The New Skype Alpha.
https://community.skype.com/t5/Linux/Skype-for-Linux-Alpha-and-calling-on-Ch... Just some initial impressions. This is on a Fedora 19 systems (don't ask, long story..). I don't have a Mic on this system, so I haven't made any test calls yet. Packaging: ========== Packages are 64-bit only... we've been asking and asking, and we get it finally, but 32-bit gets nothing. Irony. Single RPM file. A yum install identified no dependencies (so likely all backed in). The old fedora rpms used to actually use the Fedora libraries. The RPM installs a .repo so yum will automatically pull updates. What is arrogant and sneaky is it also installs an AT script which automatically imports the GPG key for that repo. Additionally, and Google Chrome shares this habit, the .repo file isn't in the file-list. So it's being dynamically generated at install time. Logging in: =========== Asks to store the password in A keyring. I can't tell if this the KDE key-ring, or the GNOME key-ring. But the FAQ says GNOME... I'm a KDE user. Gnome Keyring's dialog also stole focus on the keyboard. Not Skype's fault, but annoying. As I don't use this feature, I clicked cancel and the login continued. But it asks every time you login. https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34656/more-information-about-skype-for-li... Settings: ========= Going into settings, I see 6 options. 4 for showing content in messaging, and 2 drop-downs under privacy. In the old skype, you could control audio inputs and outputs, and had a quick launch button for a test call. All of that seem to just not be there. I find this irksome as there are a lot of fake 'skype call testing service' accounts. And I don't want to play in that mine field. Yes. This is defiantly and Alpha. -- Scott Sullivan
On July 13, 2016 12:09:30 PM EDT, Scott Sullivan via talk <talk@gtalug.org> wrote:
https://community.skype.com/t5/Linux/Skype-for-Linux-Alpha-and-calling-on-Ch...
Just some initial impressions.
I just opened the debug menu.... Ctrl-Shift-Alt-D I knew Skype was moving to WebRTC.... but this Alpha client literally is an application specific web-browser. I'm am fascinated and horrified. (And android/iOS devs are snickering at me for being behind the times.) -- Scott Sullivan
On 07/13/2016 12:09 PM, Scott Sullivan via talk wrote:
https://community.skype.com/t5/Linux/Skype-for-Linux-Alpha-and-calling-on-Ch...
Just some initial impressions.
This is on a Fedora 19 systems (don't ask, long story..). I don't have a Mic on this system, so I haven't made any test calls yet.
Packaging: ==========
Packages are 64-bit only... we've been asking and asking, and we get it finally, but 32-bit gets nothing. Irony.
Single RPM file. A yum install identified no dependencies (so likely all backed in). The old fedora rpms used to actually use the Fedora libraries.
The RPM installs a .repo so yum will automatically pull updates. What is arrogant and sneaky is it also installs an AT script which automatically imports the GPG key for that repo.
Additionally, and Google Chrome shares this habit, the .repo file isn't in the file-list. So it's being dynamically generated at install time.
Logging in: ===========
Asks to store the password in A keyring. I can't tell if this the KDE key-ring, or the GNOME key-ring. But the FAQ says GNOME... I'm a KDE user. Gnome Keyring's dialog also stole focus on the keyboard. Not Skype's fault, but annoying.
As I don't use this feature, I clicked cancel and the login continued. But it asks every time you login.
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34656/more-information-about-skype-for-li...
Settings: =========
Going into settings, I see 6 options. 4 for showing content in messaging, and 2 drop-downs under privacy.
In the old skype, you could control audio inputs and outputs, and had a quick launch button for a test call. All of that seem to just not be there.
I find this irksome as there are a lot of fake 'skype call testing service' accounts. And I don't want to play in that mine field.
Yes. This is defiantly and Alpha.
I just tried it and I can contact the call testing serviceand it works. I also ran the web.skype.com chrome version and they look to be the same and it will also make a call to the test service. So if your running chrome then you may not need skype-for-linux. -- Alvin Starr || voice: (905)513-7688 Netvel Inc. || Cell: (416)806-0133 alvin@netvel.net ||
On 16-07-13 12:09 PM, Scott Sullivan via talk wrote:
https://community.skype.com/t5/Linux/Skype-for-Linux-Alpha-and-calling-on-Ch...
I just gave it a quick try. First thing I noticed is that several of the group chats I have set up in my Linux version of Skype don't show up. I'm not sure if I can make them appear in Skype For Linux Alpha. One thing that I like is that it has all the emoticons that the Windows version of Skype has. Despite the number of updates that have been released for the Linux version of Skype they have never updated the list of emoticons it recognizes. I feel a little left out when Windows users type something using an emoticon I see only in the form "(someword)". It is about time for a Linux version of Skype that will be more inline with the current Windows version of the program. It will be nice to see how the development progresses. In looking at this new version of Skype I also discovered an open source project called Ghetto Skype at https://github.com/stanfieldr/ghetto-skype -- Cheers! Kevin. http://www.ve3syb.ca/ |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172 | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're | powerful!" #include <disclaimer/favourite> | --Chris Hardwick
On 07/13/2016 12:09 PM, Scott Sullivan via talk wrote:
Packages are 64-bit only... we've been asking and asking, and we get it finally, but 32-bit gets nothing. Irony.
