Skypes dead! "Sorry, this version is not supported any more"
 

Tried to load it this morning and it spat that out.

At least when we had the forced update to 5.3.x there was an email sent out explaining we needed to switch to that version as the prior ones wouldn't work.

Here's an idea Microsoft, if people want to use it without "support" why not let them. I can't imagine the MS support forums are littered with Linux users and it's not as though the back end could have changed that much since they've already centralised everything to be routed via their servers.

When I get back from work I'll try pigeon with the html plugin.

Yea there is Skype for Linux, 32-bit is not supported. Or you can use a web browser to use Skype.

Yeah I know - I was using the 64 bit 5.3.0.1 which is what they've just canned as of today with no notice.

I've used the web version in the past, but not really a fan. I prefer my applications to be just that, applications - not a tab on a web browser.

That was a beta and now there is another download to replace it. Not an intuitive website to find the new file. I found that I had to removepkg and then install the new one because the name was different enough to stop upgradepkg from working

That's not how M$ has ever worked or will ever work. Part of their goal in buying Skype was to shut out non-Windoze users. I hope you are not claiming that you didn't see this coming when M$ made the purchase.

Maybe M$ Skype will run under WINE maybe not. However, whether it does or not, I would highly recommend beginning to work with SIP clients at this time. It can be done in parallel to any flailing about with Skype. Two to recommend are Blink and Jitsi:

• http://icanblink.com/download/
• https://jitsi.org/downloads/

Don't mind Jitsi's poor web pages, the program itself is quite good.

I started migrating from Skype before the M$ purchase partially because of the better sound partially because it was obvious something would eventualy happend to Skype, as it has now.

Thanks mate - I haven't even had a chance to look yet - I'll deal with it when I'm back from work.

Of course I was aware there would be problems down the track as soon as it was taken over, that was partially the reason for my rant.. it actually took them a lot longer than I expected.

The problem is I often use it to communicate with my 72 year old father who lives in Victoria over 3,500kms away, so it's not as simple as just switching clients. I mentioned to him years ago that we should switch clients and he considered it, so I'll check out the links you provided and will probably move him over next I see him but it's not an immediate solution unfortunately.

A sudden switch to SIP would be hard, as would most sudden changes, but phasing it in as a parallel option is not so hard as it can be done gradually over time.

i downloaded the latest from here: https://repo.skype.com/deb/pool/main/s/skypeforlinux/

then modified the version number in skypeforlinux.SlackBuild accordingly

Heh.. I was just about to post the exact same thing. It's what I ended up doing as well. Did you see what the 8.7.x was all about? I'm guessing it's the windows branch (I think they're around the 8 mark) but for linux. I used the 5.5.x because at least I know what I'm in for.

Still, as suggested earlier I will continue to look into other options - Skype is the only MS product I use, and even then only because it wasn't owned by them when I started.

Yep - it's why I raised it with the ol man years back.. getting him to change is like pulling teeth so I needed time for the idea to percolate.

After today though I'll definitely switch him over next time I travel over there.

I used the 8.7 branch. Seems to work fine.

You all are aware Skype connections are monitored, without any legal reason. That is, all that happens over Skype, voice or attachments/messages are scanned by authorities for certain keywords and content.

By "authorities"? Here in this forum we like claims like yours to be substantiated by evidence. Otherwise you are just selling FUD.

I read in the news a pedophile was caught because he attached a child porn picture via Skype. The content of picture was scanned during a routine scan and a criminal case was opened. I do not have a link to this news item, it was some time ago and I do not collect all links I visit. While there is nothing wrong catching a pedophile it is quite clear there is lots of fine print in Skype user agreement nobody reads.
You can argue it wasn't scanned by authorities. Maybe it was scanned just by Skype and the information was passed to authorities. Same difference.

Edit: In other words, whatever you do over Skype it can and will be used against you.

No. You are just spreading it thickly. Sorry to be blunt but you've been around long enough to know better.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...tion-user-data

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...skype-traffic/

https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-invol...vacy-on-skype/

And of course, M$ itself has centralized Skype networking so that all calls go through their servers, thus there is 100% opportunity to monitor and intercept when they want. In other cases, M$ has shown an eagerness to root through mail on their servers for their own purposes, so by extension they would do the same for calls.

Also: http://techrights.org/wiki/index.php...s_Spy_Campaign