0 blog (which I recommend, by the way), Erick Schonfeld is excited about using Gizmo to call his wife for about a penny-per-minute while traveling in Korea. I can see the attraction if you make a lot international calls, but I don't leave the office much.

I also don't understand the technology fully. Do I have to be chained to my computer to use these services, or can I just throw a few pairs of headphones around the house and they'll ring when I get a call? Can they ring? I don't know the answer to even this basic question.

I'd be willing to give this a shot, but I don't know if I have quite enough pain yet when it comes to my phone bill to go through the hassle of downloading the software of one of these companies and trying it out.

Any thoughts or experiences with Skype, Gizmo, others? Have you tossed your landline in favor of one of these? Inquiring minds want to know.