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Microsoft Needs To Fix Skype (theverge.com)
It's no secret that Microsoft has long stopped caring about Skype for Linux. But the VoIP and instant messaging service isn't exactly working well on other platforms either. Microsoft reporter and critic Tom Warren lists a number of issues he continues to face on Skype. These issues include infrequent restarts, too many update prompts, and just having to deal with the unimpressive user interface that Skype throws at everyone's face. "I'm not sure what Microsoft has done to Skype, but it sucks now," he writes. Warren adds: Recently, friends and family have started experiencing some of the many issues I experience, including calls simply not connecting properly and every device in a home ringing non-stop even when a call is activated. Microsoft had promised to fix notifications blasting out to both your desktop machine and mobile, but I still frequently receive them in real-time on multiple devices. [...] I regularly have to restart the app just to make a call, or have my microphone detected correctly. This isn't a single device with driver issues, it's consistent across machines. I can't even scroll up and down on the contacts section of the Skype app with my trackpad, it just doesn't work. Those are bugs that should be easy to address, but Microsoft has also struggled to get the UI right with Skype.
The same happened when Winamp or ICQ got purchased. The new company put the crap they want. Failed to understand the code and get stuck with hard to fix bug until the people move to another product.
I am still waiting for Active Directory to do what NDS used to do in the 1990's. And I can't wait until powershell finally replaces what UNIX has been doing since the 1970's. Remember this FACT: We would not have had graphical desktops without Microsoft! We'd still be using DOS!
Yes, indeed it will be a great day when Microsoft invents, easy, universal video chat...I'm so excited!
If the iOS app hasn't been manually opened in the past few hours (minutes?), no call or text notifications come in. How hard is that to get right?
Microsoft is giving itself death (or at loss of some business/damage to reputation) by one thousand cuts. They're doing too much and doing much of it rather poorly. So many things to bitch about. But, I'll say nothing more otherwise this would get quite long.
>> Microsoft has long stopped caring about Skype for Linux
And Lync for Mac. And...
Recently, my copy of Skype for Business has been terminating abruptly. This is on my PC at work, maintained by my company. I can understand Microsoft not maintaining the Linux or "home" version of Skype, but I would expect their business version to be robust and reliable.
Guess not. I wish I could say I'm surprised by this.
It bought them to put its tech into their office platform.
And now that has been completed, the company doesn't need anyone to use Skype anymore. So it's been put out to pasture, to let it grow old and die. It doesn't matter how many millions of people are using it or why it might be a good strategy for Microsoft to continue with the product.
The base goal was achieved and now management has moved onto other projects. All that remains is the husk, the shell of something once shining and bright. Sort of like those crabs the Vogons liked to crush for no good reason.
It's hard for me to think of anything Microsoft has done outside of developer tools that looks and feels somewhat consistent in terms of their UI in the past 5 years. It's like they've completely abandoned any 'UI-esque principles' and instead have just left everything up to whatever the fuck they feel like at the time. I used to feel pretty good about upgrading to the latest Microsoft software - but it just isn't there any more. Skype makes no fucking sense right now - neither on Windows or on Mac. On my Mac, it will show Skype contacts or Mac Contacts - but it does not seem to show my Outlook 2016 contacts. And, of course, in the new version of Outlook, Microsoft has decided to destroy compatibility with using Mac and Outlook contacts interchangeably. Skype for Windows is a disaster. It decides to pop itself up in front of the user every boot up. It doesn't have a 'get the fuck out of my way' option - and of course it's buggy as all hell. It's sad when I'm barely using Skype and my computer slows down - and I check processes and Skype is using 100% cpu for no goddamn reason.. End Skype and everything is better. I really wish Microsoft would work to make their own programs more consistent and compatible with each other. This isn't just a Skype issue. Outlook 2016 is completely unusable. Excel regularly crashes on typing very simple formulas. Powerpoint files sent to me from Windows users crash Powerpoint 2016 often. And, of course, Outlook 2016 isn't compatible with anything and loves to add duplicates of your contacts. But, of course, Microsoft has decided that their latest software is always better than old stuff so they're taking control of your computer and upgrading you to Windows 10. And one more thing.. Microsoft's programmers are cocky as hell. Every single one of them I've ever met act like they write better code than Donald Trump has words.
--- We need more Ron Paul!
That's the problem, actually.
Skype for Business is really a re-branding of Lync, Microsoft's other conferencing solution. And basically managing to screw it up like how they tried to unify Skype and MSN Messenger. At least the latter was text chat and Microsoft managed to get a gateway going (you could do voice and video on MSN, but it wasn't used heavily)
Then Microsoft rebranded Lync as Skype for Business, integrated its functionality into Skype and all heck broke loose and the two really weren't meant to interoperate well. The user lists merged, but try having a multi-way conference between Skype and Lync users and hilarity ensues as randomly one group or the other fails to get voice, video or other data.
2013-11-06
Secession is the right of all sentient beings.
It's at the point where the only keeping Skype going is momentum. I stopped using it a long time ago, and the only reason I even keep it on my computer is in the rare occasion that I need to communicate with someone who only has Skype and nothing else. And unlike Windows, there isn't a massive ecosystem behind Skype that forces people to stay on board.
Google Hangouts, Facetime... hell, taking polaroid pictures and sending the resulting photos tied to a pigeon would be a more reliable, less irritating experience. Heck, they can't even maintain their Skype for Business product properly either. Mac has been waiting for years now and the best Microsoft has been able to do is repeatedly say "It'll be coming out any time now..."
Unless Microsoft does something to make Skype VERY compelling, VERY quickly, the exodus will just pick up speed.
How about fixing the 10,001 things wrong with Outlook? I'm forced to use the POS every day at work and it makes my skin crawl every time I use it. Microsoft seems to have embraced a culture of technical mediocrity. The hard reality behind their grandiose marketing hype is an attitude of slovenly indifference.
As I see it, was that Skype, as created, didn't need any "tweaking" it was basically done. It did what it needed to do, and it did it well. No fuss, no muss, no issues.
Naturally, MS had to come in and fuck it up.
I mean, improve upon it.
Now it barely works and is stuffed full of shit no one wants or needs.
In other words, standard MS practice.
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
Fun fact: Skype for Business' executable file is still named lync.exe
and for PCs we had GEM long before windows. Not sure about Amiga and Atari ST, if they were not before windows they certainly were very close in time.
GEM (February), Windows (November), the Amiga (July), and the ST (June) all came out in 1985.
Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas