Flowers become Screens
Our next logical step on the road to the open client is the update of the current beta.
This update not only brings much needed stability fixes, it also unveils a whole new era and brings Linux client much closer to what other desktop clients have to offer.
Enter “Talking Screens” – with screensharing. Now you can share your desktop with unprecedented ease. Share whole screen or a selected region – it’s just one click away!
In addition we addressed numerous smaller usability issues, such as a separate dialog for incoming authorization requests – now you can actually read long introductory texts from your soon-to-be-contacts. Chats are faster, UI supports switching styles on the fly, and audio is a lot better than before.
On behalf of the whole Linux team I thank you for patience and hope you stay with us to discover how much more surprises we have up our sleeve. Let’s talk!
Get new Skype here. And read the detailed changelog.
PS: This is how to enable screen sharing once you’re in a call.
Image by Kabatology.
And now, after 9 months of almost no news, the flower is bound to wither. Just sad…
From your/their twitter account. Amazing two messages from april:
+ the plan is that the tweets will be more regular – thanks for following
+ We are making a lot of little updates for the next public version of the Linux client. Stay tuned!
Don’t you feel even a bit ashamed? I mean c’mon, its ok if you would say that the development for linux has stalled ect., we can live with that, but posting absolutely no news is embarrasing.
It would be nice to be able to change video source from “/dev/video0″ to “/dev/video1″ or any alternate.
Hey, why in the world did Skype introduce a “user mood” feed? What the heck does anybody care about the mood of their contacts?! How do I disable the user mood feed on Linux? There is no option in the Advaced pane of the Preferences window to do this.
One word of advice: please, be parsimonious with your users’ time, it is more valuable than money.
Berkus, people are pissed off, at least comment something like “Hey, we are alive”.
Obviously skype does not care for their users. I’m not going to use this joke software anymore and I urge everyone to do the same. Nothing is irreplaceable. You cannot ignore the Linux community…
folks,
my skype is working fine on my Pavilion dv4, AMD 64.
But the sound output is not working well. I can see and hear the other person, but he cannot hear me. I’ve tried changing the sound options but got nothing.
Any solution for that?
tnx in advance.
Hei,
it’s a little bit off-topic, but to show you fellow Linux users that not all companies disregard us like Skype does. Adobe has re-released the 64-bit version of their flash plugin. It’s coming for Linux, MacOS and Windows simultaneously. If that isn’t good news =).
I cannot post a link as I think it will get censored but just checkout OSNews website.
Adrian
Hey, people. I’m currently not involved with Linux client and cannot comment much – busy with other projects. Marco will update you soon on the progress.
There is a bug with this build of Skype for Linux (2.1.0.81), that does not affect the previous version (2.1.0.47). Sound sent (ie recorded) on the local microphone is garbled and cannot be heard by the person at the other end. The problem has been known about since this version was released, and is mentioned by several persons above, but I have some additional information. The bug seems to affect certain type of microphone / sound chipset. For example, when I use my Logitech Quickcam, the sound works properly in both directions and all is well. However, if I disconnect the webcam and use the built in microphone in my laptop (Lenovo T60), the recorded sound is garbled while I can hear the person at the other end just fine.
So this problem is concerned with the particular microphone and audio chipset in use.
I hope for a fix in the near future!
The problem is skype is still supplying 32-bit binaries even though the packaging (at least for Ubuntu – which I don’t use – I use slackware myself) says 64-bit.
They expect that people using pure 64-bit systems (like Slackwrae64) will take the extra trouble to try and shoehorn in 32-bit compatibility stuff to work with their software.
So far, skype is the only company that doesn’t even pretend to work on 64-bit – just post a 64-bit package that’s actually a 32-bit binary and hope the customer doesn’t notice.
Ufortunately, my wife needs skype to talk to her sister on an overseas mission trip. Which means my 64-bit dual-core AMD system has to run a 32-bit O/S (slackware 32-bit) just to work with their binary.
If it wasn’t for the sister being overseas …..
As discussed previously (see my posts above) there is a bug with this build of Skype for Linux (2.1.0.81), that does not affect the previous version (2.1.0.47). Sound sent (ie recorded) on the local microphone is garbled and cannot be heard by the person at the other end.
The problem has been known about since this version was released but I have some additional information. The bug seems to affect certain type of microphone / sound chipset. For example, when I use my Logitech Quickcam, the sound works properly in both directions and all is well. However, if I disconnect the webcam and use the built in microphone in my laptop (Lenovo T60), the transmitted sound is garbled while I can hear the person at the other end just fine.
So this problem is concerned with the particular microphone and audio chipset in use.
I hope for a fix in the near future!
I see you are totally IGNORING Linux skype community. Last update of your crappy linux client was when? January 20th? Keep that bullshit about regular updates for you. We are not interested in your stupid lies. I’m paying client, i have purchased skype credit = money for you. However i can barely use it because your skype client is just a crap. Damn high CPU usage, slow video, skipping audio, often crashes. I have 6Mbit connection and dualcore processor with 2 gigabytes of RAM, so i suppose these problems are not result of poor system hardware. It’s just that you are not doing YOUR job, just making idiots of us.
