Skype 2.0 for Mac and Linux Users: Coming Soon?

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5:30 am on December 2, 2005 | Category: VoIP, Web Services

With the recent launch of Skype’s upgraded internet telephony software for Windows XP, which includes video calling capability, many Linux and Macintosh users are speculating as to when they too will gain access to the application.

Although the company hasn’t released any definite word on when the service will be extended to other operating systems, senior executives have hinted that it won’t be too long a wait.

“Today video calling is only for Windows, but our strategy in the past has been to roll out on other platforms reasonably soon,” said Skype’s vice president of business development, James Bilefield. “It depends on feedback and testing - and we have dedicated teams on those platforms.”

The company does not, however, have plans to offer video calling to Windows 98 or 2000 users, as they claim that most computers running these operating systems couldn’t support the video quality that the service requires.

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Hope we wouldn’t have to wait that long as we wait for ALSA support in Skype for Linux (ALSA is still not supported, and Skype for Linux still uses deprecated OSS).

Comment by mangoo — December 2, 2005 #
Thank you for the comment. I use Mac OS X (10.3.9) and my friends & I are eagerly awaiting the release of video Skype 2.0 for the Mac!!!1

Comment by Jon — December 2, 2005 #
Hi, thanks for the good software you gave us !!
I’m using Linux and I would like to see the app as soon as possible for my platform with video capabilities.
Also is possible to help out your teams ? Where, how to contact them ?

Comment by Sasa Ostrouska — December 3, 2005 #
Closed proprietary protocols like Skype’s one are the worse ideas for a communication needs. You are hostage of the company that owns that protocol.
Better help with the developement and the spread of open, Free as in Freedom solutions, like:
http://www.openwengo.com/
Al the moment it already has client for Windows, GNU/Linux, MacOS and WindowsPocketPC, with GPL source available. And if you want you can build your own, of course.
So which is the right path for you? What about when Skype will start to impose limits/charges upon his service? And do you trust their software (remember who they are)?

Comment by Marco Menardi — December 3, 2005 #
I would more like to see aceptance of Goggle-talk, rather Skype (closed protocol), not that I have anything against, but ….
But with the ver.2 of gaim.sf.net, we will have integrated support for all-major messaging protocols, google-talk (& probably later video),IRC and so on… for both windows & linux.
It is very annoying to have “one thousand” programs running for very similar things..
Second reason I dont like skype very much it is very ugly under Linux (I talk for the design) ocuppes too much space, very buggy from all my experience with it.
(particulary for me is bothering that there is only QT-variant, not that this is earth shattering, but GTK visual would be good)

So if I have to conclude better use possibly one product for all my Messaging needs, which support industry standards like SIP.
Rather buggy-free product for closed protocol, the only reason i use skype from time to time is ’cause of my unaware friends use it.

Otherwise i prise Skype for pioneering the voip-messaging over Internet.

Comment by me — December 3, 2005 #
http://gizmoproject.com/

Comment by kool — December 3, 2005 #
haha, skype for linux is a fucking joke. get us alsa before anything else. i mean, you cant even do smileys with a button in the linux version. whats up with that. that just shows how commited they are to platforms other than windows.

Comment by joolz — December 3, 2005 #
I agree with last posts. Skype is only a half-assed attempt on Linux. For many reasons:
* need to use skype_dsp_hijacker coz skype don’t work with alsa nicely
http://juljas.net/linux/skype/
* uses a sound format (iLBC) for voice mails that is not easily exported to mainstream formats
http://www.ilbcfreeware.org/
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3951.txt
* not ported to Familiar Linux so you have to use WinCE
* clunky and ugly on Linux

I don’t have a problem with running closed source apps on Linux. If it does what I want, I’ll pay money for it. Until Skype for Linux stops sucking ass, I will continue looking for alternatives - free or non-free.

Comment by suckerass — December 6, 2005 #
I would love to use this product if it does what is promises.
Right now it has soms hick ups on Linux/Windows calls.
I think ALSA support is essential.
Implementing Video conferencing for Linux and Mac too, could very well make Skype very popular, grabbing great market share from msn!
I would love to see that.

Opensourcing it could very well give development a boost vor Symbian and other platform.
Why not keep control of projects by placing Skype people there and focus on commercial income from services and support?

Anyway, I know for sure when no good Symbian or Linux/Mac version will be produced, some opensource VOIP product might take marketshare in time.

Comment by Vincent — March 30, 2006 #
Skype for Linux is terribly horrible! It’s so so incredibly ugly, i wouldn’t be able to do such horrible application even if i tried!. Windows’ is fine, “of course”… I can live with the fact that I would use MSN at Linux for video chats, since most features are missing at Linux… ye, don’t even mention to me the deprecated OSS use T_T!! but oh my, look how it ruins my interfase:

http://img402.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshotzt6.png

this is why i don’t use Skype at Linux, i tell ppl to go on msn (even if i hate M$ =P).

Comment by Tiggie — April 14, 2007 #

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