# Skype



## hrenznaet (Jun 2, 2018)

How to make 'skype for linux' work on FreeBSD?
There are 3 ports related to skype: net-im/skype4, net-im/skype and net-im/skype-devel.
The last 2 are dated 2016.11.03 (so, definitely outdated), while the first one is dated 2018.02.24.
So I tried the first one: it did install and start just fine, but it crashes upon login.

It seems to depend on linux-c6, maybe it will behave differently with linux-c7?


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## cpm@ (Jun 3, 2018)

The problem is that we have outdated versions of Skype in the ports tree. Note that Skype 4.3 reached its end-of-life in 2017.

For further details, read: https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-emulation/2018-March/015928.html


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## drhowarddrfine (Jun 3, 2018)

From what I read, even Windows users are fed up with Skype and Microsoft has ruined it like most things they touch.


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## cpm@ (Jun 3, 2018)

drhowarddrfine said:


> From what I read, even Windows users are fed up with Skype and Microsoft has ruined it like most things they touch.



drhowarddrfine: definitely yes, Skype was a huge pain long before the Microsoft takeover. Furthermore, Skype on the Mac is also terrible.

Anyway, Skype 4.3 was deprecated for reasons largely related to the transition to a new and modernized Skype server infrastructure and perhaps the _webification_ of Skype.


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## hrenznaet (Jun 3, 2018)

I don't need exactly skype4, I just need any Skype with working group calls.
Skype on Linux works quite good except for eating RAM like there's no tomorrow.

I've tried to run Skype using linuxulator, but it doesn't even start.
Did anyone manage to make it work?
If yes - please, share how you did it in detailed steps.


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## abishai (Jun 3, 2018)

There is no way to use old skype as it's disabled from MS side. FOSS versions (pidgin plugin) are limited to text.
What about web version?


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## Gray Jack (Jun 3, 2018)

hrenznaet said:


> I've tried to run Skype using linuxulator, but it doesn't even start.


I pretty sure that the Skype4Linux is a Electron app, that mean that you have to have electron installed.

I'm never used electron based apps on *BSD. I even try to avoid it on Linux OSes where it easily works.

You probably have to do some shenanigans to make it work under the linux compatibility layer.


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## hrenznaet (Jun 3, 2018)

abishai said:


> There is no way to use old skype as it's disabled from MS side. FOSS versions (pidgin plugin) are limited to text.
> What about web version?


You don't read carefully.



Gray Jack said:


> Skype4Linux is a Electron app, that mean that you have to have electron installed.
> .. You probably have to do some shenanigans to make it work under the linux compatibility layer.


That's what I've asked in OP.


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## abishai (Jun 4, 2018)

There are no linux electron apps in OP, these are opdated 4.3. All of them are broken.


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## PacketMan (Jun 6, 2018)

hrenznaet said:


> Skype on Linux works quite good except for ......



For me the exception is the audio - since I used the new version the audio is unusable. I fooled around with it a bit, but I ended up using Facebook video because that was easy for my mom to figure out.

I'd love to see a SIP based video conferencing platform for FreeBSD, using that funky bittorrent technology the folks at Bittorrent are developing.


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## hrenznaet (Jun 23, 2018)

*Case closed.
tl;dr: no, FreeBSD has no fully working (voice chats) version of Skype.*


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## ronaldlees (Jun 24, 2018)

What's the best (inexpensive) alternative to Skype on FreeBSD?


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## hrenznaet (Jun 24, 2018)

ronaldlees said:


> What's the best (inexpensive) alternative to Skype on FreeBSD?


Without details/context, this question makes no sense, because even if there was some Epyks network absolutely identical to Skype - it would not really be an alternative to Skype, because you can contact Skype contacts only from Skype.
If you use Skype just for calls on telephone numbers - you should have said exactly so.


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## ronaldlees (Jun 24, 2018)

hrenznaet said:


> If you use Skype just for calls on telephone numbers - you should have said exactly so.



Right.   That's exactly it.  I haven't owned a cell phone for about ten years, so I use Skype when I need the telly.  Unfortunately, I have to run Linux for it, or use the browser based Skype (which isn't all that bad actually).


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## hrenznaet (Jun 24, 2018)

ronaldlees said:


> Right.   That's exactly it.  I haven't owned a cell phone for about ten years, so I use Skype when I need the telly.  Unfortunately, I have to run Linux for it, or use the browser based Skype (which isn't all that bad actually).


In that case you should google SIP providers that offer best prices for calls in your country (I guess most of your calls are local to your country or probably even city).
Also, AFAIR Whatsapp/Viber also have phone calls.


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## ronaldlees (Jun 24, 2018)

Right again.  Haven't looked into this stuff at all since I've been lazy and running Skype all the time.  Thought there might be some favorites ...


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## hrenznaet (Jun 24, 2018)

I think it's worth asking in a separate thread (but I don't really mind, now that I know there's no hope for having properly working Skype on FreeBSD anyways).


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## Oko (Jun 24, 2018)

Could you please install Skype app on your smart phone and drop this useless discussion?


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## Amit Yaron (Mar 26, 2020)

You can use net-im/pidgin-skypeweb if you like, or try to install Skype for Linux RPM (this is a link to the Download page)on /compat/linux if you've installed emulators/linux-c7
Skype4 is outdated, and does not appear in the port tree.


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