Skype 2.2 Beta for Linux
Skype 2.2 Beta for Linux, codenamed ‘Access Granted’, is here and brings Skype Access to our Linux users. Skype Access lets you connect to over 500,000 WiFi hotspots worldwide using your Skype Credit.
We’ve improved audio and video quality and reliability, and have addressed the ‘multiple calls’ scenario: you can now receive a second call while a call is ongoing; you can hold and answer it or join the two calls into a conference call.
Finally we fixed a number of problems identified by our internal and external users:
- Ubuntu users experienced PulseAudio issues with the latest versions
- KDE users experienced graphic issues using the default Oxygen style
- and many more – check our release notes
Don’t forget to read the known issues list and to use the forum for the most critical issues you may encounter trying this new release.
Enjoy!
Marco and the Skype for Linux team
When the new version of Skype for linux will be released? This version is too buggy. Even I used older 2.1 version.
Hello.
It’s nice to see that there is at least a version of Skype made available to Linux users. Keep up the good work.
I see no UI update but I guess there is no functionality in the Windows version of Skype that is not here. Or at least I USE no feature in Windows that I can’t find here. Don’t listen to people who live to complain.
Anton
I am disappointed quite see how the Mac OS X and Windows enjoy the latest and most polished versions of this application (which to me is the best) and linux is not passed in a beta that creeps to be usable, without integration with the file manager or the new user interface or group video conferencing, to me is unjust that free software receives the scrapped version of Skype when everything you need to develop a version that makes mourn with envy above is available and is free and open, much to think, I hope this reaches those responsible for development and do something about it, Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux Mint and others deserve at least keep up with competition.
Written in Spanish and folded with Google Translation
It’s time to celebrate! 1st year anniversary!
One year has passed. Where’s the new version? Why is this still beta? Is there any plan to keep developing Skype for Linux? C’mon Microsoft… have you ever tried to do one thing well? You’ve bought this product and you ruined it… as everybody thought you would. And then you ask yourself why Microsoft isn’t cool as Google or Apple. This is why.
I know it’s a long time ago, but now I want to ask you, when I can expect a new version of Skype for Linux?
I’m looking forward to the Video-Group Call, because all my friends can use it with their OSs, but I can’t take part of it.
I am officially looking for a replacement for Skype starting today. The lack of stable linux development is the reason why. The most recent post you have regarding linux is a year old. And, the year old linux client is very problematic on newer linux kernels with constant crashing and sound issues.
Skype, you need to decide whether you are going to support linux or not. If not, please let us know so we can move on (as far as I’m concerned, the lack of any development is a sign that it’s no longer supported). If you are going to claim you support linux, at the very least provide a quarterly patch release and keep the linux blog updated to reflect there’s activity here. Otherwise, it will be an empty claim.
I hope Skype decides to support linux again before I find my replacement. If not, there are other up and coming alternatives that I feel would be serve linux users much better right now.
Skype for linux 6.0 : with support of windows live messenger contacts? When? The best: A new company with videocall multiplataform….mobile, web, linux, OSX, etc. using html5…
It should be totally apparent to even the most wilfully ignorant that Microsoft has absolutely no interest in producing a new version of Skype. It is a total waste of time asking Marco as he is probably being kept in the dark as much as anyone else. Otherwise how hard would it be for there to be some announcement of current progress towards a new version?
@sdinitto
I completely agree with you.
The last blog article is from 2011, come on…
Two simple questions for Marco:
1. Are developers working in a new release? (I don’t mean it is scheduled, I mean you are developing it)
2. Approximately when it will be released?
Fabio
Will Skype be supported on linux? A year of silence already
I tried using Linux as my primary work environment and everything was perfect except for Skype, so I switched back to Windows for this reason alone. My biggest gripe is the fact that skype for linux doesn’t support a single window view, and it seems other people have the exact same problem. See: http://community.skype.com/t5/Linux/Will-the-Linux-version-ever-allow-us-to-combine-all-chat-windows/td-p/221560
I just want to say that it would be a mistake to allocate development resources/priorities based on the usage stats of the current version of skype on Linux. I’m sure there’s a lot of people like me that would start using Skype for Linux if it was feature parity with the Windows/Mac version.
It’s unfortunate that Skype is the reason why I don’t use Linux for my primary workstation. I would pay $$ for an updated and capable Linux version.
My webcam Creative Live Cam Vista IM! (VF0260) without problems in Linux kernel 3.2. But Skype, very bad. Send video with LD_PRELOAD but not receiving…
I think: “goodbye Skype, I love http://imo.im/now“
Okay, I am going to ask the same question many others are asking: are you really supporting the Linux platform, here? It has been a year since you made this blog post. When are we going to see a new version of Skype for Linux?
