Skype for Linux updates
It’s been a while since we last checked in to report on our progress with Skype for Linux, and I’m sorry to have kept you in the dark.
Here are some of the things we’ve been up to:
- We’ve completely rewritten the audio library, and have spent considerable effort transforming the existing audio code into a form more suitable for Skype. We’ve also fixed some compatibility issues with Bluetooth headsets.
- We’re also making substantial changes to the video library. We’re working to make it more stable and compatible with more webcams and X video modes.
- There is work underway to adopt some of the user interface improvements from Skype 4.0 for Windows, like the active conversations tab. We’re also considering adding the full-screen default view found in Skype 4.0 for Windows. Of course, this is still under development, but our goal is to create an easier to use interface that requires fewer clicks to accomplish the most common tasks.
- We’re also trying to be friendlier to more operating systems, in particular FreeBSD and OpenSolaris. While there is still no support for 64-bit Linux, we hope to add this during 2009.
- We’ve expanded our Linux team by hiring more skilled Linux/Qt developers, and we have more Linux vacancies to fill during the first few months of this year.
Just to reassure you – Skype for Linux is definitely not dead. Stay tuned for more developments 
@oleg.caraivan Yes, I will post a selection of screenshots in my next blog.
@sonux78
I certainly don’t want to put oil on the fire in a discussion thread which has heated somehow too much lately, but a comment such as “you should be ashamed of this part of your careers” is a very rude comment, period. Check up your definition of rude if you feel otherwise
Thanks Berkus
Great news Berkus! Its time to create a new “thread” :- )
Best,
Igor Gomes
@Berkus
Hopefuly the next Blog will be the “Boys (and girls) its done now (TM)!” – Blog
Dark Greetz to my beloved Skype Linux Development Team (forunatly two people can be called a team …
I feel sorry for berkus.. Pulseaudio is a disaster, and I imagine it is especially so for an app like skype that can’t tolerate latency in that department. Everyone is blaming the SKype linux devs, but really a big chunk of the blame should go to the wreck that is pulseaudio.
well I’m not familar with Pulseaudio because i just disabled it after I install my latest linux. Instead I just compiled the Kernel with realtimesupport, tweakt my .alsarc and routed everything to the world famous Jack Audio Deamon … and everything is running just fine!
O.k. My Skype is running satisfying in audiobelongings, but there is an ugly bug when switching to fullscreen while a duplex videosession is running … the videobox covering me just vanishes and I have to do some hacks to get it back running !
From that point of view a new Version gets my warm welcome !
so don’t blame the dev`s … blame Linuz T. for inveting such a wonderfull OS…(and don’t stop dreaming of a better world…)
berkus
Can you please tell us if the new Skype for Linux version will have call waiting?
The current version does not seem to have a functional call waiting.
Please let us know a ETA on the new version release.
Thanks,
Carl
Hi, I’m sorry but I have to say that I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting, and I’m still waiting…like many others, I eventually decided to write here to express my feelings. I’m not asking to have a new version right here and now, but just two or three lines every now and then, saying “today we’ve tried implementing this” “today we fixed theese bugs, we are almost 80% done”, or why not, even “hey guys, we are not going on, so please stop waiting”. Just something to know what’s going on, ’cause to see that there are so many news and new releases for every other kind of platform imaginable and nothing but old 2.0 version for linux, it is frustrating and makes people change their minds about their choice on their voip soft (since there are other good ones).
Sorry, I have my little update post ready, but as a part of “It’s great being a part of a big corp” programme it needs approvals here and there. It will be up soon, itmt please cast your vote on this poll: http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=373081
Eagerly waiting a new version of Skype but watch as no one working on it … work on all Windows versions, but nobody thinks about us
I apologize for my bad English
Linux 4ever !
I hope I’m not seeing a clue in that this blog has not been updated in about half a year. I have skype on my Ubuntu 9.04 64-bit system, and:
1. It will not connect with a telephone (yes, I’ve paid a full year’s service.) but only rings the call-ee and hears them answering a dead line.
2., The screen refreshes very badly if at all, so anything older the last line posted on the IM screen is so much scrambled mess.
Is there a fix in the works, or am I barking up the wrong tree again?
