Microsoft Fixes Bugs in Skype for Linux (softpedia.com)

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Microsoft Fixes Bugs in Skype for Linux (softpedia.com)

Posted by msmash on Monday September 12, 2016 @02:40AM from the microsoft-loves-linux dept.

After neglecting Linux's Skype client for years, Microsoft released a new app of Skype for Linux in July, giving comfort to millions of users. The app, however, had a fair share of bugs. Microsoft today has updated the app to iron out those bugs, and introduced a handful of interesting options. An anonymous reader writes: There were plenty of users who complained that Skype for Linux was reconnecting automatically when not using the app for a certain amount of time and Microsoft has already acknowledged the bug. This new version fixes the problem, so everything should work correctly after updating. Additionally, Skype for Linux 1.7 introduces a new grid layout of the group calls, but also fixes the standard behavior of unread messages. According to Microsoft, this means that "when opening chat with unread messages, the view will focus on the first unread message and as you scroll, messages will be marked as read."

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SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by lesincompetent · 2016-09-12 02:44 · Score: 0

Too little too late.
Bye Skype. If the US govt. really wanted my trade secrets they should have done a better job at catering to the most savvy and thus valuable user base.
1. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:07 · Score: 1
  
  Because MS want's to attract developers to it's Azure cloud services.
  Many such "cloud" developers are using Mac or Linux. After all they need to be developing stuff that will run on Linux cloud servers. Be it from AWS, Google, MS, whoever.
  So it makes sense to make such developers happy by providing things like Skype for the platforms they use.
  It's the same reason MS created the open source and cross platform MS Visual Studio Code IDE. The same reason they are making sure node.js works with their open source Chakra Javascript engine.
  It's all very cunning.
  Mind you Visual Studio Code is a wonderful thing. It's the first software from MS I have been using on a regular basis for real work ever.
  Mind y
2. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by jcdr · 2016-09-12 06:17 · Score: 0
  
  Mind you Visual Studio Code is a wonderful thing. It's the first software from MS I have been using on a regular basis for real work ever.
  For you maybe. Totally unusable in my case.
3. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 09:28 · Score: 0
  
  Because MS want's to attract developers to it's Azure cloud services.
  Many such "cloud" developers are using Mac or Linux. After all they need to be developing stuff that will run on Linux cloud servers. Be it from AWS, Google, MS, whoever.
  So it makes sense to make such developers happy by providing things like Skype for the platforms they use.
  It's the same reason MS created the open source and cross platform MS Visual Studio Code IDE. The same reason they are making sure node.js works with their open source Chakra Javascript engine.
  So, you are saying that they have Embraced open source developers, they have begun to Extend their functionality. What do you think could happen next?
4. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 11:00 · Score: 0
  
  If the US govt. really wanted my trade secrets they should have done a better job at catering to the most savvy and thus valuable user base.
  If you sent them over the internet they've most likely already got them, they didn't need skype for that.
5. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by exomondo · 2016-09-12 11:18 · Score: 2
  
  For you maybe. Totally unusable in my case.
  What an uninformative way to completely dismiss anything, equally applicable to whatever it is you use. Firstly "totally unusable" is likely hyperbole and given that it is multiplatform (Windows, OS X, Linux - with deb and rpm packages) open source and also has an interface for extensions I'm wondering what exactly the problem is here. What is your use case in which it is "totally unusable"? Or is it just because it's made by Microsoft?
  If I'm doing quick edits I most often use vi (was never an emacs fan) but I've found for more extensive editing VSCode is great, maybe you prefer something like Notepad++ (which is also open source) but it seems more a matter of preference than capability.
6. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 11:27 · Score: 0
  
