Was released today (in Beta). Thanks to all those involved for all their hard work on this release.

More information on our Linux Blog

http://share.skype.com/sites/linux

http://share.skype.com/sites/linux/2006/06.../open_beta.html



CHANGELOG

# eature: ALSA support (Linux kernel component intended to replace the original Open Sound System)
# feature: Alsa/OSS switch in Tools > Options >Sound devices
# feature: Multichat: new message indication in chat window title
# feature: Options: New sounds dialog
# feature: Getting Started Wizard
# feature: Options: Checkbox settings for animated emoticons
# feature: Profile: Enable mood messages in profile editor and profile viewer
# feature: Easier to add new contacts from calls and chats
# feature: Options: add mailer program configuration near browser program configuration for mailto: links
# change: Updated emoticons, including country flags (football rocks)
# change: Updated sounds (now same on all platforms)
# change: Options: removed call/chat alerts tabs
# change: Profile: Increase Homepage field length in Profile editor to 100 chars.
# change: Profile: About me max length = 200 characters
# change: Removed “Log in as new user”
# change: Removed useless call menu from toolbar
# change: Restored user availability on startup
# change: Toolbar configure icon is removed (can be found from Tools menu)
# change: Topic: removed pop up window
# bugfix: Updated some of the icons in the client
# bugfix: UI hangs if data files are not readable
# bugfix: Login: Skype crashed when signed out
# bugfix: Login: Skype crashes, if user Signs Out during the call
# bugfix: Login: password and username can be the same
# bugfix: Find: reflect chat updates while search is in progress - work around it by disabling search while history is expanding
# bugfix: Find: if you search “+”, it is not selected
# bugfix: Multichat: topic break the line
# bugfix: Multichat: skype crashes, if it starts to sync old chats
# bugfix: Multichat: skype no longer crashes when history is expanded.
# bugfix: Multichat: the color of system messages changes to gray
# bugfix: Multichat: date and time is too small, if you send several messages
# bugfix: Multichat: emoticons should have tooltips
# bugfix: Multichat: crash on chat window opening or incoming chat message
# bugfix: use different colors for text headers (default style)
# bugfix: Event Panel: missed events (calls, voicemails) are wrapped
# bugfix: Event Panel: reduntant empty chat on event panel
# bugfix: Event Panel: missed event is shown too early
# bugfix: Event Panel: The word “Chats” remains open
# bugfix: Event Panel: New chat event does not go away, even when you're chating with this person
# bugfix: Event Panel: phantom events in UI
# bugfix: Send Contacts: Linux UI should filter out my own contact name
# bugfix: Voicemail: Can't send VM from Call List
# bugfix: Voicemail: Disable “Send Voicemail” menu item when offline
# bugfix: Unauthorized user is shown as offline user (user roster)
# bugfix: No ringtone, if you receive callme call from echo123
# bugfix: trayalert doesn't work properly, if pop up and trayalert are enabled
# bugfix: Missing field in Profile viewer - Age
# bugfix: Information message id displayed if, sound file is bigger than 1 MB
# bugfix: Notifications should be checked by default
# bugfix: Reduntant sound when call is rejected
# bugfix: when in DND do not pop up chat even if Pop up chat is enabled. Also, do not pop up authorization requests in this case
# bugfix: 'Ring PC speaker' doesn't work
# bugfix: Single or Double click in system tray invokes main window
# bugfix: Skype crashes while host hangs up conference call
# bugfix: Call Tab is not closed, if you go offline mode
# bugfix: UI asks authorization for adding PSTN contacts

Download from here

- Ryan.

Finally!
But wait, where's the support for video?

cool...works great...thanks... :mrgreen:
oh...when will there be support for video on skype for linux??? :mrgreen:

Congratulations .

But, I have to be a nag a little bit, you have to do much better in the future. A release every ninth month isn't good enough. But, oh well, I'm really looking forward to Skype with ALSA now.

Thank Youuuu!!!! Finaly!!!

Great! It just works on my Ubuntu 6.06

Hi!
I have downloaded the new beta for linux and already found 2 bugs:
1) It's impossible to set a new ringtone (like the one bought online) to new beta - skype freezes
2) when skype voice system is set up to ALSA, the Ring is set up to IDe CH6 and in voice it recognized my logitech USB headset - everything works fine but the someone calls me, the ringtone still goes through my headset. Amazingly, when I switch voice settings to IDE CH6, ringtone is played through my laptop speakers but obviously the headset doesn't work.

