Shared Groups in Skype
One of the most interesting new features in Skype 2.5 is Shared Groups. If you just want to get up and running with it, there's a helpful [Shared Groups starting guide](http://www.skype.com/help/guides/sharedgroups.html) available. This guide looks at some details about why shared groups are interesting and how you can benefit from them.
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piuite commented Sunday, May 7
When will we have multivideo calls?
Is it only a problem of speedness of telephone lines?
alex_rosenbaum commented Wednesday, May 10
Hi Jaanus,
You probably know I’m a big fan of the idea behind the Skype Groups and more so the Skype Shared Groups.
I’ve started development of such a Skype API application more then half a year ago: http://www.kishkish.com/book/. Since then Skype added their built in groups as well.
So I have a good idea of some of the future features that would be added to this new Skype Shared Groups.
One of the main disadvantages of the current implementation is the lack of ADMINISTRATION functionality. All contacts in the group are equal while most groups would like to have (need to have) some sort of management.
Like you mentioned the group renaming that can be changed by anyone. Or the fact that anyone can add any other friend to the group and give him access to all members. Your ‘control’ suggestion of abandon the old group and creating a new open only to remove a certain member can be very annoying if it’s done every few weeks.
So the question is when will Skype introduce the administration capabilities for the new Skype Shared Groups?
When you’re thinking of a Skype Business version you definitely need the ability to manage these groups. Just like you manage the email accounts in the company or the phone extensions in your office PBX.
- Your sys-admin creates you an email account in the office email server, and he also removes it once you leave the company. In the Skype Shared Groups, the group admin will need to be able to remove anyone that is no longer relevant in such a shared group group.
- Your admin assigns you a phone extension or your email address and give you some level of control.
- Your email is known to every one else that is connected to the server (at least when using an MS Exchange server). The Skype Shared Group should be able to force itself into the companies’ users Skype Client.
Once you look deeper in you understand that these administration capabilities function will most likely need a few levels of security, like in any modern online forum.
KishKish Book in the Skype Extra Gallery: http://blogs.skype.com/directory/kishkish_book_-_contact_list_organizer/view/
Regards,
Alex Rosenbaum
martinhaus commented Tuesday, May 16
Hi,
I totally agree to Alex. And its not just interesting for application in business, but also in private I think.
Regards,
Martin
urso67 commented Tuesday, Aug 1
Hi Jaanus
After I read your blog about shared groups I got really excited. I had to deploy 32 users at once for a trade company. So I was already setting up skype groups because we would have heave skypeout usage. The problem is that for 32 new accounts I did not want to add all contacts and then have to authorize, what would require that I would authorize 32x32 = 1024 authorizations.
After reading your blog I came up with the idea... i will have one user with all contacts in (so I requested 32 times and after loggin in 31 times (different) accounts and authorized this first account I created the shared group on this first account, this way I would have all contacts on the left 31 accounts.
This just did not happen. Did I get something wrong or it is a malfunction?
Tks
murkee commented Thursday, Oct 12
I'd like to see some feedback, i.e. when someone is added to a group they need to accept (at least, that is my understanding).
People who have been added but have not yet accepted full group membership should be displayed differently when viewing the group (e.g. in italics).
As it stands, if a contact is using MacOSX or linux then they never even see the invite!
gatestone commented Monday, Nov 13
Yes, we now have adminitrable chats in 3.0, next we would like to have an admin role in a shared group also.
peter_kp203 commented Sunday, May 27
Help.. Skype Groups.
I am a Stamp Collector. How would I "find" other Skype users that are ALSO stamp Collectors??? Skype.com should set up some type of conference or forum for peope with the same interest to find each other. There are millions of Stamp Clooectors in the world but hardly any of them use Skype. There are millions of Skype Users, but hardly any of them Collect Stamps. Can you see my point? Since this is MY IDEA,, maybe now I'll be a millionaire. If you want a loan, or further info on my idea...
Email Me,, kp@gate.net
Thanks.
Peter C.
Stuart, FL U.S.A.