I would like to have a dedicated VoIP box at my workplace and I don't plan on having a monitor/keyboard/mouse, so I would like to run Skype without the X-window system. I only need the Skype API.

To be specific, I plan on having a box that links Skype to a cordless phone. I would use SkypeIn for receiving calls, and I would forward outgoing calls to my home computer and use my current VoIP line that has unlimited calling anywhere in the US.

The current solutions with the Skype headset won't work as it is a 133mhz box and running Skype for Windows plus the drivers would overload the system. The Linux console would be the perfect solution.

My other solution would be to use Vonage, but that's not as elite and it costs a lot extra.

So in the future, the Skype Devs should make a headless version of Skype. It's awesome so far.

I join this request ! I could run skype on my combined "jukebox-p2p"-server at home which is up 24/7. SkypeIn would make sense then.

Add-on: I used Lingo for 4 weeks. Cancelled it because of its poor quality when calling to Europe (SkypeOut is better !!). Bought a Vonage-enabled router ... spent two days on the phone talking to the guys from Vonage tech-suppprt ... did not work ... returned router

SkypeIn would be really cool when up 24/7.

quax

Just a question - is there a null X driver? Like it lets X apps run but pipes everything to /dev/null

vnc(server) allows you to run x-applications on a box without X.
also you can grab the virtual screen from another computer if you need it.

but i'd also like to have a command-line skype

This doesn't really solve the problem, the virual X will not reduce that much the volume of resources to be installed...

Yeah, but I'd rather not have X. A null driver would still be better since it doesn't have to write to the video card. But yeah, it doesn't solve the problem.

I agree with this request. I just prefer not to use a gui.

Same here. I would also need Skype without X.

Hi All,

Sorry for the necro-post but I too have been thinking of ways to run skype for linux 'headless'. It may be possible to use the X virtual frame buffer (package name is usually Xvfb) and a lightweight window manager such as twm to run skype in such a manner. One problem I could see arrising is how to tell skype what plugins are allowed to access it (You may need a monitor/remote x session to initially allow any plugins access).

I have also heard of a linux version of the SkypeMate software, which seems to be used by a number of manufacturers to interface their USB phones to skype. I personnally don't like the idea of being limited to using 'speed dials' to dial non-SkypeOut contacts. It would be nice to see skype contacts listed on the phone's usb screen. This wouldn't be possible for phones connected via ATAs (analog telephone adapters), but maybe there are other ideas.

Im looking into the Skype API for linux in an effort to see how hard it is to contruct something a bit more usable than what is currently on offer. Something like a cut-down linux distro running on a mini-ITX mobo or perhaps a coldfire micro with headless skype, and an interface to a normal telephone via a SLIC (subscriber line interface card, eg, http://www.silvertel.com/ringing_slics.htm) would be nice. For the moment though I will see how hard it is to get it working with something pre-manufactured and my existing linux 24/7 server. We can't be too adventerous.