Skype for Android was updated recently. I would like to use your services, but I prefer using a desktop client over the mobile most of the time. I would be happy if you posted a blog post to let us know how development is going. I’m probably going to start looking for an alternative now, though. Thank you for all your work on the Linux client.
A whole year without a new version , that’s a shame
IMO is really not bad alternative, but i still didn’t find a linux client for it. The beta version of skype not only lags behind the windows one – it has lots of bugs, which Skype doesn’t solve. Shame.
Ciao Marco, any chance of a gtk interface? Or perhaps some integration with Pidgin or Empathy?
This sucks. 1+ yr in beta on an old version with many problems, zero communication, I wish I didnt have to use Skype. Come on just tell us you’ve stopped linux dev and waiting for some HTML5 version to be completed before you announce you’re abandoning Linux client support.
I don’t blame the devs, in no way. But m$, don’t expect any credits and/or subscriptions from me until you stop acting the way you do. Respect our friggin’ choice to run Linux or keep losing customers to your competition…
@wtfcoder it hasn’t been a year with 0 communication. Unlikely every year before where we go a version with 0 communication Marco Cimmino has kindly responded to everyone leaving comments worthy of a response. I don’t understand why Linux users don’t grow up and stop going around attacking to try and get what they want. Why don’t we instead assemble as a power and maturely approach the Skype team with a complaint rather than spam up their blog with useless posts that make us look like losers. Thank you Marco Cimmino for continuing to reply to comments despite the outbreak of useless anger posts. I really appreciate it and hope to soon hear of some good news for us Linux users. I know it’s hard to work on something for Linux when the core was designed for Windows only. I think it would be smart to rework that core(like a software re-write) to make it more platform friendly, especially since the multiplatform feature has become a necessity with the increase in platforms available. It would at least make it easier to distribute on Windows, Mac, and Linux without too much code change. But I will respect that you guys are looking at all possible routes to make multiplatform development easier. Software developers are human too, and therefore I am sure you want the software to be as easy to develop too in order to allow for more time in advancing the software instead of just making it work.
I agree with the others. It’s been too long since a new Linux release. Skype for Windows and Mac have been getting better, while we Linux users have been waiting over a year. Please, if any Skype employees are reading this, I would urge you to consider releasing a stable release that isn’t 3 major versions behind.
I wished they would just admit that they stopped the dev on skype for linux…. So I wouldn’t have to check this site now and then and waste my time doing so… Come on, get the balls!
Oh well, wait… it’s a strategy which is actually paying off, at least for a customer like me… I need skype with video, which isn’t working with my quickcam STX under linux, so I still use windows since I don’t want to have to switch OS all the time… —> Microsoft kept a customer –> $$!
I sometimes use Skype in Linux, and talk with my friends.
And, they use Skype in Windows.
In Windows, Skype can use Video communication with 10 peaple. So,
I’m leaved from my friends.
If you can, please usable Video communication with many peaple in Linux.
Thank you.
It would be nice if this blog post had the YEAR in it for each comment. I started at the top and then realized it was 2011, not 2012.
A petition has been created for Microsoft to update/fix Skype for linux so that it works properly without crashing. Please sign it here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/microsoft-fix-skype-for-linux-crashing
It is too much to ask for a decent linux build? For how long should we wait to be out of beta?
It’s a long time that skype has not been updated from the beta version. How long does it last for a stable version with new features? supporting 64bit versions, better user interface, etc.
I truly believe that Microsoft intend to abandon support for Skype, they won’t come right out and say so as that is not the way Steve Ballmer works.
Steve Ballmer once described Linux as a “cancer”, but in recent months we’ve heard that Microsoft is running its Skype division off Linux boxes, and it’s now offering a Linux-based version of its Azure cloud service. Yet when it comes to a new Linux GUI for Skype…total silence.
What about an update after over a year, huh?
I am frankly just astounded after all the requests for info and nothing, zip, nada, they have only gone and released Skype 4!! I have just downloaded it and it looks pretty good. I frankly do not understand why all the big secrecy?
Indeed there was no big secret, we always said development never stopped, but for some reason people didn’t believe me.
It is not you so much as distrust of Microsoft generally, but would it have hurt to kept people informed of progress?
Anyway Marco, please accept my humblest apologies for being so being so cynical.
Thanks, Marco!!!
I guess Microsoft will keep this good development of Linux versions of Skype. Yes, they lose few operating system customers, but gain many many Skype credit adicts, so, what is most profitable?
It is interesting, MSN Messenger was interoperable, but only Windows client. Skype is totally closed protocol, but there is precedence of Linux compatibility. So… poor BSD guys. Not a good switch for them.
Looking forward for interoperability.