I would be delighted to see a new version of Skype, but due to the lack of updates, I have completely lost hope in ever seeing a new version. I am happy that v2.0 somewhat works (but with horrible video support and less than attractive sound quality) but since Ekiga now is available for Windows, I’ll start working on migrating most of my Skype contacts (both Linux and Windows) to a software with an active development. I would prefer not to, but this extreme lack of interest for the Linux platform is getting painfully old and it leaves me with no other option. Very unfortunate
For ubuntu 9.04 64bits the best things is just to remove pulseaudio. The only interesting things with this program for what I know is the capacity to connect easily to bluetooth headset but that’s it and as the version 0.9.14, the one in Jaunty, cannot do it. PA is just a pain in the ass. I delete it last week and ALL my sound problem disappear. It’s miraculous. I can listen musique AND have skype in background at the same time and more impressive it’s still working when I am using skype. Something I forget a long time ago … since PA has been by default in ubuntu.
I tried to use Fedora 11 (without removing PA) and skype is not working at all even the classical workaround. Clearly for my point of view PA is a big mistake, perhaps and it’s not even sure in the futur that will be good but it was too soon to put it by default. It’s seems that a sort of “putsh” has been done to avoid a simpler solution as phonon…
There’s a good howto on Pardus forums on how to make PulseAudio a good citizen, co-existing nicely with other applications that might live on the same box, unaware of PulseAudio and not working well with it, here’s the link:
http://worldforum.pardus-linux.nl/index.php?topic=1763.0
Should solve a lot of PA problems without removing PA support.
berkus, can’t understand just why aren’t you able to give us just a deadline or something like when you think a new beta (or alpha or whtever) will be ready for download. Whithout being rude….I am just asking for information
Thanks in advance for your kind answer.
@giorgiosalamanca It’s because of the company policy which says “no dates”. It doesn’t mean I’m forbidden to date anyone, it means I cannot say anything that defines the timeline, due dates etcetc. I’d be glad if we change it soon, but so far my hands are tied and my mouth shut.
moment .. berkus.. the words “real soon now” means: real soon now of alpha/beta/theta/eta, or stable release … ?
First goes the open beta of course.
ok .. i am quitly awaiting … i think it no bad idea to write -ok, no release date, – but for us the news what the next version has in this time (22:48:38 9.7.2009), some progress of work what was made… or berkus just waiting the day when the new skype beta will releasing? and after this release date it will be there with info?? yes it can be so, but i think much people would be happy to some pre-release news, the actual situation of work, actual features, what was changed etc, what we have to awaiting in new version, what no, simple know the progress of hard work on it.
berkus say please: no news before release date, or i”ll write some news.
@berkus. I don’t like and don’t agree with the “company policy”. Neither do I understand the reason of such a choice. Anyway, I just hope new release comin soon and I am sorry to say that “no date policy” has not been 100% implemented since you promised a new version in 2009 (hehehe). Hopefully earlier than 31th december. Finally we (I think I can say WE) would very much appreciate if you could kindly say to “the company” that its choice is not the best one and ask them to change it. Thanks
and what about releasing a public pre-alpha?????
Berkus: Thank you for all the work. I want to comment that on my Ubuntu 9.04 installation Skype is working. Yet, not all notification sounds were installed. Are they not in the install package? One sound not installed, for example, was the Incoming Chat .wav file.
Hope this helps!
Luis
It’s funny, really. We’re not even waiting for the next release of Skype. We’re now waiting for the next POST about the next release of Skype
yeah, how hard would it be to post about the progress. it’s not really hard to write a few paragraphs. maybe outlining the remaining obstacles, calming people down, listing the progress. the last update was in January!! January!
Hehe, actually we are waiting for a response about the question about the next POST about the next release of Skype….hehe
Hey berkus, it is very nice that you share some messages of doubtful value with us on twitter, http://twitter.com/berkus, and obviously you even can do so by using “Skype for Linux”. Certainly a nice feature.
Personally I don’t care about twitter and support for it, but I guess many people would care about a new version of skype for linux released to the public. Do you really want to add all features of skype for windows/mac to the linux client before even cutting a beta release?
I guess nobody would be angry if you would release a version without support for some not-so-necessary features but I _know_ that people _are_ angry because within more than a year you were unable to release an update and deliver reasonable sound and video quality on recent linux distributions.
Furthermore a release would also speed up development again because you get _valuable_ bug reports against a recent code base. How valuable are current bug reports against skype for linux 2.0.0.72, against a code base that is more than a year old? Such reports are of no value, because the code has massively changed, and as a consequence you are not even interested in such bug reports.
BTW, how long does it take for you new blog post (the one that you announced on July 6th) to be approved and posted? I guess it will be posted “real soon now”
On July 6th (9 days ago) berkus said :”I have my little update post ready, but as a part of “It’s great being a part of a big corp” programme it needs approvals here and there. It will be up soon.”
