https://web.skype.com/

Or spend money?

Check out ring.

https://www.linux.com/learn/why-and-...ad-skype-linux

Ring is a free and universal communication platform which preserves the users' privacy and freedoms.

https://ring.cx/

Or maybe some genius enthusiast to create a new messaging or voice protocol.

https://web.skype.com/
on my two machines only allows you to add and manage your contact lists,
it does not allow chat or voice nor video

create, as in the future?
there have been several voice protocols and clients before skype

here are some current skype alternatives

web based and clients:
Jitsi (java based, a bit of memory hog)
https://meet.jit.si/
discord (quite active)
https://discordapp.com/


clients with voice & video chat
pidgin via plugin (although non-LAN voice chats are failing for my machines lately)
https://pidgin.im/
gajim
psi+


simple jabber/xmpp web chat
https://jwchat.org/
https://jabber.at/chat/

multi-user voice chat:
mumble
teamspeak3
discord
...

Lot's of single core intel atom netbooks still working in the wild. I own 2 touchscreen version of these netbooks with good batteries.

Instead of skype. I bit the bullet on these netbooks with

https://download.jitsi.org/jitsi/debian/

I know this don't help with skype 32 bit. I just tell the people I care to talk to install the Windows or Mac version and coach them via email from there.

If you successfully get a debian 32 bit installed package going of skype going. And it stays working. I'm all ears.

No really, it's entirely possible to nab a half decent Core 2 Duo laptop off eBay if you know what to shop around for. The trick is to look for an off-lease dump - a bunch of nearly identical laptops, usually without hard drive. Sometimes, you can get a better deal with ones that are normal auctions - the bidding doesn't get so high because there are just so many available. Other times, "buy it now" is still a really good deal.

So, for example, on eBay right now there's a bunch of Lenovo SL400 - SL510 ThinkPads, Core 2 Duo 1.8Ghz - 2.0Ghz, 4GB of RAM ... these actually have hard drives in them, even. They're going for just under $30

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenovo-Think...EAAOSwkX1ZcmkE

That one in particular has a bad spot on its screen, but that's the sort of thing which makes for an even cheaper deal (you can connect it to your existing computer monitor).