Skype ruined again (rant)

[Magmarock]

This is a bit of a rant but here goes.


So this probably won't be much news to a few, but Microsoft is now forcing people to use ther latest version of Skype.

This new version is utter rubbish, full and adds with many features removed, all of which I might even be able to look past if it wasn't for one thing.

The Windows 8 look. It's nor so much of a big deal on Skype, but one of the reasons I can't use Windows 8 is because it's flat colours hurts my eyes and causes me eyestrain. Windows 7 was really good and Skype was really good even after Microsoft bought it.

What is with Microsoft and pissing people off lately it's like they get off on it or something.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Let's be fair here.

While I don't particularly like Skype as a program, It's aesthetics are hardly a problem, and the ads are at best a minor annoyance.

As for the color scheme... you're eyes must work much differently then mine, as I've never had 'eye strain' from looking at base colors. And lets be honest, how often do you stare longingly into the Skype screen, eyes bleeding in all? It's a Voip program, not a cartoon.

 

[DoPo]

I'd more complain about the absolute memory hog Skype is. On my Windows machine it eventually starts taking up more than a gig of RAM. I doesn't really hinder me as much - I've got a lot left over, but seriously - it's ridiculous. The UI is also on the "annoying" side but whatever - I can live with it since it's only until I open a chat window it's all. I actually prefer the UI on Linux as it has the old more minimalistic thing going on. In fact, the only actual feature I do want there from the new ones is the persistent small window of the other party during a video call. That's about it. Well, and maybe the "Video Call" button as it's brilliant. Then again, the most time I use Skype on Linux is at work and I do it through Pidgin because I prefer that UI...so improvements there wouldn't be a high priority, I guess.

 

[Xeorm]

Never really worried about the design. Companies change their programs all the time anyway, no need to be hung up over one variation.

But yea, Skype's an awful program and a huge resource hog. So very annoying. Hopefully that gets changed.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

But yea, Skype's an awful program and a huge resource hog. So very annoying. Hopefully that gets changed.

Or another free program that does it better gets popular instead.

 

[DoPo]

But yea, Skype's an awful program and a huge resource hog. So very annoying. Hopefully that gets changed.

Or another free program that does it better gets popular instead.

Slightly related - I tried using Hangouts with a few friends[footnote]Most of the reason I use Skype is because we're in a conference chat all day every day. Lessens the boredom at work and outside work it means we don't need to get out phones and text...or just shout as they are also my housemates.[/footnote] but it was actually annoying. It requires Chrome as the only "desktop client" is a Chrome plugin. It also didn't have that many options, either, not to mention it didn't want to show up on some phones for some reason. I couldn't figure out how to integrate another client properly with it - either the documentation for that is rather scarce or Google have sort of dropped the API for Hangouts. Or maybe they never had one, depending on how you look at it - Google Talk supported XMPP and you could happily plug in Pidgin or whatever to it. Since Google Talk is replaced with Hangouts, I made the assumption it'd be the same gateway. But apparently I can connect to Talk, but I can only chat directly with peopl - I can't see the group chat, nor did I find a way to join or even create one.

In the end we dropped it as it happened to be too inconvenient. There is nothing particularly holding me to Skype, I can happily move to something different as long as it has sufficient support. Heck, I can move back to IRC and actually me and my friends did talk about just hosting IRC or Mumble or something for ourselves but it just requires...well, hosting and we don't have that at hand at the moment. Sure we can get hosting for really cheap but on the other hand, why pay for something we also have available for free right now.

 

[Def]

Has somebody tried Ekiga?
http://www.ekiga.org/

 

[kasperbbs]

It's not that bad. I'm not sure what the hell are you talking about regarding colors. I barely noticed the ads since i don't stare at skype's menu at all, but i understand why people might be annoyed by them, i despise ads myself, but after getting bombarded my even more annoying shit on android apps this kind of advertising doesn't faze me anymore.

 

[Dragonheart57]

The Skype that comes with Windows 8 is awful and useless, but last I checked you could download the desktop version that was more like Windows 7.

 

[Vigormortis]

Or you could just....you know....

[HEADING=2]NOT USE SKYPE.[/HEADING]

There are dozens of useful, feature-heavy (or feature-lite, if you prefer), stable, low-footprint, and at times free, VOIP clients out there.

The only reasons to adhere to Skype are ignorance of the options available or an irrational fear of change.

 

[Kotaro]

My issue with Skype is that I'm still occasionally experiencing the "about:xxyyzz" bug which has been a known issue since back in March.
Specifically, this glitch causes Skype to, purely at random (it apparently has something to do with the ads) open a tab in the default web browser (Firefox in my case) to a nonexistant page at the address "about:xxyyzz." It's not nearly as frequent for me now (once every few days at most) as it used to be (at its peak, it would happen every few minutes), but it's still happening and it's still annoying.

 

[Something Amyss]

Let's be fair here.

Being fair, my first thought was "Good God, what an eyesore."

Or you could just....you know....

[HEADING=2]NOT USE SKYPE.[/HEADING]

There are dozens of useful, feature-heavy (or feature-lite, if you prefer), stable, low-footprint, and at times free, VOIP clients out there.

The only reasons to adhere to Skype are ignorance of the options available or an irrational fear of change.

Well, unless everyone you need a service for is using Skype. Or anyone in particular.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Let's be fair here.

Being fair, my first thought was "Good God, what an eyesore."

How is it that bad? It's all white space and the most unoffensive shades of blue ever perceived by human minds.

I can understand not liking it (it's not my favorite), but eye sore? Come on.

 

[lacktheknack]

Or you could just....you know....

[HEADING=2]NOT USE SKYPE.[/HEADING]

There are dozens of useful, feature-heavy (or feature-lite, if you prefer), stable, low-footprint, and at times free, VOIP clients out there.

The only reasons to adhere to Skype are ignorance of the options available or an irrational fear of change.

...or some important contacts of yours refuse to use anything else.

You know, that somewhat important thing.

 

[Vigormortis]

...or some important contacts of yours refuse to use anything else.

You know, that somewhat important thing.

Which inevitably leads into the two points I made, being that their reasons for not switching (presuming Skype bothers them) is an ignorance of the alternatives or a fear of change.

Unless we're going to argue that the reasoning is cyclical.

"I won't change because they won't change and they won't change because I won't change."

captcha: good grief

Indeed...

 

[lacktheknack]

...or some important contacts of yours refuse to use anything else.

You know, that somewhat important thing.

Which inevitably leads into the two points I made, being that their reasons for not switching (presuming Skype bothers them) is an ignorance of the alternatives or a fear of change.

Unless we're going to argue that the reasoning is cyclical.

"I won't change because they won't change and they won't change because I won't change."

captcha: good grief

Indeed...

Nope. I'd LOVE to change, but they won't.

Their reasoning is irrelevant. The point is that I'd love to change and even know which client I'd choose, but I cannot for a reason that you didn't list.

Also, they won't change because they see no reason to. Lucky them.