  So, you are saying that they have Embraced open source developers, they have begun to Extend their functionality. What do you think could happen next?
  Oh yes, "embrace, extend, extinguish" by some magical means that you cannot explain you are suggesting they are going to "extinguish" open source developers. Let's put aside the fact that your understand of that whole concept is flawed and that your consipracy theory makes no sense for now to take a quick look at where this EEE has been applied. The only place Microsoft ever suggested it internally was with Java...currently the number one programming language on TIOBE index, wow they really extinguished Java didn't they?! Then others applied it to HTML because of the IE extensions (of course Netscape also had their own proprietary extensions) and ActiveX which existed to provide functionality that developers required (and therefore used) that wasn't provided by the HTML standard and now that the HTML standard does provide the required funcitonality ActiveX is no longer supported even in Microsoft's own browser. Proliferation of web applications must mean Microsoft managed to extinguish HTML standards as well...OH no wait?! No it's the other thing, they DIDN'T extinguish HTML standards, they are SUPPORTING HTML standards.
  Is it not time to maybe let go of the failed one-time attempt by some Microsoft employees that no longer work there that ultimately went the completely opposite way? If you cataloged all the times slashdotters shouted "embrace extend extinguish" you'll find they have always been wrong, every single time. "embrace, extend, extinguish" is really just a "no wifi, less space than a nomad. lame".
7. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by OneHundredAndTen · 2016-09-12 11:41 · Score: 1
  
  Because MS want's to attract developers to it's Azure cloud services.
  Impressive that you managed to go through school without understanding and learning something that basic.
8. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-13 00:09 · Score: 1
  
  The problem I have with a lot of these IDEs and fancy editors is they try to do too much for you, while simultaneously having a terrible editing interface. Key bindings are crap compared to the modal beauty of vim. It's super-annoying to have a fuzzy selector via Shift+arrow or Shift+Ctrl+Arrow. Deleting an entire line might be possible through some weird binding, but in vim it's simply dd (or in my case kk, but that's irrelevant). I can edit everything inside quotations with ci". I'm sure that, with some twisting and struggling, I could get an IDE maaaayyybe close to what I have with vim and a few extra bells and whistles, but for me it's not worth the time or the effort. The benefits are, frankly, trivial and dubious. The setbacks -- while mostly of the "I don't know this software and I'm trying to do a thing" nature -- are still worth considering.
  I say we all use the tool that works best for each individual. We don't all learn the same ways, speak the same way, or think the same way, so there's little reason for everyone to use the same tool.
9. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by jcdr · 2016-09-13 05:45 · Score: 2
  
  I do mostly Linux embedded software and I like to develop directly on the remote targets that don't have a screen. In this context Visual Code Studio is unusable as virtually any graphic IDE.
10. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by exomondo · 2016-09-13 10:40 · Score: 1
  
  I do mostly Linux embedded software and I like to develop directly on the remote targets that don't have a screen. In this context Visual Code Studio is unusable as virtually any graphic IDE.
  Well yes, so that's a pretty massive caveat that you failed to mention. It's blindingly obvious that any graphical IDE is going to be totally unusable if you don't have a GUI.
Ok, what's the catch? by Grishnakh · 2016-09-12 02:49 · Score: 2, Insightful

Ok, what's the catch? Why would MS spend even one man-hour working on this thing? MS working on software for Android makes sense because it has a huge marketshare, and same with stuff like MS Office for Mac (not huge marketshare, but enough to make it worth the investment for them). But Linux has a minuscule market share, which I admit as a Linux proponent, so what's MS's real plan here? They never do anything on non-MS platforms without a really good (and likely nefarious) reason.
1. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 02:54 · Score: 0
  
  Believe it or not MS released versions of media player and IE for Linux also. Why? I have no idea.
2. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 02:58 · Score: 0
  
  Perhaps the new version will also include the latest Microsoft spyware and a forced Windows10 installation program?
3. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 02:58 · Score: 0
  
  Scrabbling for users is what, everyone smart enough has switched to other services like Discord.
4. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 02:59 · Score: 0
  
  I'm guessing that they look at any foot in the door of a Linux user as a potential route to convincing them to move to MS in the future, and that a lack of Skype on Linux is unlikely to have been preventing WIndows users from moving to Linux. "Hey guys, use a small piece of our software on your Linux system! Do you like it? Did you know that we recently added a Bash shell to Windows 10? It's just like home...!".
5. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by decipher_saint · 2016-09-12 03:00 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  They also ported Powershell to Linux
  My best wild ass guess is that they themselves are using it more and need common tools across OS's
  
  --
  crazy dynamite monkey
6. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Bill+Hayden · 2016-09-12 03:07 · Score: 1
  
  Because they are transitioning from being a software company to being a data company. That's why Windows 10 is free* and they grab so much (and push so much) data on customers in W10.
  * If you thought Windows 10 was no longer free, see https://www.microsoft.com/en-u...
  
