Microsoft To Can Skype API; Third-Party Products Will Not Work

slashdot ^ | Friday November 01, 2013 @08:01PM | timothy, Mark Gibbs

[Utilizer]

"If you've recently fired up Skype you may have noticed a dialog box with a warning appear briefly (at least on OS X) then vanish. If you're fast enough to catch it you'll find that it's warning you that some application you're using that works with Skype will stop working in December, 2013. This applies to all sorts of software supporting headsets, cameras, ... you name it."

[Utilizer]

Haven't used Skype much recently and did not know that Ms had acquired it, however this appears to be a recurring trend recently. Ekiga seems to work well -perhaps another proggie can fill the need as well?

[FlingWingFlyer]

I was “migrated” to Skype after Messenger went away. I got that crap out of my computer. Totally worthless.

[Utilizer]

Never really got into Skype. Ekiga worked well for the few times I needed it, which times I can count on two hands. There are other vidchat proggies out there that I have heard of, but I have not had time to really research them so far. Plus, unless you have bandwidth to spare it is really not an option for quite a few users.

[dayglored]

I'm presently on OS X 10.6.8 running Skype 6.9 (build 517) and haven't seen any warnings, at least not yet.

However, this doesn't surprise me, for two reasons:

1. Microsoft bought Skype to have a solid communications program because they have been incapable of creating and marketing their own. (Which is a shame -- they're bright software engineers; but their management and marketing are terrible.)

2. Lots of companies use Skype for "secure" (encrypted) company business communications. Recent revelations demonstrate that Microsoft has allowed the NSA to crack or compromise that encryption in Skype. So the first step to recovering some control of the Skype software ecosystem is to lock out third-party stuff that Microsoft can't control.

I don't know if Skype can recover from such a blow. Microsoft may end up killing it altogether, if they can migrate the underlying technology to some other part of their product line.

[dayglored]

> I was “migrated” to Skype after Messenger went away. I got that crap out of my computer. Totally worthless.

You sure got -that- right!

[Utilizer]

I hear you, mate, but I still remember the lessons imparted when they bought out Lotus123. A truly great program (I still have the original install CD) that they halted work on in order to corner the market with their bloatware version. I am not hopeful about Skype’s chances given such a history.

[Marty]

I have Skype as some of my family uses it, but I much prefer Google Hangout.

[zeugma]

Is anyone at all surprised that the kings of breaking interoperability would do this?