January 2009

It's been a while since we last checked in to report on our progress with Skype for Linux, and I'm sorry to have kept you in the dark.

Here are some of the things we've been up to:

• We've completely rewritten the audio library, and have spent considerable effort transforming the existing audio code into a form more suitable for Skype. We've also fixed some compatibility issues with Bluetooth headsets.
• We're also making substantial changes to the video library. We're working to make it more stable and compatible with more webcams and X video modes.
• There is work underway to adopt some of the user interface improvements from Skype 4.0 for Windows, like the active conversations tab. We're also considering adding the full-screen default view found in Skype 4.0 for Windows. Of course, this is still under development, but our goal is to create an easier to use interface that requires fewer clicks to accomplish the most common tasks.
• We're also trying to be friendlier to more operating systems, in particular FreeBSD and OpenSolaris. While there is still no support for 64-bit Linux, we hope to add this during 2009.
• We've expanded our Linux team by hiring more skilled Linux/Qt developers, and we have more Linux vacancies to fill during the first few months of this year.

Just to reassure you - Skype for Linux is definitely not dead. Stay tuned for more developments