Skype version 2.8 was great: Multiple windows of open chats that could me manually sorted, e.g. one for business, one for family, one for friends, one for temporary contacts, with people sorted by a mixture of importance, frequency of communication, etc.
Now there's only one window and everyone is alphabetically ordered. Too easy to send a business contact an "I love you" or a family member a "I never want to see you again"...
In short, with the GUI changes that came about when they assimilated the Mac version to the Windows version and synced the version numbers (skipping several major version numbers in the process going from 2.8 to 5.x directly), Skype morphed from something truly useful to something with the utility roughly corresponding to an old rotary phone. Pity, because Skype is pretty good getting through firewalls and was good for privacy until M$ pretty much sabotaged the P2P nature of Skype.
iMessage still doesn't properly sync dialog history among devices, nor does it integrate well with FaceTime, nor are they standardized and available on other platforms.
WhatsApp isn't working on iPad or desktop, Viber can't handle multiple phones, doesn't sync history etc.
In other words, with the demise of Skype, we officially have a friggin' mess.
All of my friends and family have Apple products. Choose your friends wisely.
There's this new thing you may not have heard of called "work", where you have to deal with all sorts of people from all over the place, with all kinds of technology.
OH don't get me wrong, they are still quite usable... i use my 2004 iBook a fair bit but its sad its becoming less and less viable with software support dropping.
I agree, and it's a shame that functionality is being removed, as these older, less expensive machines are still very useful to a good number of folks. As I understand it, this isn't just a case of not being able to use the newest version of Skype, it's that even previously useful versions are locked out of the servers and no longer work. And when their solution is "upgrade your hardware" it sounds almost like a conspiracy of forced-obsolescence.
All of my friends and family have Apple products. Choose your friends wisely.
That's fine and dandy. However, some of us actually have jobs that require us to communicate effectively with people across the globe.
Let's face it, Windows still is the de facto standard for enterprise deployed computers, thus FaceTime isn't an all-encompassing solution. Skype is -- as pointed out earlier -- the lowest common denominator.
Now if Mommy, Daddy and your pals in your D&D club are all Apple users, that's great. The world is a much larger place than your own little hermetically-sealed bubble though.
Frankly, I don't choose my friends based on what car they drive, what cellphone they carry, etc.
It's a multi-platform telecommunications service that -- unlike FaceTime -- covers a wide range of system configurations and devices.
So it’s redundant, then.
In a way, it's the voice equivalent of e-mail.
Hopelessly outdated, using an architecture from the very beginning of the Internet, and superseded by far more capable, modern standards?
Sounds about right, actually.
Now if you have never left your province and you only communicate to Mum, Dad, your siblings, a few mates, and your boss at the fast food hamburger stand maybe you will not need Skype.
Aww, that’s cute. The Microsoft employee thinks that by insulting potential customers he can get a larger user base.
Originally Posted by oldmacs
Its a shame that using a PPC Mac is less and less viable. I mean it was bound to happen and when you think about it, the last PPC Mac was released in 2006 which is now 8 years ago.
I use Skype daily to make actual telephone calls to international contacts. It is quite inexpensive compared to making a regular call. It is also quite handy to set up a local phone # here in the States so my US clients and friends can contact me toll free when I'm out of the country.
All of my friends and family have Apple products. Choose your friends wisely.
There's this new thing you may not have heard of called "work", where you have to deal with all sorts of people from all over the place, with all kinds of technology.
I sure hope they continue 10.6.8 support. For reasons of our Mac not handling a later MacOS, plus need for PPC App support; we can't upgrade to a later MacOS X version now.
Hello, I appreciate your attempt at allowing old OS X versions to use Skype. Though the link you have posted above is not working. The link simply allows me to download the new version which does not work. This is incredibly frustrating! Could you please clarify how to download the 6.15. version. Thankyou
If you have a contact running Mac OS10.4 or 10.5 you can not use skype to communicate with them. They are forced into either dropping Skype and using an alternative or upgrading their hardware and they may not be in a position to do that. It IS technically possible for Skype to make updates that work for all or produce a plugin - but will they?
Skype could easily produce a plugin which users of old versions could download (or even buy if Skype really want it that way) so as to enable persons stuck with older version of skype to work with both latest versions and older.
Steve Balmer has stated that Microsoft will continue to "invest in Skype on non-Microsoft client platforms". It looks like they are not keeping their promise. Doing this could reduce the number of people moving away from Skype to other popular alternatives.