  --
  Protect your browser with the Force Safe Search add-on
7. Re: Ok, what's the catch? by BarbaraHudson · 2016-09-12 03:08 · Score: 1
  
  Microsoft never made IE for Linux - that was a 3rd party, and it was pretty crappy.
  Porting code between bad (apple) and Linux is a lot easier than porting from Windows to Apple.
  
  --
  "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
8. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Ash-Fox · 2016-09-12 03:11 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Scrabbling for users is what, everyone smart enough has switched to other services like Discord.
  Discord doesn't do phone stuff (Skype-in, Skype-out, Skype to go, VOIP to phone forwarding, free international calling, no existing phone required, voice mail), screen sharing, video chat, video conferencing, forwarding between accounts, has a UI that can be minimalist (why has discord made it even worse!?)...
  I don't know of any real alternatives to Skype, I end up using multiple services at the end of the day, but Skype is irreplaceable because none of the alternatives do everything Skype can do.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
9. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by gmack · 2016-09-12 03:24 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  It's a network effect. For each person who can't use Skype, all contacts to that person are forced to use an alternate client It's better for Microsoft to keep as many people on as many platforms as happy as possible.
10. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:24 · Score: 0
  
  ? Your link doesn't say that
11. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:36 · Score: 0
  
  I don't know of any real alternatives to Skype
  It still needs some polish and more features, but Tox is getting there.
12. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Ash-Fox · 2016-09-12 03:47 · Score: 1
  
  It still needs some polish and more features, but Tox is getting there.
  I don't see any actual phone support at all in there; much like Discord. I wouldn't say it's even close to getting there.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
13. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by tlhIngan · 2016-09-12 04:02 · Score: 2
  
  Ok, what's the catch? Why would MS spend even one man-hour working on this thing? MS working on software for Android makes sense because it has a huge marketshare, and same with stuff like MS Office for Mac (not huge marketshare, but enough to make it worth the investment for them). But Linux has a minuscule market share, which I admit as a Linux proponent, so what's MS's real plan here? They never do anything on non-MS platforms without a really good (and likely nefarious) reason.
  Because probably a lot of people use Skype? And they may use Linux as well? I know a lot of developers use Linux here (they work on Android) and Skype is a fairly common communications tool, so if you want to use Skype and develop, you need to have a Windows box too. Not bad for Microsoft, but maybe enough for some companies to consider alternatives.
  And corporate use of Skype is high as well - you don't want to piss them off because they're the ones buying those Skype minutes by the thousands for their employees.
  And network effects - the more people using Skype, the more people will use Skype
  They abandoned the Skype Linux client before. They probably got reamed out by some users with a lot of $$$ behind it, so they realized that even though Linux userbase is small, they spend a lot of money. Not a bad idea, it's what Apple does and why iOS is a favorite primary development target over Android, despite the latter being way more popular.
14. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by DickBreath · 2016-09-12 04:24 · Score: 0
  
  > Ok, what's the catch?
  
  Here is your answer:
  
  Windows 10 has been installed on this computer.
  To restore this computer to a usable state,
  please send 3 Bitcoin to Microsoft.
  
  In order to do this, Microsoft must get you to first install some Microsoft software as a beach head.
  
  Or try . . .
  
  Clippy: It looks like you're trying to get useful work done. Would you like to install Windows 10?
  To install Windows 10, do any of the following:
  1. Click Yes, I want to install.
  2. Click No, I do not want to install.
  3. Click Cancel.
  4. Click the X in the title bar.
  5. Pull the power cord from the electrical outlet to have WIndows 10 conveniently installed on the next reboot.
  
