Welcome to blogs.skype.com!
Welcome!
It has been quite a ride to get here.
]]>Skype was launched on August 29, 2003. A bit less than two years ago. Just for some nostalgic memories, here’s the original news item.
August 29, 2003. We’re proud to announce the public release of Skype Beta and the arrival of P2P Telephony! Skype allows anyone to experience free, unlimited, high-quality voice communication over the Internet. Skype software is free to download and you can always get the latest version by clicking here.
You and us know what has happened inbetween then and now. Reportedly, Skype has become a global telecom player and is changing the way people talk to each other. At least for the thirty-something-million users who have signed up. We have recruited tens of brilliant minds from countries all over, and continue to do so. We have signed partnerships on half of the continents (Africa, Australia and Antarctica remain), reaching, with the help of our partners, even more people, providing them crystal-clear global free voice calls and other free and paid services.
It’s demanding for the team. Exhausting at times. Yet fascinating and cool as hell. And we felt like sharing more of the fun, so blogs.skype.com was born.
We already had a “Community” section at skype.com, letting you easily share Skype to your friends and download developer information. blogs.skype.com takes these a bit further, making it easier for you to share the Skype experience with those around you, and making it possible for us at Skype to share more of what we do, read, hear and think.
You see, working at Skype is exciting not only because you get to play with the coolest technologies the industry has to offer, but also because you get to define the industry. (Yes, could be a bit of an overstatement, but hey, it’s our site! 
You literally get to define the way how millions of people use their computer and other gadgets, often for a good period of the day and well into the night. You make other people’s lives. So you give them good experiences like an opportunity to stay online with their loved ones continents away for hours, or you if you mess up, you may unwillingly trash their important moments by making a piece of software that crashes just as they are about to close that deal or ask that important question.
It’s a bit intimidating. Above all, it’s a huge responsibility. We feel flattered and honoured that this many millions of folks have entrusted us with running their communications. So we cannot fail you guys — or it comes back to us quickly and painfully. The market is open. Skype has been and continues to be a strong advocate of barrier-free economies and user choice.
We know some people have reservations about Skype for various reasons. We often get questions on our history, motives and network architecture, as well as the longevity and sustainability of our business model. On this site, we intend to provide our own view on all these issues, and more. While the Skype forums continue to be open user-driven discussion areas, we will use blogs.skype.com to spotlight the issues that are interesting to us at Skype at the time. Hopefully, you will learn who we are, what we do, why we do those things, how we think things should work and be done, and where is the whole thing heading — where “thing” can be Skype, the Internet or telecom industry, or the next gadget or Skype feature, or just something that caught our eye.
Us telling the Skype story is not the only purpose of this site. We’d also like to hear from you all. You can already have banners on your site that earn you points every time someone downloads Skype from it. You can share Skype with your friends. You can continue to exchange with us and other users in the forums. You can comment on most content of this site, and we continue to add other ways how we can interact.
So what’s next?
Here are some things you might want to check out immediately. If you’re not into either, feel free to just browse around and let us know in the sharing site forum what you think of the site.
- affiliate banners. Put a banner on your site and earn Skype Points! Then come back here and see how you rank up with others on the scoreboard. Read more in Skype Points FAQ.
- developer competition. Skype public API lets you use the functions of Skype from any software application or hardware device, and the competition lets you implement the coolest piece of software you can imagine! And by doing so, you’ll be rich and famous
well we have some cash prizes there and will showcase your stuff on this site… read more on the competition page.
Once again, welcome to blogs.skype.com. Let’s enjoy the ride.
Congratulations on the launch of the new site!
Phil.
Congrats Jaanus and the rest of the team, great work!
Congratulations!
I have great expectations!
looks interesting…
Congratulations!
Great blog
Bye
Luca – http://www.pandemia.info
Congratulations from Switzerland! http://www.lucatogni.ch
Congratulations on your new blog Jaanus.
