Sign the petition: Tell Skype to improve their Linux support

[digibing]

Sign the petition:

http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/809/068/971/make-skype-improve-their-linux-support/

or if you do not have Facebook, try this link:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/809/068/971/make-skype-improve-their-linux-support/

Tell your friends.

[blueturtl]

Did you miss the news; Microsoft has acquired Skype?

Little hope of improved support now, even prior to purchase they weren't that interested.

Better just move to standard SIP based VOIP.

[digibing]

Haven't missed that bit, it is clear if you read the petition. MS gives support for Skype on Apple, so why not support Skype on Linux?

Also, can't move to some other system that easily if all ones business connections are on Skype already.


Did you miss the news; Microsoft has acquired Skype?

Better just move to standard SIP based VOIP.

[Simian Man]

Good idea! Petitions always work!

[mips]

Good idea! Petitions always work!

That's dripping with sarcasm, let me wipe my screen :lolflag:

[MisterGaribaldi]

There's nothing wrong with a petition, and even though Microsoft has been known to be insensitive to users' needs and requests (http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2004/11/11/microsoft-says-firefox-not-a-threat-to-ie-39173345/) they sometimes come around, eventually.

However, I agree with what's been said up-thread. Personally, I try to avoid Skype like the plague because, even on perfectly-well supported platforms, it's still a pig and has a history of not being that great of a solution. Apple's FaceTime, for instance, beats Skype to pieces.

[yetiman64]

... MS gives support for Skype on Apple, so why not support Skype on Linux?....

I remember hearing about the time MSOffice was first being made available for Macs as well that MS had a significant portion of Apple shareholdings. Can't remember the exact figure but is was somewhere about the 20-25 % mark. Can't seem to find any details at the moment, so if anyone knows where to get onto that info, do please tell.

If MS still hold cross ownership in Apple (not sure if they still do) then releasing skype for Apple ultimately sends a portion of any profits back to them. That is probably why skype support for Apple seems to be ongoing.

Can't see any way MS can make a dollar out of Linux though, can you?. So why support it with regard to Skype (not saying it is right, just that it is how some businesses operate).

Personally I don't give any private details out unless I absolutely have to (and want to). I wouldn't put my details on a site I know absolutely nothing about, like petition sites I've never previously heard of. No signing from me sorry.

BTW, had to use the second link, the reason I won't fill out the petition is the same as one of the reasons why I don't use facebook (despite repeated pressure from some of my younger relatives to do so). Cheers.

[m4tic]

Sign the petition: Tell Microsoft to improve their Linux support

[georgian2all]

It would be a good thing if Microsoft would implement the code better for Skype on Linux but I reserve the right to be skeptical. Sign the petition.

[3rdalbum]

Maybe someone experienced in such things could research and write a business case for Microsoft to keep developing the Linux and Android clients for Skype? Something to do with the need for a ubiquitous videoconferencing solution across all platforms, making Microsoft Skype the first choice for videoconferencing rather than Apple Facetime.

[yetiman64]

Maybe someone experienced in such things could research and write a business case for Microsoft to keep developing the Linux and Android clients for Skype? Something to do with the need for a ubiquitous videoconferencing solution across all platforms, making Microsoft Skype the first choice for videoconferencing rather than Apple Facetime.

Now that, imo, is something that may have a positive impact on the situation for Skype/Linux. Yes agree, good idea.

Whether it would work or not is another matter, dependent on MS's management plans etc. But definitely something worth trying on. :-)

[samalex]

Did you miss the news; Microsoft has acquired Skype?


I was about to post the same thing :) Though I'm sure MS will continue to support Skype on Linux to some degree I bet it along with Apple will be the bastard stepchildren for Skype with lagging features. I haven't tested Skype for Windows in Wine, but that might be an option if the webcam and microphone are recognized by Wine.

[Simian Man]

Maybe someone experienced in such things could research and write a business case for Microsoft to keep developing the Linux and Android clients for Skype? Something to do with the need for a ubiquitous videoconferencing solution across all platforms, making Microsoft Skype the first choice for videoconferencing rather than Apple Facetime.

I'm pretty sure big companies like Microsoft do this all the time. Do you really think they spent 8.5 Billion dollars to acquire a product without already having a plan with what they are going to do with it?

I doubt that some "business case" written by someone with nothing better to do will really make an impression.

[pootan]

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Skype rebranded in the next few years to Messenger, Xbox Live Connect or [insert flavour of the month here] Live. If you can't beat em, buy em.

