Four Skypes in one box

I thought of this question one day. "We have these four versions of Skype. For [Windows](http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/), [Mac OS X](http://www.skype.com/download/skype/macosx/), [Linux](http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/), and [Windows Mobile](http://www.skype.com/download/skype/mobile/). Can you run all of them _in one computer_ and have them talk to each other?"

Turns out you can, and it's not so hard these days. As computers get more powerful, we see the virtualization technology get more popular, where you can run one operating system _inside another operating system_. On Mac OS X, the [Parallels](http://www.parallels.com/en/download/desktop/) product is a popular way of doing this, and it's easy to install and get going with.

So I just created myself two virtual machines, one for Windows and one for Linux. And inside the Windows "machine", I created _another_ machine using the [Microsoft Device Emulator](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C62D54A5-183A-4A1E-A7E2-CC500ED1F19A&displaylang=en). You can use this MS emulator to run virtual Pocket PC or Smartphone devices inside Windows, and also install applications such as Skype on them.

So here's what it looked like. Click on the picture to see the annotated version and then you can also access the full-size version.

I had some trouble getting the Windows Mobile version talk to the others, and it didn't start working until I used a different Skype Name from the mobile thing. I have also tried voice -- not having the both call parties on the same computer, but just calling out from different versions. All of them work fine except the Windows Mobile version that needs to deal with double-emulated processor and there doesn't seem to be enough processing power for this.

Anyone up for getting more than four Skypes on the same picture? Let me know when you do that maybe trying with different Skype cordless/wifi phones or other gadgets.

Comments

That's cool and nerdy

Would I need to use a different account for every skype login?
(I have a means to open the OS X skype once per every localized language ...)

uninorth13 - no, you don't need different accounts, you can use the same account to sign in from multiple locations at the same time.

Now look at how horrible the Linux version is. As a Skype user on Linux, I believe it'd be better if you updated the software to work just like it does on all other platforms. Mac OS X lags a little from Windows, but the Linux version lags terribly.

I do hope this is addressed *soon*.

What version of Skype for Windows Mobile did you use for the test?

Hi Jaanus,

I wanted to try to break that record, forcing multiple copies of Skype for Mac OS X to open - one per each localized language. When I try that with the proper tools, I get the error message saying that skype is already running on the same platform ... so I will need to fake that each are running on a different system.
Maybe I try a combination slightly like yours, + add Remote Desktop or VNC connection to another Mac or PC in which I run 3-4 more skypes next to my main workstation ...

Dear Jaanus.

We have a problem, and we know it´s not your buissenes. But we really hope you can help us.

HELP!!! How can we get in contact with SKYPE. We have yoused SKYPE for very long time. BUT - - now we have payed 11 Eu. in our Bank, - - and nothing happend on our skype-acount.There we still have only 0,11 Eu the last 10 days. An for 3 days ago, we order for new 11 Eu - soon these money also will be drawn from our bank-acount.

We don´t know how to inform SKYPE, - and then we saw your name on the “four skypes in one box” side and hope you are able to help us.

My SKYPE-name is gurli.hyttel.helsinghof.

Many regards, from Verner and Gurli Helsinghof

moaar@webspeed.dk

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