I don't know how much it will help since I'm a beginner linux user:
Hardware: Toshiba Satellite M60-161
Linux: Suse 10.1

Keller

Same problem for us: Skype does not ring when using a USB headset. Only the headset rings, but you can not hear it unless you wear it all the time. A phone that doesn't ring is somehow useless.

Great day, great work after a long time of patience.
But this time was not wasted time, specially for Alsa support !
Now I can phone while listening to webradio and watching films !

But why this new version is not available on Debian repository ?

I had to download and install it manually but it works. Just what I want.

Thanks for all your feedback already shown on the first day. Keep it coming. That's what we need this public beta for.

Will look into this.

This is a known issue of the current beta. Will be dealt with.

after so much waiting... thankx!!!!!!!!!

i found a bug using Fedora Core 5.

i can hear everything with great quality, but noone can hear me. using the skype test it is the same. i can't record sound. the mic is working, i havn't found an option to enable this in skype. :roll:

thank you very much for your help


babouyes

Run alsamixer, then go to [Capture] section (Tab key) and check Capture device volume level (not Microphone but Capture). Earlier Skype version with OSS system worked even when this slider was down, but now Skype uses ALSA and you need to set correctly also this device volume.

PS. You should also use Spacebar key to activate Capture device recording!!! (as 'danone' mention later in this thread)

Hi, thank you for your reply



my capture in alsamixer was completly down. i put it to 100%, but the problem remains, i can hear and noone hears me... and the mic is running.


what can it be?

thank you !!!!!!

babouyes

:shock:

I thought I'd die before that day comes. And I don't drink, nor smoke, nor like to drive fast...

Well, going to download area now.

Hi,

I need to use dmix because my notebook soundcard doesn't support hardware mixing.

It would be great if you added a "default" entry to the ALSA devices since then, dmix would work.

Best regards,
Whoopie

PS: Thanks for the new version!

Hi babouyes,

I had the same problem (non-working recording) here using skype beta.

I had to switch _on_ "CAPTUR" on the capture channel in alsamixer (use space-bar on that channel). I did not need to pull the level up as this is done automagically by skype itself (on demand) - just watch alsamixer while talking on skype...

btw it didn't work using kmix, the capture flag of the capture channel got reset all the time - only alsamixer itself worked!

So now that it works I think quality of sound is much improved. although I only tested it via echo123...

danone

seems to work ok with voipvoice USB phone on Ubuntu Dapper, haven't tried if I still need to restart skype after every call to avoid the soundcard problem error....

Thanks, guys, the .deb installed perfectly on my Xandros 3.02 OCE box, I had to power up the microphone just a tad. Will check it out tonight with a birthday call to my son.

I'd like to get Skype working with my usb-b2k under debian/testing.
Unfortunately it is not possible to use dbus 0.23 under debian/testing, as it collides with the whole gnome environment.
Is there any hope that skype will use the newer dbus library?

Thank you very much for this beta. It works well for me under suse 10.1.

Hi babouyes

look at this thread, could be helpful.

http://forum.skype.com/viewtopic.php?t=57328
http://forum.skype.com/viewtopic.php?t=56318

Check this out first.

Wether it works for me or not (I'm downloading right now) I'll try to thank you profussely Berkus for all the work done on this, and every other developer and helper that gave a hand, to see if I can counter-balance the persons shouting they're mad because it took so long or it lacks video conferencing.

At least we see progress, thanks, thanks a lot.

Hi,

For me on Ubuntu 6.06 DOESN't WORK!!

Again "Problem with the sound device" when I call to echo123.

What the hell could that be. I downloaded it properly and deleted hijacker.


HELP!

Hello, I run it on my Debian Sarge. Thanks for the Debian packages by the way. A problem and a suggestion.

1. Skype does not seem to check if another instance of the program is already running, and tries to start again when you call it the second time. The result is "Skype has experienced a database error. Please make sure your profile files in ~/.Skype are intact and have proper permissions then restart Skype". The reason is obvious: the db files are already in use by another instance of skype. I consider this a bug.

Some lock file inside ~/.Skype would fix it. You could just refuse to start the second instance and show more explanatory error message, or simply make the main window reappear when you call skype and it is already started.

2. Skype uses a trayicon and this cannot be turned off. I know that most linux users use KDE and GNOME, and even most others have some application to work with fd.o tray, but still there are people like me who do not have and do not want to have a tray manager. The actual problem is that when I close the main skype window, the program is not really stopped, but I have no way to see it again. This is how I found the first problem BTW.

A little checkbox "Do not show tray icon" in the General settings, just below "Do not show main window at startup", will make me happy. Of course the program must terminate if I use such setting and close the main window.

