Skype for Linux 1.4 Alpha update
Today we have release update for Skype for Linux 1.4 Alpha version.
Alpha means that this version is still under development and only experienced users should try it out.
Check out my blog post about first Alpha release of Skype for Linux 1.4 to get to know of system requirements.
We would recommend for everyone who used previous Alpha build to update.
Skype for Linux 1.4 Alpha can be downloaded from following locations:
In comparison with previous build this new release 1.4.0.64 has numerous new features implemented:
* feature: Create Account.
* feature: Call ordinary phones dialpad.
* feature: Graphic emoticons.
* feature: X11 public API transport.
* feature: DBUS public API transport.
* feature: Public API manager dialog in Options.
* feature: Mark All Viewed in new events list.
* feature: New dialpad and other graphics.
* feature: Technical Call Info tooltip.
* feature: Birthday reminders.
* cleanup: Add hover effect to Myself, Services and Events Area text buttons.
* cleanup: Add hover effect to Transfer text buttons.
* cleanup: Display (Alpha) or (Beta) tag in header and about box.
* cleanup: File Transfer cleanups.
* cleanup: Improved contact card look
]]>In addition to long list of new features we have addressed many issues:
* bugfix: Changes to line input (mood messages etc), behaves much more nicely now.
* bugfix: Crash when opening profile via right-click menu whilst in a call.
* bugfix: Delete chats a lot more cleanly.
* bugfix: Don’t duplicate users’ languages.
* bugfix: Don’t show e-mail address after reloading if it wasn’t stored.
* bugfix: Double click pstn contact starts call regardless of chat/call setting.
* bugfix: Escaping issue with contact notifications.
* bugfix: Event notifications now reset between logins.
* bugfix: Expanded contact now has mouseover tooltip on their name.
* bugfix: Chat bookmark changes from history are now reflected in chat window.
* bugfix: Fix & escaping in Chats menus.
* bugfix: Fix for non-workable EULA in Qt 4.3.x.
* bugfix: Fix for non-working buttons in Options Dialog in Qt 4.3.x.
* bugfix: Fix jumpy drawing on appearing Edit Profile window.
* bugfix: Explicitly telling a chat to open should open it, even if minimised.
* bugfix: If you close a minimised chat window, you could no longer open the chat.
* bugfix: Incorrect match code in Events model lead to unpredictable events.
* bugfix: No more ‘Broken Call’ windows.
* bugfix: Only (try to) save e-mail addresses and languages when necessary.
* bugfix: Opening a blank chat would immediately place it into Recent Chats.
* bugfix: Repopulate profile widget editor upon reloading.
* bugfix: Search Contacts dialogue corruption.
* bugfix: Typing into the chat userlist no longer causes unexpected behaviour on the main contact list.
* bugfix: Use plain text body in chat (fixes communication issues with latest Windows Skype versions).
* bugfix: View Account Page button now links to account page.
Thus this version has major improvements over last one, but there are still some features missing:
* Contact List Groups
* Undelivered chat messages are not currently indicated.
* /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
Be aware that this version has already some known problems:
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 not possible to send file to chat
* 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.
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.
Yet again, why is there no listing of video support going to be added to the Linux version? Both the Mac and Win32 versions have support for videoconferencing. Skype’s videoconferencing is probably the only reason I have an account with skype. I just want to see that my Linux machines (my laptop runs Fedora Core 6, soon to be Fedora 7) being able to use my webcam to chat with Skype. And before anyone says that I should just go out and get Windows or find something else, its not really my choice to use Skype, but I do need to use it. And I am not made of money, I cannot just go out any buy Windows anytime. I don’t like Windows XP and Vista is just a pain to deal with (I do computer repairs, its hell to work with). Besides, only my desktop fulfills the requirements for Windows Vista. The important thing here is that I want to use Skype Video on Linux! If you really dont want to deal with it, use GStreamer, that way you have dynamic support for any video capture interfaces. You should use GStreamer to handle Video and Voice on Linux. However, ALSA support is already there. Please add Video support. I seriously am considering not using Skype anymore because of this…
king.inuyasha, please cool down. Video support is not planned for this release, it was already stated. It will be in the future. My guesstimate? Wait another 6-12 monthes.
In the meantime there are alternatives, like Ekiga or Wengo, but they have their pitfalls. I look forward to have Skype in the lot of apps that support Video on Linux, I am sure they will raise the bar for everyone.
Well, I’m with king.inuyasha, and the many people who have commented elsewhere regarding Skype video support on linux. The bug fixes and feature tweaks are fine, but video support remains the “Elephant in the corner of the room”. Until it’s there, Skype will continue to lose users and utimately revenue.