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"Microsoft has just released a new version of Skype for Linux, once again addressing many of the reported bugs, but also introducing some new features that certainly come in handy to those on the platform."
According to the official changelog, which you can read in the box at the end of the article, Skype 1.7 for Linux is still part of the alpha development stage, but it includes several important improvements, such as fixes for the reconnection of the app that occurred every once in a while when it was suspended for a longer time.
There were plenty of users who complained that Skype for Linux was reconnecting automatically when not using the app for a certain amount of time and Microsoft has already acknowledged the bug. This new version fixes the problem, so everything should work correctly after updating.
Additionally, Skype for Linux 1.7 introduces a new grid layout of the group calls, but also fixes the standard behavior of unread messages. According to Microsoft, this means that "when opening chat with unread messages, the view will focus on the first unread message and as you scroll, messages will be marked as read."
http://www.softpedia.com/blog/microsoft-officially-releases-skype-1-7-for-linux-508199.shtml
(Score: 2) by Appalbarry on Monday September 12 2016, @08:52PM
Yeesh. A download link [skype.com] would have been nice.
For those who care,
a) It installed easily on my Mint box
b) As far as I can tell it's audio only, not video
c) The actual UI looks like about 1998
d) There was some confusion because I tried to sign in using my email address (which works if you sign as a Microsoft account holder) rather than my Skype ID, which apparently I do not have even though I had set up a brand new Skype log-in mere minutes earlier.
Aside from all of that, if Skype works in your browser why would you bother?
(Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Monday September 12 2016, @09:08PM
Sometimes, a fat client actually has features that work, and works independently of the browser installed. I could use something that has javascript disabled, for example, and it might still function.
I would rather have a client installed to launch when I need it, than some plug in running constantly in the background.
Of course, Lync (on Windows) is an ugly client to behold as it is, but I like that it is not directly browser dependent. I never saw the Skype metro look but heard it was worse than any other iteration of it.
People were pleased when it would only take 3/4s of the screen and allowed them to, for example, use twitter in the remaining 25%.
I can't imagine how anyone works when an IM client takes 3/4th of the screen. Time to install pidgen or trillian or something in that case..
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Tuesday September 13 2016, @03:58PM
c) The actual UI looks like about 1998
Considering what modern UIs look like, this is a big plus.
I wish we could just go back to UIs from ~2003 and stay there.