Doesn't work at all for me. Everything is fine upon startup: GUI is perfectly drawn, connects to server, login successful, but as soon as I push Call button it simply hangs, apparently on the first attempt to access a sound device, and then can only be killed. Last file it opens before it hangs (confirmed by lsof) is /dev/snd/pcmC1D0p, which looks reasonable, e.g. this is my second sound card's PCM output (it's Logitech USB headset actually). I tried switching between ALSA and OSS sound devices in Skype config but it makes zero difference. Old Skype continues to work flawlessly.

My main soundcard is configured with ALSA OSS emulation (kernel) and KDE uses artsd via ALSA but I think it's irrelevant, since skype uses USB headset which is a separate audio device (both in ALSA and in ALSA OSS emulation layers). USB headset is correctly recognised and labeled with skype Sound Device/ALSA config option as Logitech USB Headset. My kernel version is 2.6.16, alsa 1.0.11.

What else can I do to debug the problem?

Thanks a lot for the new version of Skype, it really works great for a beta!

Here is a bug I found: Still cannot set the ringing-device in the options. It's grayed out and always set to my first sound card. (I have to cards)


Regards!


Georg

My skype is set to ALSA and alsa seems to be adjusted properley (capture etc.).

What could be the reason for the "Problem with the sound device then?"

HELP!

Thanks
M

do you have a clean install of ubuntu 6.06 or an upgrade from 5.10? -- i found out that when you had configured your 5.10's sound system as instructed in ubuntu forums and skype forums, then alsa-skype would fail. i have a cleanly installed ubuntu 6.06 and skype 1.3.0.30 just works. also: make sure that you use ALSA not OSS in skype: tools - options - sound devices.

I just added a feature request for this and to disable the tray icon to the BTS. Let's hope that there is time to get this implemented for final release.

Philipp

which distro you're running on? i have sometimes experienced a similar "almost-hangup" but when i wait for about a minute then skype continues normally. i try to pin down the issue and file a bug for the internal developers.

Thanks a lot, Philipp. Where's this BTS? Can you post a link to the feature request?

Hi,

Thanks for replying

I have clean, new Ubutu 6.06 version, not an upgrade from 5.10.
(skype is set to ALSA not OSS too)

I was using hijacker before and reconfigure alsa somehow (enables sound mixing). I hope this would not be a problem?

(My last skype 1.2.0.18 was installed with Easy Ubuntu.)

I will try to reinstall the whole Ubuntu 6.06 again - but I wouldn't like to do it all the time when some miinor thing is not working...

Please do let me know of any other advices. BTW how is it working for those guys using hijacker before?

:wink:

Thanks.

Matjaz

It's an internal bugtracking system only accessible for developers and betatesters having signed an NDA.

I tried manually change settings of mixer but this didn't helped. But I have noticed strange behaviour of Skype with ALSA. After switching Mic Boost, I got about 3 seconds of broken recording using Test Call Service. I have VIA 8237 audio driver selected when using ALSA. Something is definitely broken with that driver or Skype ALSA handler.

There seems to be a scratching sound from the speakers when a playing sound (for eg. chat message sound) ends. Is this common :?:

After all the sound problems with the last Skype for linux:

I switched to Gizmo Project which has as good of quality sound and I was able to connect a PAP2-NA Phone adaper (purchased on ebay) which means the phone is not part of the computer. Gizmo charges $0.01 per minute and Skype is giving calls away now. Gizmo also has a user interface, when using on the PC that is similar to Skype.

The fact that the Gizmo phone "Just Works" is a real advantage for this UBUNTU user. It installed easily and on top of that any unlocked phone adapter can be used to connect it to a regular phone with or without the PC.

Skype needs to keep these updates coming, especially for the paying customers.

I'd also like to see the X11 API soon so I can get my Uniden Phone dialing (from the phone) again.

I'll install this new Skype for linux and see how it works, but Skype let me down by seeming to be not concerned with the Linux Community for over 9 months,

By viewing the above posts I see that there are still a few little bugs. A real indicator of how dedicated Skype is to the Linux Community will be just how long it takes to get these fixed and how the Linux updates follow Windows updates.

Thank you for also including a DEB package.

I'd like to see the X11 API example soon. I had my plain ole Uniden Cordless able to dial directly from the phone and would like to put some code together in Linux to do the same.

Please list any Skype phone adapters that work with Linux.

Folks, the X11 API example will be soon available on skype developer zone. I'll post a topic once this happens (aim for end of this week).

