Skype 4.0 For Linux Officially Released

[AJenbo]

I use wine (crossover to be specific) every day at work to run MS Office 2003. If I could, I would immediately switch to LibreOffice, but LibreOffice is still not able to handle MS Office documents properly. Most macros do not work and even the layout of normal day to day documents is messed up. LibreOffice still has a long way to go until it can be used as an MS Office replacement in daily business work.

MS office also still has a long way to go befor it can be used to open ODT-files. I would say it depends on the enviroment you are in.

I'm pretty sure MS uses VBA script for macros where as LO uses Python so they are very much incompatible. VBA has been removed from the Mac version of MS Office by the way, so i guess macros wount even work on all version of MS Office.

[Setlec]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll stick with the old version.

I prefer an ad-free native binary over a half-assed emulated one, which is probably full of ads. Somehow I already expected MS only being able to write Windows software.

my thoughts exactly. remember when skype promised to open source parts of their linux client? since M$ acquired skype we are so screwed.

[vertex2]

my thoughts exactly. remember when skype promised to open source parts of their linux client? since M$ acquired skype we are so screwed.

Relax, both of you. This is a full native version and nowhere was it suggested that this version has advertisements. Why don't you try it first before you jump to the default conclusion that MS is screwing everyone over.

[DeepDayze]

"So, you should think of Conversation Ads as a way for Skype to generate fun interactivity between your circle of friends and family and the brands you care about. Ultimately, we believe this will help make Skype a more engaging and useful place to have your conversations each and every day." ... yeah, right.

yeah loud ads in my face as well as the person I'm talking to, real smart. You need to buy Skype credits if you don't want ads. Nope I'll stick with the old client till it no longer works.

[Temar]

Why don't you try it first before you jump to the default conclusion that MS is screwing everyone over.

Because just yesterday they screwed the Windows users with even more ads: http://blogs.skype.com/en/2012/06/sk...ng_update.html

Instead of being honest and admitting that they just want to make money to be able to run the service, they try to define this as part of the Skype experience:

So, you should think of Conversation Ads as a way for Skype to generate fun interactivity between your circle of friends and family and the brands you care about.

That's ridiculous!

[AJenbo]

But still, do we have any indication that this is also hitting the linux client, or infact not also affecting the old client?

[markg85]

...

https://developers.google.com/talk/open_communications

http://www.jabber.org/

http://mumble.sourceforge.net/

This would be why there's no significant work on a replacement for Skype or reverse engineering Skype.

Replacements already exist.

There is no REASON to work on yet another replacement or to reverse engineer Skype. Better software is already available. Right now. Much of it already under Open Source Licenses.

Better..?
How are they better? Don't get me wrong, i'm a very big open source fan, but there actually is nothing in linux land that comes close to skype in terms of easy to use and call quality. All oss alternatives are tedious to setup and sometimes even hard to get working at all (with the microphone). I know because i actually tried a lot of them! The oss alternatives still have a lot to learn from skype.

For the record, i'm not using skype anymore since microsoft bought it.

[benjamin545]

it is in such beautiful words how they describe the ever so exclusive experience of embedded ads that makes one wonder how any company could be so considerate of their most lowly of costomers, even us, the non patrons, of thier costomer base are treated to a feature that not even the most faithful paying costomers are delighted with. and if one is to be confused or posssibly upset with this new feature, dont worry your tiny little head, they have done you the favor of enlightening you with what you should feel like toward this addition. it is the conversation starter you have been asking for for ages. if only chat roulette would give you such an assistance.

seriously, how can they write up such a thing? i mean, is the average user that artarded <yes>, well ok, maybe not all the people using computer technology are what one would consider computer literate and even capable of common sense, but that must be a small margin, MOST people must be somewhat competent <much less than you think> oh c,mon, there cant be that much of a market out there to make this even seem like a proffitable move <everyone else is already doing stupid intrusive ads, and the trend only grows, just look at the site your on now> ya, never really understood how that keeps going on, i mean, who actualy clicks on one of these crappy ads and proceads with an actual money transaction <old people> it cant be ALL the old peoples fault, i mean, what do they even do on the internet? <skype> what, so all the old people are online skypeing now <yep> so is that such a major userbase that this is probobly garenteed to make money? <its their only userbase, so yes> well, you just sound a little prejidous <you said it bro>

eh, the cinic in me came out a bit.

it really sucks how with these large corperations, their pr and amrketing departments have no way at makeing a real personal communication with people. it just seems like whats the point of trying to make an answer to the public like this one if the answer is so obviously constructed in such a way that only an idiot would beleive this word for word. i mean NOBODY would read that and go "oh ya ok, i can see how that would make sense". if someone walked up to you on the street and said that to you, you would think they ust be some sort of a robot because it so so unpersonal. it just makes me think, are they paying someone good money for that? because i could be paid less and produce a lot better than that, microsoft should hire me, i can talk out my ass on the cheap.

[vertex2]

Because just yesterday they screwed the Windows users with even more ads: http://blogs.skype.com/en/2012/06/sk...ng_update.html

Instead of being honest and admitting that they just want to make money to be able to run the service, they try to define this as part of the Skype experience:



That's ridiculous!

That's fairly ridiculous indeed! And commercial companies do have a tendency to ruin things in order to make more money. The funny thing is that at the moment it seems like the Linux version doesn't have these ads (and it also doesn't have the shitty interface the windows version now has), probably because MS wouldn't make a lot of money from ads on the Linux version anyway but it is still peculiar that in a way, MS is doing exactly the opposite of screwing over Linux users.

[AJenbo]

seriously, how can they write up such a thing? i mean, is the average user that artarded <yes>, well ok, maybe not all the people using computer technology are what one would consider computer literate and even capable of common sense, but that must be a small margin, MOST people must be somewhat competent <much less than you think> oh c,mon, there cant be that much of a market out there to make this even seem like a proffitable move <everyone else is already doing stupid intrusive ads, and the trend only grows, just look at the site your on now> ya, never really understood how that keeps going on, i mean, who actualy clicks on one of these crappy ads and proceads with an actual money transaction <old people> it cant be ALL the old peoples fault, i mean, what do they even do on the internet? <skype> what, so all the old people are online skypeing now <yep> so is that such a major userbase that this is probobly garenteed to make money? <its their only userbase, so yes> well, you just sound a little prejidous <you said it bro>

Split personality?