Comments
Multiple windows of open chats that could me manually sorted, e.g. one for business, one for family, one for friends, one for temporary contacts, with people sorted by a mixture of importance, frequency of communication, etc.
Now there's only one window and everyone is alphabetically ordered. Too easy to send a business contact an "I love you" or a family member a "I never want to see you again"...
In short, with the GUI changes that came about when they assimilated the Mac version to the Windows version and synced the version numbers (skipping several major version numbers in the process going from 2.8 to 5.x directly), Skype morphed from something truly useful to something with the utility roughly corresponding to an old rotary phone. Pity, because Skype is pretty good getting through firewalls and was good for privacy until M$ pretty much sabotaged the P2P nature of Skype.
iMessage still doesn't properly sync dialog history among devices, nor does it integrate well with FaceTime, nor are they standardized and available on other platforms.
WhatsApp isn't working on iPad or desktop, Viber can't handle multiple phones, doesn't sync history etc.
In other words, with the demise of Skype, we officially have a friggin' mess.
If you think that's bad, there's rumour that Chrome OS is about to cease the existence of tabs!
http://www.omgchrome.com/project-athena-unmasked-chrome-os-new-ui/
All of my friends and family have Apple products. Choose your friends wisely.
There's this new thing you may not have heard of called "work", where you have to deal with all sorts of people from all over the place, with all kinds of technology.
OH don't get me wrong, they are still quite usable... i use my 2004 iBook a fair bit but its sad its becoming less and less viable with software support dropping.
I agree, and it's a shame that functionality is being removed, as these older, less expensive machines are still very useful to a good number of folks. As I understand it, this isn't just a case of not being able to use the newest version of Skype, it's that even previously useful versions are locked out of the servers and no longer work. And when their solution is "upgrade your hardware" it sounds almost like a conspiracy of forced-obsolescence.
All of my friends and family have Apple products. Choose your friends wisely.
That's fine and dandy. However, some of us actually have jobs that require us to communicate effectively with people across the globe.
Let's face it, Windows still is the de facto standard for enterprise deployed computers, thus FaceTime isn't an all-encompassing solution. Skype is -- as pointed out earlier -- the lowest common denominator.
Now if Mommy, Daddy and your pals in your D&D club are all Apple users, that's great. The world is a much larger place than your own little hermetically-sealed bubble though.
Frankly, I don't choose my friends based on what car they drive, what cellphone they carry, etc.
Frankly, I don't choose my friends based on what car they drive, what cellphone they carry, etc.
Therein lies your problem. Discrimination has its benefits.
Oh wait, you weren't the one with a problem.... nevermind.
/s.
So it’s redundant, then.
Hopelessly outdated, using an architecture from the very beginning of the Internet, and superseded by far more capable, modern standards?
Sounds about right, actually.
Aww, that’s cute. The Microsoft employee thinks that by insulting potential customers he can get a larger user base.
So… it’s not a shame, then.
I use Skype daily to make actual telephone calls to international contacts. It is quite inexpensive compared to making a regular call. It is also quite handy to set up a local phone # here in the States so my US clients and friends can contact me toll free when I'm out of the country.
So… it’s not a shame, then.
Well yes it is a shame.
Ahhh great, that explains that bloody phone call I got yesterday from a customer.
To be honest her machine is a mess and it really should be running Mavericks. :-)
Bloody old people not listening to what I say and just filling their machine full of duplicates.
Good news!
Hope you enjoy upgrading to iOS 6 in 2020 if your heart can take the excitement.
Choose your colleagues wisely.
Will the 13” iPad run iOS 6? I should hope I’m not waiting 6 more years for that.
For reasons of our Mac not handling a later MacOS, plus need for PPC App support;
we can't upgrade to a later MacOS X version now.
All of my friends and family have Apple products. Choose your friends wisely.
Choose your colleagues wisely.
Apple data centers. Choose your servers wisely.
And in other news, Mac OS 9 is no longer being supported.
But the responses on this site will be different depending on who is dropping support, Apple or someone else.
It IS technically possible for Skype to make updates that work for all or produce a plugin - but will they?
Skype could easily produce a plugin which users of old versions could download (or even buy if Skype really want it that way) so as to enable persons stuck with older version of skype to work with both latest versions and older.
Steve Balmer has stated that Microsoft will continue to "invest in Skype on non-Microsoft client platforms". It looks like they are not keeping their promise.
Doing this could reduce the number of people moving away from Skype to other popular alternatives.