Hi danone and spaceman_77

i solved the problem. now it is working really good!!!!!! did you know, that it is cheaper to use skype (for me) than to call via celular (and i don't have other phone)... thats why i'm soooooo hapy abbout that!!!!!

Windows users already have call forwarding. This would be very useful to Linux users too.

Will this be in the next version?

Skype does work well with Ubuntu Dapper 6.06.

Very easy install.

Downloaded

Right-Click and chose to open with GDebi Package Installer.

A couple of minutes later:

Skype works ---- EVEN THE SOUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO EXTRA SETUP

NO HACKING

It just worked.

Thank you Skype.

Now please give us the same features as windows users.


Thanks again.

This is really great to finally have (even after so much asking)
thanks so much for all the hard work.

did you hear that nokia is working with gizmo on a client for thier linux based cell/mobile phones? and with fedora 5 on how ever many $100 computers and linux preinstalled on PS3s it looks like there's a new undeniability about the economic case for linux support.
maybe...

thanks again

Fedora Core 5
1) kernel 2.6.16-1.2111_FC5smp
2) 2.5 Gig RAM
3) Intel Pentium 4 3.00Ghz

Are there any specfic library versions I need to check for?

It works with the alsa driver, but unfortunately gives choppy inbound and outbound sound when tested with echo123. I have modified all the alsa mixer settings, and they make zero difference.

This configuration was working with 1.2.0.18 with appropriate patches, but had the problem of failing to work after half a dozen calls.

Cod

Many thanks for releasing this beta. It seems to work flawlessly on SUSE 10.1 for me.
Previously I had installed skype_dsp_hijacker-0.7 to resolve the frustration of Skype needing to be restarted after every call so that the sound would work. The hijacker program worked for me and I had no complaints. Now I no longer need to use hijacker.

When installing the beta I got the following message:
# rpm -U skype-beta-1.3.0.30-suse.i586.rpm
warning: skype-beta-1.3.0.30-suse.i586.rpm: Header V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID d66b746e

Which I am sure the developers know about. In addition I found I must use the -U option and not YAST or the new mechanism for installing stuff as that failed.

I think Linux users asking for video on Skype would be well advised to direct a lot fo their energies to getting Linux to support more than the very limited WEB CAMS now supported on Linux. For me, I don't care much about the video side although I have two WEB cams.

Awesome ..... the FC4 RPM works fine 4r Me....

specs:

FC 5
Kernel 2.6.17-1.2139_FC5
Kde 3.5.3

u guyz have done a good job... keep it up nd do release an RPM pacakge for FC5 as well... (though RPM for FC4 is working just fine for me:P)

ok, mentioning couple of bugs...

In call list 'delete' key doesn't work to delete an individual call as it works in skype for windows.

Similary if u write down a name/number in the skype provided box(text box) and press enter key nothing happens. In windows skype pressing enter after writing down something initiates a call to corresponding name/member.

looking for other bugs tooo... will report them if found....

I have exactly the same problem!!!

I cannot make a call, skype hangs until i kill it.

I tried the static version, and with this version I get no freeze.

Can anyone help?


I use gentoo with 2.6.16


Greets from Italy
Rogger

This means that skype package is NOT signed by your OS distributor.

Bests.

Hi all,

I use Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake) and had "Problem with the sound device" as soon as little ringing came out when making a call.

I used hijacker and reconfiguration of alsa on previous version of skype.

To make this one work you have to disable/ delete the /etc/asound.conf file.

This can be done by typing in terminal:
mv /etc/asound.conf /etc/asound.conf_backup

and then rebooting the computer.

Command was posted on Ubuntu forums. See:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php...965#post1195965

This works only in case you reconfigured alsa in previous version of skype (probably together with the hijacker).

Hope this helps.

M

My system is ALTLinux Sisyphus (unstable branch), see www.altlinux.com. I understand this one is not on the top 10 list but as I told you before all previous versions of Skype used to work without a hitch (and 1.2.0.18 still does). I tried waiting for 5 minutes for Skype 1.3 to connect but nothing happens, it just sits here saying "Connecting...". I suspect something very basic in sound support is not working but I have no clue what it might be. I checked my sound configuration both in ALSA and ALSA/OSS again and it works both ways -- I can both play and record via mu USB headset with both ALSA and OSS tools (and of course it works with my main sound card too) but Skype does not work at all, neither with USB headset nor with my sound card. Since it is beta code it should have some debugging facilities, right? How can I use them? I'll try strace, would you like to see it?

I tried static version and for me it does not change anything, except for much uglier looking GUI -- it still hangs dead upon an attempt to connect.