It’s funny, but from my 30 years experience in the public service I found that as far as “approvals here and there” are concerned, it’s always the same incompetent middle managers who delay things most (that’s the only way they can show their importance as they are by definition incompetent)… Looks as if it’s the same in the private sector..
Still nothing? What a surprise…
As far as I’ve found out from the DevZone Jira-site for LinuxSkype, the Skype for Linuxteam has at least 4 members: Andrew Macks (presumably Andypoo), Berkus, Kristo Aav and Carlos Johnson. The last one, Carlos Johnson, is the program leader. I don’t know how up to date this information is, because of the nearly 500 reports no less than 75% reports are still open. Most of the bugs are assigned to Carlos Johnson… Is he in charge of the whole program or is he just distributing all bug reports to the developers?
Berkus, even if you’re a part in a ‘big company’ a developmentteam of less than 10 people communication can’t be that hard. I don’t know what’s going on, but from the outside this team doesn’t seem to function well.
For those of you, who want to look for information themselves: https://developer.skype.com/jira/browse/SCL
I don’t want to be rude, but the poll you started a few weeks ago is rubbish in my eyes. What is the use of the information you get from about 150 to 200 users? If you want to have some useful information, please contact the leading Linuxdistributions (just as I have suggested in that topic). At the end of the day softwaredevelopment isn’t about the way the enduser is tweaking his system, but about the standards that are used (in this case the choice for Pulseaudio by the leading Linuxdistributions). So, once again: what is the use of the results of the poll? The information that you ask for is more easily obtained by simply gather bugreports.
Berkus,
Please forward a big Thank You to the SkypeLinux team for all of their great work. I am an Ubuntu user and just discovered the “Skype Static OSS” package, and it works marvelously (I have had some ALSA and pulseaudio problems prior to using this package).
I have installed Skype on most of my Linux machines and have had great success with the software, and ironically, I find the Linux versions of Skype to be much less buggy than the Windows versions… I think Skype is the first program I can say that about. So please forward my thanks to the Linux developers responsible for the great work, and thank you all again.
JP
It also seems that the OSS-static build is significantly less CPU hungry on my OpenSUSE 11.1 system, both with video and audio, and all the Video bugs with QT 4.4+ (Video buttons disappearing and suchlike) seem to have gone away. The static build is definitely the way forward until the beta arrives.
Hopefully the new beta will be here soon – I’m looking forward to the better video/audio codec performance with win v4 users as well as the SMS capability. I just hope the interface isn’t changed too much towards the win version; I actually like the simplicity and tear-off windows in the Linux version.
It would be nice to see a more proactive involvement of the Linux community in the Linux development effort of skype, by way of regular releases and communication. There is the sense of being ‘held over a barrel’ since a number of us committed to skype some years ago and find it difficult to move away, having said that there are other emerging voip/video platforms out there and skype needs to be careful to avoid user exodus. Complacency is the killer. Just my 2c.
Peace
[For a new way to understand the universe and our place in it check out the work of Nassim Haramein]
“Just to reassure you – Skype for Linux is definitely not dead. Stay tuned for more developments”
OK, that’s it for me. I’m tuned for a long time and tired of monitoring this post for changes. Lets face the facts: LINUX USERS WERE ABANDONED. And by abandoned I’m not referring to the software itself, I mean the lack of communication and feedback to the whole FOSS community.
Here the dependency shows its scary face. We can’t control or participate of nothing. Its all defined by a “company policy”, and this policy can suddenly change to “we’ll not provide more funds to the Linux development due to inexpressive user base”.
Berkus, I do believe in your efforts. Communication is the key. Why not a post like “getting trouble with this!”? I’m sure it will be flooded of the best consulting possible in every field! From pulseaudio to codecs! For free! Those aren’t included on the company policy, right?
Choices? Use the “badly-workarounded-Skype” for now, but strategically supporting a mid-term development like Ekiga for example.
Best,
Igor Gomes
“… but as a part of “It’s great being a part of a big corp” programme it needs approvals here and there.” 6-JUL-09
Something must be extremely wrong in Skype-world if it takes two weeks to get approval for a blog posting. A lot of us work for big corporations and understand the greatness, or otherwise, of being a part of them but two weeks from drafting and still no posting? Unless you’re about to post investor-sensitive information such approvals should take no more than a day in a well-run organisation. Mind you, a well-run organisation also does publish target dates, and frequent news, and does aim to make sure that sufficient staff are on hand to cover the development work.
Sorry Berkus, not intended to be a swipe at you, but at the Skype organisation which still behaves like it’s being run by a couple of students in a shed.