  --
  
  I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
15. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:38 · Score: 0
  
  OMG.. You finally made a comment that's not just being an asshole to insult others. You actually said something meaningful and nice. WOW. Now that I told you that, you'll just go right back to being an asshole and add a little more on top to get your inferiority complex overcompansated, but hey. Every little bit of encouragement not to be a total douchebag that insults others matters. Good work!
16. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:40 · Score: 0
  
  TROLL ALERT!
  With a UID that low, I'd expect you to be familiar with 15 year old satire
17. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:43 · Score: 1
  
  * If you thought Windows 10 was no longer free,
  Windows 10 was never free, in any sense of the word.
18. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:52 · Score: 0
  
  Where have you been? Microsoft is all-in on Linux these days. A third of all VMs on Azure are Linux-based. They're porting SQL Server to Linux, they're porting PowerShell, Visual Studio Code is cross-platform, etc.
  > They never do anything on non-MS platforms without a really good (and likely nefarious) reason.
  1997 called, they want their meme back.
19. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by MtHuurne · 2016-09-12 05:04 · Score: 1
  
  It requires PulseAudio. I doubt this is a nefarious plan by MS, but it does annoy me, since I deinstalled PulseAudio after it caused problems.
20. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 07:11 · Score: 1
  
  I gave Powershell (on Windows) a look in the interest of objectivity. It looks like it is more sophisticated than say, Bash and can do more, but holy crap is it unintuitive and clunky about the way it does it.
  I'll probably get hosed for saying this, but if you need anything above DOS commands or bash, python or (less so) perl are still where it's at, whether you're on Windows or Linux.
  -ph
21. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 08:16 · Score: 0
  
  If this is the case, why did they abandon Skype for all versions of Windows other than 10? There are probably at least as many Win7 users (who will remain so until it loses all support) as there are Linux user(s). Some (possibly single-digit, probably more) percentage of those Win7 users also ran Skype. Huh?
22. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 09:34 · Score: 0
  
  Scrabbling for users is what, everyone smart enough has switched to other services like Discord.
  Discord doesn't do phone stuff (Skype-in, Skype-out, Skype to go, VOIP to phone forwarding, free international calling, no existing phone required, voice mail), screen sharing, video chat, video conferencing, forwarding between accounts, has a UI that can be minimalist (why has discord made it even worse!?)...
  I don't know of any real alternatives to Skype, I end up using multiple services at the end of the day, but Skype is irreplaceable because none of the alternatives do everything Skype can do.
  Viber / Google hangouts and Slack taken together make a much better system than Skype. Skype used to be the most stable and have the best voice quality using it's p2p network. That changed when MS restructured it to route all calls through the central locations where they cam be monitored. Now Viber is much better and Hangouts is as good and provides better video conferencing.
  Overall, skype isn't just replaceable nowadays, using the alternatives is actually better and more convenient once you get used to them.
23. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Grishnakh · 2016-09-12 11:10 · Score: 1
  
  Well the Win7 thing makes sense: MS has been doing everything it can to force Win7 users to "upgrade" to Win10, so abandoning non-Win10 Skype versions is consistent with their prior behavior there.
  Linux is different; it doesn't matter how many users each platform has, MS doesn't have any kind of control over Linux the way it does with Win7 and its update mechanism, and Linux users aren't invested in the MS ecosystem the way Win7 users are, so the same tactics wouldn't work.
  I'm just questioning why they're bothering because it's extremely unlikely they're going to convince any Linux users to convert to Windows with this move. It's more likely that Hillary Clinton will get hit get swallowed up by a random wormhole on inauguration day frankly. And having a working Skype version for Linux actually just makes it easier for Linux users to keep using Linux, without having to switch over to Windows for Skype-ing or putting up with an older buggy version. Most likely, it's like one of the other posters here said about some corporate users demanding it, who already have Windows for most stuff but do Linux development and spend money on Skype minutes for their employees.
24. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by jez9999 · 2016-09-12 11:39 · Score: 1
  
  Ok, what's the catch? Why would MS spend even one man-hour working on this thing?
  MS hate Windows 10 so much they're planning to switch over to Linux internally.
  
