Skype will be disabled for Linux PCs with 32bit architecture. Any alternative or way around this?
 

Hello everybody,

I'm sure most of you know that Linux users are now required by Skype (Microsoft) to upgrade their Skype versions or they won't be able to use Skype after July 1, 2017. Problem is that the new Skype versions available for downloading are just for the 64bit architecture and I have an old PC with 32bit architecture. Does anyone know a way around this, or this simply means that people like me will have to buy a new computer if they wish to continue to use Skype for Linux? Any suggestions?

Thank you very much for any information you can give me.

Bruno

There may be a few 3rd party Skype programs left, although M$ has been depreciating the Skype API in recent times. Here's one: http://eion.robbmob.com/ that compiles - make a binary for your current architecture.

If you google "3rd party Skype programs" there were some Reddit threads. Maybe you can also search in your distro's App Store/synaptic/apt package search stuff of your choice.

Thank you!
 

Thank you very much wagscat123. Your help is really appreciated. I'll try your suggestions.

Bruno

Or...
use http://web.skype.com/

Skype is also not the only internet-telephony service out there, nor is it, today, necessarily the best one.

The safest and most secure way to communicate is when both parties know the IP-address of the other party, and both are using SSL-encrypted communication using digital certificates. Otherwise, you really don't know who you are talking to, nor do you have any assurance – quite the opposite, in fact – that no one else is listening in.

In this respect, of course, telephony is exactly like all other forms of communication that you can conduct using the Internet.

You could try swapping your vintage rig for a more modern one or selling it to a collector then buying a second-hand and more modern computer.
Appologies if you are on the breadline and can't afford a 64 bit machine even after the above.

"There may be a 32-bit version in the future, depending on the Community interest."

From skype web support site.

As time goes on the number of 32 bit systems out there gets smaller and smaller. The major distro's are even starting to give up on 32 bit.

I didn't know that the older versions would stop working though.

Hya,

Just for my interest, I checked the skype binary, which looks like 32bit one. Also, it depends on 32 bit libraries.
It may be possible to tweak something. 'skypeforlinux' is a simple shell script.

cheers

I'm ready for testing if it can be pulled off.

Hya

correction.

I guess I made a mistake. '/usr/bin/skype' is a left-over from previous install. '/usr/bin/skypeforlinux' is a new one, and it invokes 64bit binary.

Apology, post #8 is totally incorrect! No way to tweak!

cheers

I installed it on my 32bit but it won't launch. I guess if it was recompiled with 32bit compiler we could probably run it. Nothing beats failure but a try.

I had pointed this out on AskUbuntu and got censored, doghoused, cant post cant gain points to post.

What sort of computer do you have? Depending on what you have, it might actually be pretty cheap to upgrade it to 64 bit. For example, I have some old Socket 754 Sempron machines that are 32 bit. I don't need to upgrade them, but I looked up on eBay how much it would cost for me to upgrade to the fastest Socket 754 CPU (which is 64 bit, even if single core). Turns out it would set me back less than $10. Not bad, really.

Otherwise, the cheapest way to get into 64bit would be an ex corporate fleet business laptop dumped onto eBay. You can get a half decent Core 2 Duo laptop for maybe $30, although you'll probably need to supply your own 2.5" hard drive and power adapter (another $8 on eBay).

more like a $100 for Core 2 Duo

note: some T series CPUs are not 64bit they are 32bit.
E series is 64bit
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Inte...Socket_M).html