Skype Installation Problems

[Bob_Lade]

Hi guys. I'm new to Ubuntu and Linux. I installed version 12.04LTS on my Acer netbook with absolutely no problems. I have it runing alongside my soon-to-be-obsolete Windows XP. So, here's what i've done so far.

I have gone to the Skype site and downloaded the recommended version. The download seems to go OK and I eventually was asked for my password which I typed in. The program seemed to be installing, but when it was complete (and the page said "installed") I was returned to the software center. I then closed the software center and firefox and looked on the launcher and there was no skype icon. I see that i did infact download the file because i can find it in the files and folders section of Ubuntu. I have tried re-installing it and then I re-downloaded it and tried again. Same results.

I then did some reading here on the forum and found some posts by Ian-Weisser who suggested going to the "terminal" and entering this code:

sudo apt-add-repository "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner" and
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install skype

After reading up a little on "Terminal" (kinda like the old DOS prompt in Windows) I entered the code and got the following error message:

E: Malformed line 56 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse)
E: The list of sources could not be read.

Basically, I wanted to use Linux to resurrect this old net book and use it pretty much just for Skype, so I really would like to get this working. Any help would be greatly be appreciated.

-Dr. Bob

[oldrocker99]

For what it is worth, I personally (and the rest of my family) prefer Google Hangouts to Skype. The video and audio are superior to Skype, and it's built right into Chrome (with the installation of a talk plugin). Don't listen to Microsoft with their usual tone-deaf "scroogled" FUD. Microsoft owns Skype, and I personally mistrust them more than I do mistrust Google.

FWIW.

[Bob_Lade]

rocker I agree with you. unfortunately a number friends use Skype so I'm stuck with that program. thanks for your comments.

[ibjsb4]

E: Malformed line 56 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse)

Whats on line 56?

cat -n /etc/apt/sources.list

[mikewhatever]

Let's look at the end of your sources list, and figure out what's wrong. Can you post the output of -

tail /etc/apt/sources.list

[Bob_Lade]

I guess I don't know what I'm doing. I typed ur code into terminal and here's what i get:

bob@Muffin:~$ cat -n etc/apt/sources.list
cat: etc/apt/sources.list: No such file or directory

[chris_dummer]

try to google skype ver 4.2.0.11 for unix and install that the latest download ver 4.2.0.13-1 did not work from the skype download page on my system(an old ibm think centre resurected with ubuntu)
all ok apart from ocasionall sound breakup.
good luck.

[ibjsb4]

I guess I don't know what I'm doing. I typed ur code into terminal and here's what i get:

bob@Muffin:~$ cat -n etc/apt/sources.list
cat: etc/apt/sources.list: No such file or directory

You missed a slash. copy and paste

[Bob_Lade]

Here's what I get:

bob@Muffin:~$ tail /etc/apt/sources.list
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ partner
deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ partner
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ precise partner
deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ precise partner
deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
bob@Muffin:~$

[Bob_Lade]

OK, Here's the list:

43 deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security multiverse
44 deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security multiverse
45
46 ## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
47 ## 'partner' repository.
48 ## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
49 ## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
50 # deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner
51 # deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner
52
53 ## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
54 ## developers who want to ship their latest software.
55 deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
56 deb http://archive.canonical.com/ partner
57 deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ partner
58 deb http://archive.canonical.com/ precise partner
59 deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ precise partner
60 deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
bob@Muffin:~$