  --
  == Jez ==
  Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
25. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 12:02 · Score: 0
  
  You don't need to route calls through a central server for them to be monitored. In fact Viber is very poor security-wise, the messages are encrypted with a key that Viber owns so they can be decrypted for law enforcement, instead you should use Whatsapp. Also of course Hangouts is not purely peer-to-peer, creating the connection happens through Google, they know who you're speaking to and when as well as your Hangouts data being saved on Google's servers and your data not being end-to-end encrypted.
  Your suggested alternatives are TSA levels of security theater.
26. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 15:18 · Score: 0
  
  Because they are trying to take the OSX, iOS and Linux approach of having everybody iterate on the latest version rather than having distinct older versions to maintain and backport fixes to. It makes a huge difference to the maintenance overhead.
27. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 15:26 · Score: 0
  
  Eventually you have to realize that people with modpoints are idiots. "Linyos Torovoltos" didn't tip them off, the adequacy link didn't tip them off and that's literallly 2 of the 3 lines you wrote so these moderators prove they have the cognitive ability of a tub of cottage cheese.
  They saw "Microsoft is good" and they lack the ability to process that, in fact I'd say their so programmed to hate Microsoft they don't even know why anymore and don't even have the ability to question it (or read beyond that one line). These are the people that the <blink> tag was invented for so it could wrap the word "sarcasm"...sadly that tag is gone while those with a vegetable-level of intelligence remain.
28. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 18:09 · Score: 0
  
  I bet you are one of them SystemD haters, too :D
29. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by MtHuurne · 2016-09-12 18:54 · Score: 1
  
  Not a big fan of SystemD, but I can tolerate it. I don't have an irrational hatred of PulseAudio either, but I've had applications playing no audio at all or playing laggy or choppy audio on three occasions and each time the problem went away after deinstalling PulseAudio. There really is something wrong with either PulseAudio itself or its integration with other components on this system (openSUSE KDE5).
30. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-13 00:17 · Score: 0
  
  No reason to hose you for that. Anytime I come across a task that's clunky in bash but could still be achieved in a single file, Python's my go-to. It has a huge standard library and is stupidly (good) extensible. If I can't solve it using Python then I'm just not thinking (or looking) hard enough.
31. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Ash-Fox · 2016-09-13 00:19 · Score: 1
  
  Viber / Google hangouts
  Requires existing phone number...
  
  Skype used to be the most stable and have the best voice quality using it's p2p network.
  
  Skype is still the best for telephony interfaces. Hangouts uses technologies similar to webrtc that don't seem to function as well.
  
  Now Viber is much better
  Viber doesn't even have a Linux client, nor any of the features I specifically mentioned above.
  
  Overall, skype isn't just replaceable nowadays, using the alternatives is actually better and more convenient once you get used to them.
  Then why aren't you giving me examples that alternatives provide the features I specifically noted above?
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
32. Re: Ok, what's the catch? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-13 05:48 · Score: 0
  
  They do. https://www.viber.com/en/products/linux
33. Re: Ok, what's the catch? by Ash-Fox · 2016-09-13 09:32 · Score: 1
  
  For some reason I couldn't find that from their front page. Still need all the other features though.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
34. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Coren22 · 2016-09-14 05:08 · Score: 1
  
  I don't believe that Google Hangouts requires an existing phone number. I signed my son up for a phone number before purchasing a Project Fi/Nexus phone, and it didn't ask me to pay for a phone number, or even provide an existing one.
  
  --
  APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
35. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Coren22 · 2016-09-14 05:11 · Score: 1
  
  I do Powershell stuff for Exchange quite often as part of my job, and no disagreement. It is unintuitive at times and quite clunky, but it is trying to be Visual Studio on the command line (running against remote servers too).
  
  --
  APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
36. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Ash-Fox · 2016-09-14 07:55 · Score: 1
  
  I don't believe that Google Hangouts requires an existing phone number.
  Not really an option for me anyway, I need multiple numbers in different countries that Google voice doesn't offer. The only reason why I even have a US Google voice number (which is used in Hangouts) is because of a US number I have already with Skype. Which Google Voice requires me to verify every few years for some reason.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
37. Re:Ok, what's the catch? by Zontar+The+Mindless · 2016-09-18 12:55 · Score: 1
  
  That UID is not especially "low"...
  