Well, not blaming any developer here, esp Berkus, but I think “IF” the google gmail video chat plugin for linux releases before we get a new skype (which seems possible after reading this (http://juberti.blogspot.com/2009/06/gmail-voice-and-video-v1010.html) , I am sure all linux users are going to move to over to that.
I just hope this does not happen due to some weird “company policy” as I am really a fan of skype.
aniketvb: Let’s hope that the blogpost you linked is not like this one and gmail voice + video will work across all platforms without problems.
I’m following the conversation here for quite some time and have to say, that it is really funny to read it.
Some things from my point of view:
1. I do not see, why gmail voice and video should help to avoid skype? Since this two networks are not compatible with each other you need gmail voice and video if your friend have it. If your friends have skype i am quite sure, they will not change to gmail, just because the linux version is too old.
2. I do not understand how (at least) 2 full time developers need that much time to fix a software. As far as i could read from the posts here, the new version just brings some UI-improvements, better video and audio support. Well that is a work of at most 2 months if you really work full time on that project. I mean this project is by far not as big as for example KDE4 and KDE4 was fixed in not more than 3 months by hobby hackers. Come on you cannot tell me, that you need for every problem that much time to fix it. I cannot believe that.
That maybe sounds a bit hard, but this are just my 2 ct, to the incredible and unbelieveable long development time.
I am sure the developers are doing their best, but Skype’s policy regarding Linux just sucks! Total estimates for the number of linux users are on the order of 30 million. Let’s say that 5 million of these use Skype and have on average $15 of Skype credit on their account. That means an investment of $75 million by the linux community into a closed source application. With at best annual updates, this is outrageous. Google video chat has a large enough user base to move me away from Skype whenever a Linux version is available. My disappointment has nothing to do with the developers that have vested interest in getting Skype to work on Linux. It is the upper management that needs to listen to us and take us seriously. Otherwise, we’ll all leave as soon as a better alternative is available.
I recomend everyone to use ekiga with “justvoip.com” or other SIP provider. It works well and is open source. No more excuses and lies.
@andreasfink85
All my skype friends have a google account too (who doesnt have one these days!). So I dont see any reason why skype userbase will stay same if google came out with a solid linux version.
Apparently I’m the first to mention “Duke Nukem Forever all over again” in this thread…
When will the beancounters at Skype/eBay HQ understand that the only way to “penetrate” into a market is to offer a solid and well-functional product? If they can’t devote the necessary funds for a solid Linux development effort, then they don’t deserve to have the customers. Period.
No offense to berkus, who I think is doing an OK job all things considered, but if the suits don’t want to support their own product on “emerging platforms”, then there are alternatives.
Hello,
To be honest, Skype 2.0.0.72 works very well on Ubuntu, one annoying bug I have is that after approx 45 minutes of video calling, the connection seems to be lost, I have to restart my Skype client. I also miss the SMS function, I know about the skysentials thing but this doesn’t work right now on my Ubuntu 9.04 64bit version. So only 2 small thingy’s I want here. How difficult can this be
Best Regards,
Hi berkus,
Do you have any updates for us?
Cheers
Feri
Hi krurucz_f
berkus is on holiday, and there’s censored “update”
hasta la vista baby!
Ok, six months from the 23th of january, six months of words, no facts, just words.
AT the end of june Berkus said beta is coming soon (is repeating this since january…), but a single crash of pulseaudio has delayed everything, unbelievable.
It is one month that nobody says nothing.
I suppose that we’ll never see this beta, nor the stable, because they are waiting to have a perfect software and is well known that perfect software can’t exist.
Berkus,
I love Skype and as an Ubuntu user, I check this blog multiple times per week waiting and waiting for news of a new (beta, stable or other) release of Skype for Linux.
You posted screenshots of a new version almost a year ago and yourself state that a beta is very near completion. I ask you then, why should the innovators here in the Linux community be punished because you fear some people would confuse “Beta” and “Stable?” We know that what we get now might not be all we hoped for and will still have some bugs, but we ask that you allow us to test it at our own risk.
I respectfully ask you and the whole Skype team to respond to this group of passionate Linux users who only want the chance to enjoy your product as soon as possible.
I feel the same as a lot of the people posting here. I don’t care if it’s good news or bad news, but at least tell us what’s happening.
Well, there does appear to be a bit of activity in the Developer Zone. Not much though, are the developers busy with other projects?
This blog has become quite a joke though. I keep checking it for updates but am always disappointed. I would just say that Skype should open the API and let the community run with it, but I know that we’ll all be drinking frozen margaritas in hell before that happens.