Until they add join call functionality, this client is unusable to me. I’d also like them to add an option to use the same GUI layout that Windows uses, but that’s not as critical.
Or, better yet, since the Skype development team has proven incompetent, just open source it. Overnight, the OSS community will create a better client. But of course, that makes too much sense, so it’ll never happen.
There is a bug in this blog page:
The link “Old articles” at the bottom redirects to the previous post instead of just going at the top of the page…
Anybody home? It’s been a bit of a while… Skype kit was a nice try (and way to make money) I commend that… BUT WHERE IS SKYPE 3/4/5 FOR LINUX!
ENOUGH WITH TELLING US LINUX IS HARD TO PROGRAM ON AND BLABLABLA…
WHERE IS THE SUPPORT?
Hi Skype, long time user, first time poster. It’s not been quite a while since the last update, and to be honest after the announcements you made I did not expect this silence from you.
Well anyway, my question: HD video for linux, when?
It’s been almost ten months. Time to give us a news or something, please.
Yes, please consider us, Linux users too. I don’t agree with the rudeness of those comments above, however.
As for me – recently Skype as a company sucks in general.
Skype marketing policies – very bad.
Skype for Android – fiasco.
Skype for Linux – fiasco.
Hope some Skype alternative takes it place soon ….
I am a paying customer, and this linux client is really lacking
An update please!
For a company focused on enabling communication, you sure are piss-poor at the communication part :/
Since Skype Version 2.1.0.81 was released, many updated distributions have been released. I am currently using Kubuntu 10.10 and Skype is available from its repositories.
Could you please let me know if Skype 2.1.0.81 has been recompiled to use the kernel and libraries for ubuntu 10.10. On your download site the ubuntu distribution cited for this version is 8.10, which is 2 years old.
Oh well, the longer Skype waits and holds of ANY form of communication (when was the last blog entry? is there anything of substance on Twitter? What about a new beta version?), the more people will just leave Skype alone and use Google Talk or something other in the VoIP world…. thanks Skype….. u used to be cool
Hi all Skype users,
this is great! At least we have an very important announcement from berkus at the end:
” Hey, people. I’m currently not involved with Linux client and cannot comment much – busy with other projects. Marco will update you soon on the progress. “
For me it’s like a joke, a BIG joke!!!
Thanks!
@sebastianh05 There’s new exciting stuff coming up, would be a pity if you couldn’t see it.
Oh I am sure I will see it it, I am checking this “blog” regularly (yet I wonder why since per definition, a blog gets updated)
I’m sorry, but I have been reading this blog for a long while now, but Burkus, it sounds from the way you say things and keep us in the dark that you really dont care about us. It actually sounds from your tone like you are annoyed at us for asking basic questions. You answer roughly once a month, you actually pawned off your responsibility to this community to “marco” but he was a no show. But I am honestly stunned by the way you guys treat your support community. Most companies would be supplying little updates here an there just too keep us happy, but you guys wont even do that! lol Oh, by the way, it was very nice to poke your head in after a month of inactivity to say rudely, “There’s new exciting stuff coming up, would be a pity if you couldn’t see it.” And the best part, is that after a month of waiting for something, you’ll make a snide remark to a customer but will not even give any info about what this “exciting stuff” is. I personally have nothing against you Berkus, but from a business standpoint….I dont even know where to begin….
Yeah, with all the respect, we linux users don’t deserve to be treat like this. You, skype are lucky that we don’t have that many free alternatives yet, but time to time…
Come on guys. How long can you beg for an update? It’s pathetic. If Skype don’t care, why should you? Go use alternatives.
Google Voice Chat works in Empathy, Pidgin and lately even from Gmail web on linux too.
And there are others (Ekiga / other SIP solutions). Pick, test and use – don’t waste your knees here. It’s obviously pointless.
9 months without any news for skype and the old version start to not be usable on some distribution (try to use it with the pardus 2011 x86_64…) because of the decreasing quality with the linux version I stopped to buy any new credit (the sound was so bad when using linux that my correspondant cannot heard anything but with windows version it was ok…). Next time I am going to my parents I will install google-talk and my use of skype will be mostly done. And for I see around me it’s a general movement.
Yeah, is there going to be an update… any time in the future?
Hey Berkus, It’s about time to release a Beta 3 or something better because Skype on Linux is just not good enough and it’s actually a shame. It’s good that it exists, but it’s bad the way you do it. Linux has it’s own market place and it will become more and more used. Windows will eventually go down. It’s just a matter of time. And I don’t understand – you just have to maintain one app, not 100, or more! A reliable Linux app!!! We NEED it!!!
Quit complaining! Jeez! It’s not like these guys completely left the linux version in the dark *coughoovoocough*. Also, not only do they have for eg Ubuntu to deal with, they have Fedora, debian, gentoo, opensuse, mandriva, pclinux, etc. So many systems! (granted, they don’t HAVE to make skype optimized for every linux system).