  --
  Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
Why is this on slashdot? by Errol+backfiring · 2016-09-12 02:58 · Score: 2, Funny

Couldn't Microsoft just send an e-mail to their last Skype user on Linux?

--
Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!
1. Re: Why is this on slashdot? by ccady · 2016-09-12 03:05 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  No, they are right. This is the best way to reach me.
  
  --
  J'aime mieux les méchants que les imbéciles, parce qu'ils se reposent. -- Alexandre Dumas
2. Re:Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:42 · Score: 0
  
  I use it regularly, for lack of an identified alternative. If someone can point me to a better free audio/video call tool available for Linux, I'll gladly switch horses.
3. Re: Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:24 · Score: 1
  
  Wait ... I thought *I* was the last one!
4. Re:Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:48 · Score: 0
  
  I use it regularly, for lack of an identified alternative. If someone can point me to a better free audio/video call tool available for Linux, I'll gladly switch horses.
  Google Hangouts
5. Re: Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 07:14 · Score: 0
  
  There are literally dozens of us!
6. Re:Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 09:07 · Score: 0
  
  LOL. Now who's the shill? Hangouts is such a bag of shit that even Google is starting to walk away from it.
7. Re:Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 11:10 · Score: 0
  
  Try https://meet.jit.si/
  With WebRTC done right you don't need to install or sign up for anything, point the web browser to the right place and you're good to go.
  Desktop sharing requires a small plugin and permissions.
8. Re: Why is this on slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 11:59 · Score: 0
  
  Well, four --but the market share is growing!
Telemetry? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:25 · Score: 1

I mean, why not? Don't just collect information about Windows users. Collect information about Linux too!
Does it come with... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:26 · Score: 1

Keylogger, videologger, audiologger, auto installer for Win10?
webrtc by Kludge · 2016-09-12 03:43 · Score: 4, Informative

Good comment. I have moved on to using WebRTC in Firefox or Chromium. It's easier for relatives and me, and it works just as well.
1. Re:webrtc by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 10:13 · Score: 0
  
  https://meet.jit.si/ rocks! Nothing new to install WebRTC is awesome.
Skype for Business still most important problem by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:44 · Score: 1

Lack of a Linux client prevents deployment of the Office communication platform in business, since a Linux client is a significant requirement. In most moderately sized organisations, there will be Linux machines. Unless Microsoft can develop the competence to deliver a Linux client, it rules out deployment of their offering. While I'd hardly call Skype for Business a good piece of software, many of the alternatives are equally bad, usually worse. If Microsoft could sort out making their client cross platform, and consolidate the bizarre user interface into something more traditional, Skype for Business would be a decent option for large corporate deployments. I speak from experience, having been on a team evaluating these clients. Ultimately, we selected a Chrome based WebRTC option, with substantially the same functionality (multi way desktop sharing, presenting, video, audio, group calling, ...) The killer for Skype was the obviously poor state of Microsoft's code, that is restricting portability. It's probably above average when it comes to audio/video quality, but the reliability (dropped calls) seemed below average. I'd actually have recommended - probably as first choice - AND over the likes of Team Viewer, if Microsoft could sort out their portability issues. We are expanding the use of Linux/Open Source, and this will not be changed by the poor performance of one vendor. If Microsoft doesn't get with the game, then they will not be part of it at all.
1. Re:Skype for Business still most important problem by zeugma-amp · 2016-09-12 04:23 · Score: 1
  
  Not really sure why this was modded down. Skype for business compatibility would definitely be a major plus. I just downloaded the Linux Skype client, and it won't let me log in using my S4B creds.
  