Regards, Bill Campbell
I have following question in my mind
1) Is skype is going release its code on open source
2) When Skype will have sip gateway
otherwise I think skype is great produc but had these question from long time
Great initiative. Like the fresh breezy look! http://www.netaneljacobsson.com
well done! keep up
blogs.skype.com – another step forward for a great bunch of people. Look forward to even more exciting developments. From downunder in NZ.
Dear Skype-Team
I would like to get some information, if you plan to widen your offer regarding numeric zones in #8220;Skype in #8221; in Poland. I #8217;m a young, mobile, and dynamic person, that #8217;s why I really would like to purchase number in #8220;Skype in #8221;, but involving different numeric zone. I only mention, that I #8217;ve been using skype for over a year, and I #8217;m very content. There already exist in Poland providers of PTSN number in others, not only 48 22 #8230; #8230;(Warsaw) numeric zones. I #8217;m interested in number +48 12 #8230; #8230;(Cracow). I hope you consider my (and not only mine) proposal, and soon I #8217;ll be able to use #8220;Skype in #8221; from my city. I #8217;m looking forward to your answer. Your faithful client- Paweł Daniec
Great. keep it up and I hope to meet more Skyper all over the world on this site.
Thank you for such a beautiful idea. I’ve discussed Skype with many from all over the globe and this software is truly one of the only application that can expand your mind in a postive manner.
Yahoo has since copied your idea, since surpassing 1,000,000 downloads — but we all know the unstable beings that lurk that region. Keep up the fight, you have a very loyal global crowd on your side.
Regards,
mESH
What about listing somewhere the blogs of the Skype employees? We would like to know better the people making Skype!
“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics.”
Benjamin Disraeli
so
keep
your
phone
elsewhere…. skype is here to stay.
thanks for the billion free minutes. been a user since skype’s infancy and this service rocks. outstanding…magnificent…incomparable…
keep up the excellent work.
hiya well done on the whole thing its just remarkable
i like it
Skype is getting better every day and you are helping this! Well done!
Necesito saber de tí….valery!
i did not get the file to download please help me and also i want to know where i can get the skype api
Can someone advise me where I can download this API ?
Please mailto:aries_wang@alliedtelesis.com.tw
See on the khaoslabs forum
http://forum.khaoslabs.com/showthread.php?tid=1
Sounds great. Please provide a specific link to the page where this can be downloaded. All of the links on this page lead to the Khaos main page and they don’t list this api as being available. Thanks
Hi All yo skype users.I’m new to this so i have some questions?
I live in australia and would like to get a skypein number 4 australia?
What’s the go to ring aussie to aussie?
Kind regards
Laurie Graham
lgcomms@wagga.net.au
Hi All :
Does anybody know where to get a good Visual Foxpro sample code in the usage of skype api ?
Thx
“Sounds great. Please provide a specific link to the page where this can be downloaded. All of the links on this page lead to the Khaos main page and they don’t list this api as being available. Thanks”
We were having some minor server troubles on the 21st. Our new site has been launched and it should be much easier to find (http://www.khaoslabs.com/actives.php). Also, we have new forums now, so the link that pascaliii posted is no longer valid.
Regards,
Kevin Delaney
Co-Founder, KhaosLabs
Hi I am NEW to Skype and a Princesshouse Lifestyle consultant. I would like to let EVERYONE know they can contact me for purchase information!
Thanks!
Hi da hann!
Very intuitive API and much easier to use then ++Skype. My compliments!
Is there a way to access the AP2AP API?
I’d like to send application messages (not chat messages) between my apps.
Thanks,
Shay
Hi there, shaycy!
Check out this bit of sample code, written by yours truly, on how to use the App2App system with ActiveS:
http://blogs.skype.com/developer_zone/developer_blog/ap2ap_sample/#readmore
Thanks,
Kevin Delaney
Co-Founder, KhaosLabs