13 Best Free and Open Source Linux Webcam Tools
A webcam is a video capture device that is either connected to a computer directly (typically by USB) or over a computer network. Many modern netbooks and laptops have a built-in webcam.
Webcams spice up online communication by offering real-time video chat and webcasting. These tiny cameras enable users to chat in realtime with friends and family, send video email around the world, to videoconference with co-workers and clients, and even to broadcast a TV-like channel over the net. Other people use a webcam as part of a security system, making use of motion detection to receive image and video intrusion alerts, both interior and exterior, of a building or home.
To use a webcam in Linux requires dedicated webcam software. In this article, we have chosen our favorite tools which enable webcams to capture images and video, and to act as a video surveillance device.