[donkyhotay]

another pointless petition... I'm sorry I don't consider it worth the few minutes of my time to actually sign it. Even posting here about how I'm not going to sign it is more useful as I figure it's actually possible the OP will pay attention to this post and not bother with useless petitions in the future as compared to MS improving linux support for skype because of an online petition.

[kevdog]

Dear Microsoft -- Please improve Skype for Linux. Although I personally don't use Skype but rather Google Talk on ICS and Honeycomb with video chat, a lot of my friends do. Thanks

[Metallion]

another pointless petition... I'm sorry I don't consider it worth the few minutes of my time to actually sign it. Even posting here about how I'm not going to sign it is more useful as I figure it's actually possible the OP will pay attention to this post and not bother with useless petitions in the future as compared to MS improving linux support for skype because of an online petition.

This.

[MisterGaribaldi]

Dear Steve Ballmer:

You and your company suck rocks and other really horrible, nasty things. I personally long for the demise of your company, and think the great amounts of money your friend and former boss Bill Gates gives out is nothing more than blood money.

Would you please, please, please continue to develop one of your recent acquisitions, Skype, for the operating system you personally love to hate and would see bloodied, broken, and driven from the field if you had your own personal way? There's this guy on UF who evidently uses the software.

MisterGaribaldi

[duke.tim]

Dear Steve Ballmer:

You and your company suck.... There's this guy on UF who evidently uses the software.

MisterGaribaldi

Play nice

[Jesus_Valdez]

We must come into terms with the fact that some thing will never work as one wish.

Among those things we can include flash or skype under linux.

[MisterGaribaldi]

Play nice

That was nice for me. ;)

[3rdalbum]

I'm pretty sure big companies like Microsoft do this all the time. Do you really think they spent 8.5 Billion dollars to acquire a product without already having a plan with what they are going to do with it?

I doubt that some "business case" written by someone with nothing better to do will really make an impression.

Microsoft probably just assumed it would not continue to develop the Linux client "because it's a competitor". No discussion. Submitting a good business case might provoke some discussion in Microsoft. It might not come to anything, but if someone with the talent cares to try, it's got a better chance of succeeding than a free online petition site.

[MisterGaribaldi]

Microsoft probably just assumed it would not continue to develop the Linux client "because it's a competitor". No discussion. Submitting a good business case might provoke some discussion in Microsoft. It might not come to anything, but if someone with the talent cares to try, it's got a better chance of succeeding than a free online petition site.

It must really stick in Steve "Developers! Developers! Developers!" Ballmer's craw to know he's going to have to keep supporting Linux, directly or indirectly.

Just sayin'...

Remember: Steve "Monkey-Boy" Ballmer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc)
How about: The Best of Steve Ballmer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8M6S8EKbnU)

Because no multi-billion-dollar international mega-corp is complete without its crazy people.

[waloshin]

So tell Microsoft to support linux better?
Why not write? canocial

[Erik1984]

So tell Microsoft to support linux better?
Why not write? canocial

What can Canonical do to improve a proprietary (and closed source) application?

[UUUnicorn]

I've already signed. I shared this on Facebook.com, tweeted this on Twitter.com, and posted this on LinuxMint.com's forum/messageboard, too.

Please spread the word--it won't hurt.

[synaptix]

So tell Microsoft to support linux better?
Why not write? canocial

Canonical doesn't own Skype, Microsoft does.

[Simian Man]

Microsoft probably just assumed it would not continue to develop the Linux client "because it's a competitor". No discussion. Submitting a good business case might provoke some discussion in Microsoft. It might not come to anything, but if someone with the talent cares to try, it's got a better chance of succeeding than a free online petition site.

I seriously doubt it. It makes good business sense for Microsoft to support Office on OSX despite the fact that Apple is a much bigger competitor than Linux is. Microsoft is a publicly traded company, so they have a responsibility to increase the value of their shares. If supporting Skype on Linux will do that, then they will do it. I doubt that's the case though and, either way, I'm sure they considered their options.

Not to mention that companies generally don't even read ideas submitted to them by independent parties for legal reasons. If you write to Microsoft, or any tech company, with an idea it opens the door for you to take legal action against them should they pursue it - even if they would have anyway. Even if someone wrote this up, odds are they would not even open it.

[Paqman]

Petitions like this are unfortunately pointless while we still only have 1% of the desktop market. We just don't have enough economic power to influence these big companies.

Poor support from third parties is the main drawback of using Linux. If you want to keep using Linux, you're probably just going to have to learn to live with that.

[madjr]

forget about skype and use g-talk instead ?

[acimi66]

I did write them note. Only time will tell if made any difference.