  --
  This is an ex-parrot!
2. Re:Skype for Business still most important problem by Merk42 · 2016-09-12 04:29 · Score: 1
  
  Not really sure why this was modded down.
  Because the explanation didn't consist of any of the following:
  Micro$oft
  Embrace Extend Extinguish
  Data mining
Skype terms of use. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 03:51 · Score: 0

If you have read the terms of use for skype and still use this 'service' you are criminally insane.
1. Re:Skype terms of use. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 07:27 · Score: 0
  
  "criminally"!!
  so it is true that you can rape yourself!!
Good do see Microsoft supporting Linux by theendlessnow · 2016-09-12 03:55 · Score: 1, Funny

I expect Microsoft will continue to support Skype on Linux until they terminate the product or.... for a month... whichever comes first.
theres no need for this by kangsterizer · 2016-09-12 04:01 · Score: 1, Informative

meh this is a local version of the web.skype.com website
you're as good going to the website directly.. err you're better off going to the website - its always up to date.
32 bit only by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:08 · Score: 0

I just downloaded it, and found the don't support Debian Jessie yet, and only have 32 bit versions! If I want it to actually run, I have to install 32 bit libraries as well! I guess compiling a 64 bit version is just too much trouble!
1. Re:32 bit only by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 05:11 · Score: 0
  
  It probably is too hard. The Skype binary uses more crazy levels of obfuscation and anti-reverse-engineering tricks than any malware.
  I wouldn't be surprised if no one still at Microsoft knows how the darn thing works.
Version number confusion by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 04:27 · Score: 0

So what's the version number? I'm seeing both 1.7 and 4.3.
1. Re:Version number confusion by Gavagai80 · 2016-09-12 06:39 · Score: 1
  
  4.3 is the ancient, abandoned Skype for Linux which I'm still running. 1.7 is the new experimental version based on their webrtc client. Because 1.7 > 4.3, obviously.
  
  --
  This space intentionally left blank
sdgfdgh by ChoGGi · 2016-09-12 04:56 · Score: 1

Well at least I found out why it was so damned cold this morning.
Simple by ThatsNotPudding · 2016-09-12 05:09 · Score: 1

Ok, what's the catch? Why would MS spend even one man-hour working on this thing?
Because of the reports filed by their most important customer: the NSA. The bugs were interfering with their warrantless surveillance work.
How about a bit more recent distros? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 05:30 · Score: 0

Looking at https://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-computer/, I can see skype for linux is available for:
-Ubuntu 10.04
-Ubuntu 12.04
-Debian 7
-Fedora 16
-OpenSuse 12.1
-"dynamic"
Do I understand correctly, that MS just released an application for Ubuntu 10.04?
1. Re:How about a bit more recent distros? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-18 13:03 · Score: 0
  
  And openSUSE 12.1, which IIRC was EOL'ed 2 years ago...
Meh by thundercattt · 2016-09-12 05:46 · Score: 1

Could never get the package installed on my Debian box no matter how much crowbaring I did.
IE automatically calls home to Skype servers by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 06:15 · Score: 0

FYI,
Internet explorer calls home to a skype server, EVEN if you don't have Skype installed.
If you open Resource Monitor, you'd see that fishy activity.
This happens whether you have a stock Windows 7 install or Windows 8.1 install. IE 8 does that. IE 11 does that.
The old clients do not connect by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 06:26 · Score: 0

I had a single-channel client that added skype support for my asterisk based pbx.
Skype (before M$) backtracked on their agreement with Digium, but they at least did not disable the connection of the 'no-longer-supported' client.
This was useful for getting calls via regular phones from the Skype world.
Fuck M$ for destroying this, in their infinite wisdom to skin this cat, once more.
1. Re:The old clients do not connect by Ash-Fox · 2016-09-13 09:39 · Score: 1
  
  Just use Skype for business, it's a standard SIP interface. It's been the same since before Microsoft.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
Microsoft! Fixes bugs! In Skype! For Linux! by howlingmad · 2016-09-12 07:31 · Score: 1

Oh my god! What a beautiful day! Let us celebrate this!
Unified codebase for all platforms by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-12 08:14 · Score: 0

Linux support is just a side effect
Hah! Some update! (NOT!) by bwanagary · 2016-09-12 09:08 · Score: 1

Version 4.3 of Skype for Linux (pre MS buyout) at least supports video and audio. MS has no sense of shame pushing an "updated" version of Skype for Linux with less functionality than the ancient version 4.3.0.37. "The more things change, the more things _____________________". You fill in the blanks.
Re: SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTF by jcdr · 2016-09-13 05:40 · Score: 2

So your theory is that no useful software can exists if not done with Visual Studio ?
Seriously, I doubt that your router or your TV will ever boot in that case...