But yeah this blog should be updated more nonetheless.
finally, idk if this is the place for it, but on Ubuntu 10.04 and 10.10 32 and 64 bit, when i sign out of skype, some of the ui is gone. upon quitting from the toolbar, there are some remains leftover. switching to a new window or clicking on it make it go away, but still something to fix. also, the account settings aren’t applicable unless signed in. in other words, when i am signed in, the sign in sound does not play. once signing out, the sign out sound plays even though i have those sounds disabled in the account options. also under the blocked users menu, i have “add unblocked users back to my address book” checked off. but upon signing in and out, it unchecks itself. just to point out a couple of things.
“Our next logical step on the road to the open client is the update of the current beta.”
Struck me as true today 9 months later?
Works well enough to play with – have to restart once in a while.
Yes guys there’s exciting new stuff coming, 1 year from now if you are patient enough to wait. Don’t worry if by then there are so many alternatives that Skype is irrelevant, it’s not their fault it takes a year to release an updated GUI on Linux… oh wait yes it is their fault.
Can anyone tell me why Skype Linux can not accept transferred calls?
Using a C++ program I wrote myself (yea, thanks Skype for making this essential feature so easy to use.. the average user just has to learn a programming language, find and read the API docs, learn how dbus works, write a program to communicate with Skype…), I can easily transfer a call from our Online number to another Skype user, but for some reason, any attempt to transfer TO me always fails.
Sadly the Skype client provides error messages such as ‘Transfer failed’ with no other helpful info at all. The logs are garbled binary (although I’m sure someone at Skype has the means to read them.. of course there is no way to get hold of someone who could actually help there) and useless, so there is no way to figure out why the transfer is failing.
I think the state of Skype Linux is pathetic. While Windows is on v5, we are still on v2. Seems that Skype doesn’t care at all about their Linux users, even those that purchase services from them.
Does Skype not realize that Linux distros have probably overtaken people who use Mac? And that Linux is gonna be a lot more popular the smarter people are, the Linux distro is becoming more of a default with netbooks now which is a huge portion of Skype users cuz most people use Skype on netbooks cuz of the built in webcam and mic.
Also to people who are frustrated with Skype, Google Voice has came out for Linux and it’s looking really good so far the CPU usage is less and cam/mic quality is about the same, it’s also supported in Empathy with voice and cam. It also supports calling phones for FREE and works great.
Also, Ekiga is getting updated much more frequently than Skype for Linux and is turning out to look pretty good it also supports cross platform VoIP. Skype will lose its market share because of it’s irresponsibility towards its users, what a shame it started off so well too. But if you treat your users like crap expect your users to treat you like crap back, especially when it comes to Linux users who understand a lot about programming and understand you’re just full of bull when you say it’s hard to do updates for it or w/e john you have about not updating. It’s not hard to put a print screen button on Skype and call it an update you just don’t care.
How about Skype for Debian Squeeze, it’s not working right now.
Hey folks at Skype,
Please do keep up the development work for the Linux client… it’s not going to stop me recommending Skype to my friends, but it’s a shame for y’all to drag you feet over improving the Linux client surely it can’t be that hard to port newer versions? Or even keep everyone posted?
The current version is functional and all, but lacks pizzazz.
Nowadays, a 64 bit architecture is a standard. I’ve been using Skype on Linux on 32 bit all this time until today when I upgraded to 64 bit, therefore I am not using Skype anymore for several reasons. It doesn’t properly work on 32 bit and to make it work on 64 bit is a total pain. I had 3 PCs with Skype installed on them and right now there’s only one left. As soon as I get an alternative for Skype, I will jump on the new one. Skype is a shame for the Linux community! I hope you really understand this!
gaygerbil: How does Googlevoice with a real phone number compare to Skype? Our main use is to allow clients to call us, but not being able to transfer to the Linux client is a deal-breaker, so I’m looking at changing our SkypeIn (online number) to Google voice, but can’t find many reviews of it on Linux?
To be honest, Skype has just about the worst customer service of any Online company these days, with no way to get hold of anyone real. Seems they love taking our money, but when we need help, no one is around.
“hope you stay with us to discover how much more surprises we have up our sleeve. Let’s talk!”
Sure, let’s talk. Let’s talk about group talk available on Windows and Macs. Let’s talk about stagnating development and sketchy communication. Keep on talking like you did in these past 11 months. In the meantime I am moving to greener pastures.
Skype, what a disappointment.
It’s Possible that we have the 5.0 version for windows and mac, and linux stopped at 2.1 version?? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN Linux OS ?? I’m very disappointed !
i want skype 5.0 for ubuntu…windows is dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When is there going to be an update to a new Version ?
I wrote to the customer care and they said they has not scheduled any release for Linux -.-”
Spam messages to the customer care, so they will notice us!
Please, do not spam customer support, they have no idea.
Thank you Skype!
You were the first to enable me free Skype 2 Skype calls and cheap calls landline abroad. However, installation espeacially on 64 bit became desastrous. Google Talk now is avaiable with 64bit on Linux. You are obsolete now.