Well, computers are 64 bits these days. I've been running Linux on 64 bits for 10 years now. Some distros are no longer available on 32 b. I just tried the browser version in Chrome and it appears to work OK. It also opens in Firefox, but I haven't tried making a call there. The nice thing about using a browser is we don't need to have any MS software contaminating our systems. One thing you can do with Firefox Hello is send a URL to someone, so they can chat with you. I haven't seen that available in Skype Web.
On 13/07/16 09:39 PM, James Knott via talk wrote:
On 07/13/2016 12:09 PM, Scott Sullivan via talk wrote:
Packages are 64-bit only... we've been asking and asking, and we get it finally, but 32-bit gets nothing. Irony. Well, computers are 64 bits these days. I've been running Linux on 64 bits for 10 years now. Some distros are no longer available on 32 b.
I just tried the browser version in Chrome and it appears to work OK. It also opens in Firefox, but I haven't tried making a call there. The nice thing about using a browser is we don't need to have any MS software contaminating our systems.
One thing you can do with Firefox Hello is send a URL to someone, so they can chat with you. I haven't seen that available in Skype Web.
You can do that in Skype, too. I use the Skype web client in Fedora because the team I'm working with somehow decided that it was an acceptable form of instant messaging and group calling. We have since given up on using Skype for group calls due to the highly variable call quality and use Google Hangouts, which is fine most of the time. The odd time when the call quality isn't great with GH, we jump over to Skype. For instant messaging, it's total crap. Pasting code snippets is an exercise in futility because none of the indenting will be preserved. The web client has lots of issues, the latest being that if I answer a call on my phone, the web client will continue ringing and there will be no way to stop it other than quitting the web client and starting it again. -- Regards, Clifford Ilkay + 1 647-778-8696
On 07/13/2016 09:51 PM, CLIFFORD ILKAY via talk wrote:
One thing you can do with Firefox Hello is send a URL to someone, so they can chat with you. I haven't seen that available in Skype Web.
You can do that in Skype, too.
OK, I found that. However, it appears to work only in Chrome. Hello works in Firefox, but Chrome can connect to the link also, IIRC. I also have Hangouts, which works in both Firefox & Chrome.
On 07/13/2016 09:39 PM, James Knott wrote:
On 07/13/2016 12:09 PM, Scott Sullivan via talk wrote:
Packages are 64-bit only... we've been asking and asking, and we get it finally, but 32-bit gets nothing. Irony. Well, computers are 64 bits these days. I've been running Linux on 64 bits for 10 years now. Some distros are no longer available on 32 b.
I just tried the browser version in Chrome and it appears to work OK. It also opens in Firefox, but I haven't tried making a call there. The nice thing about using a browser is we don't need to have any MS software contaminating our systems.
One thing you can do with Firefox Hello is send a URL to someone, so they can chat with you. I haven't seen that available in Skype Web.
I've just noticed that Firefox has broken Hello. It's now a web page sharing service. While there is still a video chat link, it's been reduced to a tiny area of the screen, with whatever web page you were on taking up most of the frame. I've been using browsers for over 20 years and even when providing computer support, I've never had the need or desire to share a web page. I don't have a problem with this web page sharing "feature", provided it's optional. Give the user a choice of sharing a page or just have a video chat. As it is, Hello is now pretty much useless.
On 07/14/2016 08:33 PM, James Knott via talk wrote:
On 07/13/2016 09:39 PM, James Knott wrote:
On 07/13/2016 12:09 PM, Scott Sullivan via talk wrote:
Packages are 64-bit only... we've been asking and asking, and we get it finally, but 32-bit gets nothing. Irony. Well, computers are 64 bits these days. I've been running Linux on 64 bits for 10 years now. Some distros are no longer available on 32 b.
I just tried the browser version in Chrome and it appears to work OK. It also opens in Firefox, but I haven't tried making a call there. The nice thing about using a browser is we don't need to have any MS software contaminating our systems.
One thing you can do with Firefox Hello is send a URL to someone, so they can chat with you. I haven't seen that available in Skype Web.
I've just noticed that Firefox has broken Hello. It's now a web page sharing service. While there is still a video chat link, it's been reduced to a tiny area of the screen, with whatever web page you were on taking up most of the frame. I've been using browsers for over 20 years and even when providing computer support, I've never had the need or desire to share a web page. I don't have a problem with this web page sharing "feature", provided it's optional. Give the user a choice of sharing a page or just have a video chat. As it is, Hello is now pretty much useless.
At least you can still send a link from Hangouts.
participants (6)
-
Alvin Starr -
CLIFFORD ILKAY -
James Knott -
Kevin Cozens -
Scott Sullivan -
scott＠ss.org