Use old Skype version after 01.08.2014

[saintless]

Ledster, autologin optional checkbox is on the bottom right in the login window (same window where you type username and password). After checking this box and login next time starting Skype 4.3.0.37 should autologin.

[ndujoe1]

when you install skype 4.3.0.37at the log in screen, after you enter your user name and password and before you press the enter key click the option in the lower right hand corner this will log you into skype automatically. Then you quite Skype from the taskbar quite. Then open up the terminal and enter skpye42 which you have created with the previous instructions.

I used this method last night to skype with a friend via voice and image.

[Ledster]

Thank you both.
I am embarassed at my lack of observational ability!
Needless to say it worked perfectly.

Once again, thanks.

[mikeb]

Cute... I tried skype last night on windows 2000 to be told when logging in that this program will not work on 2000 any more even though it is... me thought user agent stuff but no config for it... this login with newer sounds fun but I don't think I would get a working newer version since they sabotage the installers for 2000.... since microsoft are now doing their dirty stuff with skype (ie using it to sell newer windows and attack linux use) perhaps we need a serious look at alternatives....new thread perhaps.

mike

[saintless]

Hi, Mike.
I think you will find this interesting... Read skype 3.8 solution here and more information here (read the comments).
The problem with Skype alternative is most of the people I know will continue using Windows and I doubt they will install Ekiga or something different just to chat with me. But thread about alternative is a good idea to start with. Here is one started already.

Toni

[OscarTalks]

I can confirm I have Skype 2.2.0.35 working in Racy 5.5
Thanks Toni for bringing us this workaround.

I believe the lines of code in the skype launcher script for the old workaround would now break the new workaround so I have removed them and re-uploaded skype-2.2.0.35-new keeping the package name the same. People can now use it if they use 4.3.0.37 first to create the config files in /root/.Skype and add the <SavePassword>1</SavePassword> line.

Remember, the version 2.2.0.35 is a static build so does not need any Qt libraries.

[greengeek]

since microsoft are now doing their dirty stuff with skype (ie using it to sell newer windows and attack linux use) perhaps we need a serious look at alternatives....new thread perhaps.

Hear hear. I applaud the excellent work being done to keep Puppy skype accessible, but I also would like to see a different solution developed so that people could be set free from reliance on a corporate 'man in the middle'.

I wondered if it was possible to have some form of 'real time double ended ftp' connection running - so that a local puppy and a remote puppy could transfer audio and maybe video in real time without any need for special protocols controlled by the ISP or companies like microsoft.

[mikeb]

Hmm yes the masses will do as they are told and carry on as is (or will they...migrate to aomething on an android or ipud perhaps??) ...the joy of hotmail, facebook, skype and other microsoft products ..I wonder if they will add malware spreading abilities like they did with other software?

Hmm voice and video chat... well I suppose you could do such things with msn and yahoo so in someways this has been around for years... broadband simply opened it up. Skypes only bonus bunny is its land line connectivity but hey is that such a bonus?

michael

[phredo]

Just to give a Slacko 5.7 report: I've got skype working, both 4.3 and "2.2", but because my audio wasn't set correctly, I kept trying different things, so I'm not sure what was actually necessary. But here's what I did.

I followed the instructions, loading on-the-fly skype-4.3.0.37-slacko14.0.sfs and making the modifications to update and autologin, and noticed that I had no audio at all. Then I added the skype executable from skype-2.2.0.35-new.sfs as instructed and changed the xml file. When I started "skype22", it logged in and I had audio but no mike. So, after quitting skype, I added pulseaudio-2.0-i486-w5.pet, and in the terminal typed "pulseaudio --system", then opened another terminal and typed "skype22". Now my audio settings showed pulseaudio to be the sound device (it didn't do that when I had just typed "pulseaudio", maybe "pulseaudio --start" would have worked too, but I'm just walking in the dark on all this). My mike wasn't working still, so I opened Retrovol and started experimenting.

It turned out that my settings didn't have "capture" and "digital" checked, and that made the difference. So now I can start skype 4.3 from the menu or type skype22 from the terminal, and both work, with 4.3 using pulseaudio and skype22 not. In Retrovol, I have Mic set at bout 65%, Capture and Digital at 50%, and that seems to give me clearest mike with good volume. I haven't actually talked to anyone, but have been using the "Echo/Sound test service" for all this testing.

My presumption from all this is that 4.3 would have worked by just adding pulseaudio, and that "skype22" would work without having installed pulseaudio. Maybe all this is "old hat" to everyone else, but it was a learning experience for me. I wish the rest of the world was using Jitsi, because it seems like it probably has a lot more good features, but that's life.

[saintless]

My presumption from all this is that 4.3 would have worked by just adding pulseaudio, and that "skype22" would work without having installed pulseaudio.

