Skype for Linux 1.4 Alpha release
Today, we have released Skype for Linux 1.4 Alpha, a test version which will give you a sneak-peek into how the next major release for Linux will function.
Alpha means that this version is still under development and only experienced users should try it out.
As we have already done with Windows and Mac we are opening things up a bit for you. So we have created a public issue tracker for Skype for Linux.
You can get more info on this release from our Linux blog.
Skype for Linux 1.4 can be downloaded from following locations:
]]>To use Skype for Linux 1.4 you need to be atleast on:
* Hardware
* ALSA-supported sound device.
* Software
* glibc 2.4
* Software (for static release)
* sigc++ 2.0
* Software (for dynamic release)
* Qt 4.2.x
* Qt 4.2.3 contains a bug that if [http://www.trolltech.com/developer/task-tracker/index_html?method=entry&id=153635 unpatched] will cause expanded contact details to be displayed incorrectly.
* Qt 4.3.0-beta is considered not yet release worthy, and may cause unpredictable side-effects with the Skype 1.4 client.
* sigc++ 2.0
As this is a Alpha release then some known problems have managed to find their way into it:
Missing Features in Skype 1.4:
* Contact List Groups
* Creating new accounts is not yet possible.
* Undelivered chat messages are not currently indicated.
* There is no way to mark all events as read/viewed at this time.
* /alertsoff in chats does not currently work as expected.
* OSS support – this will likely return later.
* At this stage, packaged versions are not available. For now, simply move the ‘skype’ executable from the archive into /usr/bin and the sounds into /usr/share/skype/sounds
* API
Audio:
* If you have a USB device and are getting sound output on one side only, try using the plughw: device in Sound Devices instead.
* If you have a normal sound card, we recommend using the Default sound device for now. Sound output to hw: specific or plughw: specific devices may not work for all sound cards, or may result in single-channel playback or loss of sound mixing support on your system.
Chats:
* Selections behaviour is unpredictable in right-to-left languages.
* Links to URLs without protocol (ie. http://www.skype.net) may not load in the correct program.
* ‘Find’ feature in chat does not have activation keys as yet. You can initiate a find by typing /find and then using / in the chat window to find the next match. Some options in the Find window have not been implemented.
* Resizing chat windows which contain a lot of content, or hiding/unhiding the userlist can be very slow.
Contact List:
* If you have contact info expanded on the main contact list, the list will scroll to this location automatically on any update (even if the contact info was not visible before the update).
* If you have a long display name, this may be displayed in an unusual fashion at the top of your contact list.
Event History:
* Quickfilter is not yet implemented for event history.
* Loading full event history takes a short time.
Popup Notifications:
* Not all popup notifications have been implemented (for example, calls)
* You have to double-click on chat popups to open the chat currently.
File Transfers:
* Progress bar is sometimes incorrect.
* The ‘Open Folder’ icon on the individual complete incoming transfers does not actually open the folder.
* When a transfer fails, it is currently not obvious as to why it failed.
* There is currently no File Overwrite confirmation dialog.
* It is currently not possible to send a file or files to a group of people in one action.
* When you have lots of file transfers and scroll through the list, some horrible overdrawing artifacts can occur.
Options Dialog:
* Changing between Options screens without saving could lose your new options.
Options are only currently saved on a screen by screen basis. There is currently no warning when you try to change options screens or exit the options dialog with unsaved changes.
* For some people, the Voicemail section may show a constantly scrolling progress bar when they haven’t set a Voicemail message and/or do not have the Voicemail or SkypeIn service.
Newly released build is 1.4.0.58 and changes compared to last 1.3 version are:
* Major user interface overhaul.
* Audio quality has been improved.
* Calls are now contained in a separate window.
* Chat history can be loaded in time-specific increments (rather than ‘recent’ and the very slow, ‘all’)
* File transfers are now grouped in a common window, and similar transfers are also grouped together.
* Event history now contains chats and other events in addition to calls.
* Sound files are now located in /usr/share/skype/sounds. This directory will be configurable later, however the sound files from the original Skype 1.4 package should be placed into this directory for now.
* The top menu bar has been removed. You can access the Main Menu by clicking on the ‘cog wheel’ down the bottom left of the client, or by right-clicking on the system tray icon.
* Add/Search users can be accessed by clicking on the Green + button in the bottom-left corner.
You are welcomed to leave us feedback on our Skype for Linux 1.4 Alpha forum, report issues on issue tracker Jira and read more info and learn how to leave issues to us on our Skype for Linux development page.
Thank you for the news Raul.
One thing thou: you fail to even mention future video support (for good or bad).
I still believe everything I said here.
I am not sure I am going to stick with Skype much longer. I was one of your little champions back in 2004 and 2005. Surely, I won’t be the only one Skype is going to miss.
Thank you for your comment.
We are constantly working on improving Skype clients for all platforms.
Thank you Raul. And I know you, and all Skype developers do your best. You produce a great product technically. I congratulate you on your work.
My critics are to Skype’s corporate directives. It just saddens me that I would probably have to switch to another product, after years of promoting Skype, and genuinely believing in the Skype vision. But is not the end of the world either.
Again, congratulations on your work, and good luck with future development.
Honestly, I am quite disapointed with this alpha. There were three main features asked – video calls, sms sending and 64bit version. Nothing is discussed here, so it is nice, that you made some “nice” changes in the UI, but I think it is really time for me, to ask my friends to switch to wengophone (which has all the features mentioned and even includes few things even win version of skype does not). You can be good choice for windows users, but linux version development is far too slow, sorry.
Hi,
You can add me to the list of folks who believed next version would at least sport video calls, and that are now a bit disappointed.
