Skype 4.0 For Linux Now Available

An anonymous reader writes "Anyone who uses Skype on Linux will be happy to hear that a new version has been made available today, bringing with it a host of essential updates and new features. Skype 4.0, codenamed "Four Rooms for Improvement," is long overdue, and Marco Cimmino makes a point of thanking Linux users for their patience on the Skype blog. The main improvements Skype is delivering include much improved audio call quality, better video support, and improved chat synchronization. For video specifically, Skype has spent time implementing support for a much wider range of webcams, so if your camera didn't work before today you might be surprised to find it does in Skype 4.0. Visually, Skype has received a new Conversations View, which brings all chats into a single, unified window (you can revert to the old view if you prefer). There's also a new Call View, presence and emoticons have been redesigned, and you can now store and view numbers within each Skype profile."

Comments

Too late, but hey, thanks for trying Microsoft

[icebike]

Years and years waiting for a decent version of skype for linux drove me to other solutions.
I no longer use skype for anything.

Still I'm utterly astounded that it took Microsoft ownership to finally pry a halfway decent and up to date version from the developers. I presume all the wiretap hooks are now in place, now that all the calls are routed thru Microsoft's servers, and the CLEA people are happy?

Re:Too late, but hey, thanks for trying Microsoft

[Gadget_Guy]

Microsoft and Linux go together like gasoline and chocolate. No way am I installing their ware on my stuff.

I think that this was probably meant as a to reply to this post rather than mine.

But seriously, if you really want to avoid Microsoft software (and let's face it, we all know your feelings on that subject) then it is even more important to mention the name of the company in the summary. And even if you do not want to use the software yourself, you can at least become better informed as to what modern Microsoft practices are like so that you don't continue to make the assumption (which was not unreasonable at the time) that Microsoft would drop Linux support for Skype.

Re:Too late, but hey, thanks for trying Microsoft

[jedidiah]

Modern Microsoft practices?

You mean like subverting standards bodies, patent trolling over vfat, and pushing ARM vendors to lock their bootloaders so Linux can't even start?

Those modern Microsoft practices?

Re:64 bit?

[Anonymous Coward]

No, the "64bit" version is still 32 bit:

$ dpkg-deb -I skype-ubuntu_4.0.0.7-1_amd64.deb
  new debian package, version 2.0.
  size 29342422 bytes: control archive= 4552 bytes.
            32 bytes, 1 lines conffiles
          904 bytes, 21 lines control
        9835 bytes, 137 lines md5sums
  Package: skype
  Version: 4.0.0.7-1
  Section: non-free/net
  Priority: extra
  Architecture: amd64
  Depends: lib32stdc++6 (>= 4.1.1-21), lib32asound2 (>> 1.0.14), ia32-libs, libc6-i386 (>= 2.7-1), lib32gcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1-21+ia32.libs.1.19)
  Conflicts: skype-mid, skype-common
  Replaces: skype-mid, skype-common
  Installed-Size: 34742
  Maintainer: Skype Technologies
  Description: Skype
    .
    Skype is software that enables the world's conversations.
    Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls,
    send instant messages and share files with other Skype users.
    Everyday, people also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.
    .
    * Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to anyone else, anywhere in the world.
    * Call to landlines and mobiles at great rates.
    * Group chat with up to 200 people or conference call with up to 25 others.
    * Free to download.

Re:Too late, but hey, thanks for trying GV.

[busyqth]

Ok, but I don't need an external device or a foreign landline to do this with skype...

Re:Too late, but hey, thanks for trying GV.

[Guspaz]

You don't need an external device or a foreign landline to do it with pure SIP either...

For example, say you're in the US, but you want calls to a Canadian number to be routed to your PC/cellphone/landline/whatever. You'd pay $1/mth to a company like voip.ms for a DID (Direct Inward Dialing, basically a phone number), and set it up to forward calls to either an existing telephone number (cell, landline, etc) or some SIP software client. You'd pay something like a cent a minute.

The same principal applies overseas; get a DID with a company, set it up to forward to a US phone number or SIP address.

Re:64 bit?

[Ingenium13]

Exactly. The 64-bit version won't even install on my 64-bit version of Ubuntu 12.04. It complains of dependency errors with ia32-llbs and how it can't install it or ia32-libs-multiarch. That said, the 32-bit version installs and runs just fine. It also finally fixes the nasty bug of using 100% CPU while on a video call.