I guess all needed to have Skype 2.2 mic working (before installing pulseaudio) was to choose the right device from Options -> Sound Devices -> Microphone
I never tested Skype 2.2 with pulseaudio and I don't think I ever will, so you experience give us the information without having the same troubles

[greengeek]

I wish the rest of the world was using Jitsi, because it seems like it probably has a lot more good features, but that's life.

Ah yes - Jitsi looks interesting. Might have to give that a try.

[technosaurus]

http://skype-open-source.blogspot.com/
Help is welcome there if someone is interested.

Toni

That sounds very similar to what I did with the flash plugin (changed the version string), you just need to find the corresponding area in the linux version with a hex editor (though I used `strings` and `sed`) ... a recent version of minimum profit text editor has a nice hex editor (requires a command line flag IIRC)

-- I don't use skHype though, so can't help much more than that.

[mikeb]

Hacking would be nice and neater than running 2 versions..... wxhexeditor is a bigger but friendly tool.
Micky is a smaller (fltk?) editor.

mike

[saintless]

20.09.2014 - Patched versions blocked from today.
The workaround on the first page setting up the account with 4.3.0.37 for autologin still works.


Some packages uploaded for testing.

This is Skype 4.2.0.13 only.
Before testing uninstall any other versions of Skype you have and rename and backup /root/.Skype directory.
Let Skype create new /root/.Skype We need confirmation it works for everyone without need to setup the account with latest Skype first (it works for me without troubles).

Load the sfs and run Skype with and without autologin. Sign out and login in different accounts. Test usual things you do with skype without thinking about any workarounds. If your contacts are not visible from the first login, sign out and login again in the same account and they will appear.

It is recommended to disable automatic updates to prevent auto-install newer version when it is available.

Testing versions of OscarTalks's sfs files:
Edit: Links removed. Doesn't work anymore.

Please, test this magnet link if it works for you:
Edit: Links removed. Doesn't work anymore.

It contains all packages. If you read "About Skype" information you will see we need some safe and secure way to share some files in the future.

Still searching for similar solution about Skype-2.2.0.35 but it seems more difficult than I thought. It will work sooner or later...

Toni

[cimarron]

Thanks saintless! Your precise sfs works very well for me, in OBPrecise. No need to sign in with 4.3, all my contacts came up right away.

Not sure what to do with that "magnet link," sorry...

[666philb]

thanks saintless .... precise version is working straight away for me in tahrpup

[saintless]

Thank you for testing, Cimarron and 666philb!

I'm glad it works for you too and I have no doubt all files work the same way as precise sfs. The changes are the same in each one.

I have one 100% upload from the magnet link and seems it is working too.
Just for information starting Transmission and marking the magnet link in my post and then opening File --> Open URL is enough to download it. Or using simple copy (Ctrl+C) / paste (Ctrl+V) in File -> Open URL

Toni

[mcewanw]

Hmm voice and video chat... well I suppose you could do such things with msn and yahoo so in someways this has been around for years... broadband simply opened it up. Skypes only bonus bunny is its land line connectivity but hey is that such a bonus?

michael

Truly it is technologically pathetic that voice and video and all multimedia is still not seamlessly built in without having to think about it or configure anything.

CU-SeeMe, video chat without voice, was around in 1992, twelve years ago and with voice by early 1994. And credit to Microsoft for Netmeeting with video/voice/chat of late 1996, which even had white-boarding built in (and it was only a few MB download).

http://www.packetizer.com/ipmc/history- ... ferencing/

also:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InSoft_Inc.

I gave a presentation of video chatting using Netmeeting with whiteboard from New Zealand to Scotland back in 1999! And in the same year I used to telephone my dad back in Scotland, from New Zealand, via Internet telephony to his landline via one of the several free services that allowed that back then. Yet still we struggle with what is available... Bring back morse code - at least it was reliable.

William

[saintless]

To have real Skype alternative it has to be:

1. Easy to install and use on any OS.

2. Possibility to work with Skype started at the same time using the same audio/video devices. This is needed to make easier for Skype users to test the alternative without loosing communication with their Skype contacts. Even adding second camera aind mic is not an option here - no one will agree to test it this way.

3. Search option to find other users by name or e-mail like in Skype.

4. Option to send files like in Skype.

Without all this included we can not think of real Skype alternative unfortunately... Struggling is our only option at the moment.

Toni

[greengeek]

I understand there are three main ways to achieve what Skype does. The first is the way skype does it (which I can't remember the name of at the moment). Second is the way google does it (webRTE or something) and third is SIP which requires an SIP server in the middle.

I think there will be other skype alternatives for Linux soon. Maybe a development of Linphone, or various other alternatives.