Anything new about Skype, any release for Lucid?

[legolas_w]

Hello.

It is a long time that Skype has not release anything new for Linux,
Has anyone saw any new entry or something pointing to some information about this?

Thanks.

[Foster Grant]

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Skype

Skype for Linux remains in official beta, according to Skype itself.

It's a closed protocol (and there's lots of officially-sanctioned backdoors for censorship and for prying eyes to exploit), so don't expect it to be added to the repositories anytime soon.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SkypeEthics

[kostkon]

Long time? They released a new version a couple of months ago.

Check the skype linux blog (http://blogs.skype.com/linux/).

[chriswyatt]

Skype beta's running quite nicely, methinks an official release is imminent.

[samalex]

I wish they would release a client for Linux similar to the 4.2 client for Windows or at least like 2.8 for OSX. The Linux client just seems so far behind the other two.

I do like Skype, but I end up using the one on my wife's MacBook most of the time when we need to make calls. Plus her mic on the mac is MUCH better than mine :)

Sam

[kostkon]

I wish they would release a client for Linux similar to the 4.2 client for Windows or at least like 2.8 for OSX. The Linux client just seems so far behind the other two.

I do like Skype, but I end up using the one on my wife's MacBook most of the time when we need to make calls. Plus her mic on the mac is MUCH better than mine :)

Sam
Actually, I think the Linux version has now more features than the OSX version. And the versioning I think is different on these three platforms.

[lisati]

The "8.10" version available here (http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/choose/) seems to work for me on Lucid.

[samalex]

Actually, I think the Linux version has now more features than the OSX version. And the versioning I think is different on these three platforms.

Really? I think I'm using a 6 month old version, so I'll check out the latest and see if it works any better. Not to say what I have doesn't work, it just doesn't look as clean as what I've seen on Windows and OSX. But if there's a newer version I've been missing out :)

Take care --

Sam

[kostkon]

The "8.10" version available here (http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/choose/) seems to work for me on Lucid.
Yeah, because it's 8.10+ ;)

[e-Gee]

I have 4 webcams (2 logitech 2 canyon) and none of them work with skype on ubuntu, last release when I had video in skype was Jaunty.

[Foster Grant]

Given that there are plenty of open-source alternatives to Skype, I'm kind of confused as to why anybody here is pining away for it.

[stmiller]

^Because all of our friends/family use it.

[lancest]

Empathy does Voice AND Video over Google Talk.
I often nudge people to get Gmail.

[Andreas1]

Given that there are plenty of open-source alternatives to Skype, I'm kind of confused as to why anybody here is pining away for it.

i hate skype, it is an enemy of freedom and i refuse to install it, but i haven't yet found any usable alternative. (with at least one stable client on each mayor platform, that is, an open protocol, and simple enough for my parents to set it up)

[chriswyatt]

SIP isn't much harder than setting up an email account really. If you sent them some detailed and specific instructions I'm sure they could figure it out.

[Rackstar]

If you're interested in Skype for Linux and their efforts in opening their GUI. You should regulary check their linux blog:
http://blogs.skype.com/linux/

EDIT: I've discovered that they recently have started to Twitter: http://twitter.com/skypelinux

[Foster Grant]

If you're interested in Skype for Linux and their efforts in opening their GUI. You should regulary check their linux blog:
http://blogs.skype.com/linux/

They're only open-sourcing the Linux client. The underlying driver library will remain closed source. Screw 'em.

[sixthwheel]

i hate skype, it is an enemy of freedom and i refuse to install it

Skype to Skype is free all over the world.
How are they an enemy of freedom?
Do you have a mobile?..Is your TV open source?:confused:

[chriswyatt]

They're a company, they're providing a service, they have a business model and obviously they have their reasons why they haven't gone completely open-source.

[Foster Grant]

Skype to Skype is free all over the world.
How are they an enemy of freedom?
Do you have a mobile?..Is your TV open source?:confused:

You may be familiar with the concept of software freedom ... Skype doesn't do that. It's not interoperable with other VoIP programs. So Skype is not free, in the terms of freedom we use in the open-source world. Because it's a thoroughly closed protocol, you can't guarantee it's secure and private; you simply have to take Skype's word for it. If you're in China, don't bother taking Skype's word for it (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/875630d4-cef9-11da-925d-0000779e2340.html). There's also some evidence that Skype has given other government entities backdoors into the Skype protocol for monitoring purposes.

Skype hijacks your bandwidth to support its service, even if you're not using Skype at that particular moment. It creates a file called 1.com in your temp folder which is capable of reading all of your PC's BIOS data.

Richard Stallman has made Skype replacement a high priority for the Free Software Foundation because of its potential security and privacy issues: http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority-projects/#skypereplacement

For more information, here's the Ubuntu wiki page on Skype ethics: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SkypeEthics

There are plenty of other pages covering Skype's security and ethical issues, too.

Nobody should use Skype.

[sixthwheel]

Nobody should use Skype.
I just love these open source Nazis..I happen to like Skype, and will keep on using it, thank you very much
If something works for me, I couldn't give a rats *** whether it's open source or not.

I didn't start using Linux because it's open source, nor because it's free. I'm using it because it does what I need to do.
If Ubuntu decided to charge for it, I'd pay it, because it works for me.

[noob555]

I don't care so much that Skype isn't open source. But it's frustrating that they won't put proper resources into serving the linux community. They're very slow in coming out with new releases or bug fixes. The latest release was riddled with bugs, especially where video chat is concerned. That sucks. Unfortunately, we don't have another choice because all of our friends and family know/use Skype. As much as I'd like to get them all on a different, more linux-friendly system, they just wouldn't care. So for better or worse, we're stuck with Skype.

We use a lot of closed source stuff in linux. Is Gmail open source? No. (And possibly for good reason since any number of hackers would love to get their dirty hands on that code and destroy what privacy we do possess.) But most of us use it because it's best option out there.

Open source allows for much greater customization. And it may also provide better security. But I seriously doubt that any communication software can be truly secure when a government wants to listen in. Once you send data out into the ether, it no longer resides within your direct control.

The best way to protect yourself from an intrusive government is to insure that you live in a free society with proper checks and balances.

[Andreas1]

I just love these open source Nazis..I happen to like Skype, and will keep on using it, thank you very much
If something works for me, I couldn't give a rats *** whether it's open source or not.

I didn't start using Linux because it's open source, nor because it's free. I'm using it because it does what I need to do.
If Ubuntu decided to charge for it, I'd pay it, because it works for me.

First, the word you were looking for might have been extremist, not Nazi.

Second, personally i would even consider using a proprietary client if the protocol were open. with a proprietary protocol however, you do not only make a choice for yourself, but for everyone else who might want to talk to you. and i for one won't force anybody to install adware on their computer in order to communicate with me.

[Grone1985]

The best way to protect yourself from an intrusive government is to insure that you live in a free society with proper checks and balances.

And where is that? :lolflag:

[cgroza]

and where is that? :lolflag:
canada:d

[coolbrook]

canada:d
Which Canada? Tell me how to get to Sesame Street.

[Rainstride]

for anyone who wants to use skype. the current version on there website works perfectly for me in 10.04. though, you will need to edit the settings for the theme in the skype options menu. set it to default so it will be the same as 10.04 theme.

on a side note, I don't use video chatting so no promises there.