Further, I would like to add that writing software that is portable between ia32 and emt64 does not require that much of an additional effort…
sfjohnsen
Still no video calls? Really disappointed to hear that
Now hold up a minute. Look at what it says “Alpha”. Now look at other Alpha software builds. Do that have everything in them that they have been working on. No, why not because either they are not fully finished yet or because they are finished but they are still extremely buggy themselfs and they would damage the alpha over all.
Im sure by the time this is fully released it will have at least 1 of the features we as a community have been asking for.
I am one of the people what sees this as a great step forward, I cant wait until the next build.
no video calls? really?? hmm… why is it taking so long time to build in? its sad…
New version?? How long Windows has a video support? How long Linux users needed to wait more? I am glad that is Ekiga here
with good video support.
I want to be able to use Ubuntu 7.04 and skype with my webcam. I hope you do this soon.
I updated on my linux opensuse 10.2 and now finally usb mics works!!! Compliments…it looks really good for an alpha!!
By
“I want to be able to use Ubuntu 7.04 and skype with my webcam. I hope you do this soon.”
Maybe just few years? Now is out 1.4 alpha and to the version 3.0 alpha is not so far…
Try Ekiga. Web camera works and sound is good too.
Common Linux world, lets find another solution, use other softwares out there, there are many under Linux that have Video and Voice. Tell others under Windows to use them too.
Video is like the gigant elephant in the room, its there everyone knows is there but we noone says anything about it, well at least noone from skype
A good Alpha release! This now works very well with the hda_intel alsa driver whereas the previous 1.3 skype was problematic to say the least. It would be nice to see webcam support offered. So overall i am pleased this skype actually works on my machine however we really need the webcam support as well.
I agree, this alpha is nice. It fixed my microphone problem no sweat. Hoping to see the camera feature as well! Not much you can say about outlooks though since it is in the alpha still. Keep it up!
I thought Skype development was dead until I saw this one
Nice to see it’s still alive.
Haven’t had any issues with this alpha yet on my Ubuntu box, so keep up the good work.
I mostly use Skype for chatting, so don’t miss the video functionality, although I would welcome it, but I think it’s a 2.0 release grade rather then a 1.4.xx
I use WengoPhone for video chat.
I wont talk about the missing features of this alpha, nor about the new functions and fixes.
I understand that linux users are a small number when compared to windoz users, and that this make an huge difference when peoples at skype’s head decide where to put money on development, but i wonder if it’s smart or not to try to keep linux users tightly connected to skype or let them choose third party software. How much will skype loose when the linux users will be a significant number ? And i guess this will happen soon, when people should decide if upgrade to *new* O.S. and trusted computing (!) or not..What a pity.
Have just been trying Ubuntu Linux as alternative to Windows. Was starting to like it but very sad that Skype does not support video in Linux.Guess I’m going to have to change VOIP software and give up on Skype if I stick with Ubuntu.
This Alpha is very good. I always had problems with Ubuntu and Skype when I turned on Compiz or Beryl. The Alpha works now fine, also with 3D Desktop.
Thank you for this release finally I don’t get 150 tcp connections. Thanks for your great work.
BTW: Where can I send a bug report ?
I was really hoping that video support would be in this release of Skype. I mean, really really hoping. But, I guess Skype doesn’t care too much for the Linux community. And the QT 4.2.3 bug is fixed according to Trolltech, and the next release containing the fix is QT 4.3.0, but according to Fedora Project RPM listing, its patched in for my system in release 8 of QT4.2.3. So, technically, the bug doesn’t exist anymore. Why didn’t you guys just use GStreamer or some A/V framework to handle video and voice?
as much as I am looking forward to some solid video support in linux from a primary IM supplier instead of 3rd party apps. I must say I am digging the new interface, I think it’s is 100% better! so, good job guys on fixing up a much cleaner and leaner interface, I have not yet made calls to land lines from it though, so I’m not sure yet if my biggest beef has been fixed in that area. but in the old skype for linux, wehn calling a company with a menu, you could not press a button to proceed, you could in Windows at some point, I hope the new Alpha and forward will be able to do this correctly.
Once again, kudos on the new interface, I couldn’t stand the old one, too big and bulky (I don’t like Skype for Windows interface =/)
I am VERY pleased with this version. The last Skype version I had was just darn ugly. This one is light on the eyes. Although I have to say: Can you guys PLEASE add video support on the next version? On the Beta, hopefully, why not? I mean, can’t you see it’s what everyone has been asking for? The Skype network is just a LOT bigger and that’s what keeps me from going to an alternative software. Internet is spreading Linux around and many are joining the group. We’re a bunch of people, mate.
Come on guys, it’s almost a year since the last stable version, and all you come up with are a better UI and crisper sound (Which weren’t that bad anyway!)? I don’t want to blame the people who actually work on the code, probably they did a great job and I’m very thankful to them. But what I really want to have is support for video and sms.
I use Skype as a substitute for the “old fashioned” telephone, and I pay the same fees as Windows or Mac users do. So why do I still have to wait for features they enjoy for months over months now? And there is not even a hint when those things are to come for Linux!
I dont know what is worse.. the ulgy interface from 1.3 or the new good looking but poor 1.4. Oh.. i can’t just leave a group chat conversation. No contact groups, no send file button on the chat window. When the beta version arrives? I almost giving up to use it.
What’s the ETA on Skype with Video for Linux?
Does anyone have any idea?
Hello all,
The group conversation is very important feature without which using skype is tasteless. Please add that feature as soon as possible. Thanks. I need that for text chatting only.
Dipu