still only v2.0 for Linux... :(

coonj

Does anyone know if you can run a skype server locally? This would be great to implement on our LAN. I tried jabber, but its a piece of crap.

caedus

Looks like it is more user friendly

Thomasmrph

@coonj: Damn straight. They should hurry up and release a new Linux client, i'm getting fed up with them and their lack of Linux support.

Calvin Blackburn

Someone is getting to get into deep shit for not using striptags.

amodlin

That makes me wonder...

testone

twothree

amodlin

I installed it, hm.. the v.3 was a nice lean sidebar, now you get stuck with a huge rectangular on your screen. and yes, my dad is forced to buy Logitech cam in hopes to trigger the HQ video, while still not sure if his single core processor will allow it.

artistpavel

I just installed it to check it out and I'm absolutely disappointed with the new look and program layout. This bloat makes IM clients like WLM look slim!

anticitizenone

CRAP! I have committed the ultimate sin! Please delete my comment so others don't have to suffer :(

(I tried to comment on his blink tag, but apparently HTML tags are interpreted :( )

amodlin

Wow, a tag? Congratulations, you win the most annoying comment ever made award.

amodlin

Is it still bloat central? Last I tried using Skype for video chat the performance was horrible, especially on older computers, as compared to MSN which seems to run reasonably well

johnsmith1234

Is this still tied into Logitech webcams to access the high quality videos? I mean what was THAT all about? :(

zarathustra

Nice, but i will wait a little bit more ;)

ChambrasWeed

Sorry, but it takes up waaay too much screen real estate (and it was bad before). Give us the option to disable that huge right bar and change the rest of it so it looks more like a compact pidgin and it'll have my vote. User interface customization is prime on your roster, guys (after the inner workings are done); until then I'm uninstalling to the previous version.

earthceltic

@caedus: Unfortunately, no.

ceviche

@Gigadafud: My family and I use SightSpeed with pretty good results. Very similar to Skype in that you can pay extra for dial-in/dial-out services but you don't have to. Was considering switching everyone to Skype, and still might with this release, but not if it's as bloated as some of the other complaints.

I think that both Skype and SightSpeed make direct p2p connections, which gives MUCH better quality versus Y!/AOL/MSN, which still route calls through their servers (even if you're using a 3rd party client like Digsby).

@distortedloop: Assume by picture-in-picture you're referring to the local view? SightSpeed has done that for a long time. Local view is an important reminder not to pick your nose!

tinyhands

@distortedloop: Well I do not have a Mac so that rules that out. That is pretty darn nice that you can video chat with all the other mediums though.

If only Trillian would get their $%#(@ act together and put out their new client sometime this decade.

Gigadafud

@Gigadafud: I like iChat on the Mac. Connects to AIM, Jabber, GoogleTalk, and Apple's chat services. Unfortunately, most of my friends use Yahoo, so I'm stuck with it.

This picture in a picture feature has been in iChat since Leopard released. Does any other chat client offer that? Not sure why you'd want it on most of the time, but it's there if you do.

distortedloop

I have used skype for video chat and it performs reasonably well I thought. Just wondering if there were other clients out there that people like better? Besides the obvious ones of course like Y IM and MSN. Any others that people use and like better?

Gigadafud

You can leave fullscreen, put it in a resizable window. But I agree, we're used to IM/voip clients looking like thin-strip IM messengers. At least they could give us the option of retracting the video panel when not in use. Still, it's only an "early beta" (read: alpha), and they said they are releasing it expressly to GET user feedback, so let them know what you like and what you don't like.

Runs fine on my Vista machine, except for large video (specs say you need a dual-core for that... doh!)

Al Iguana

The new style *_* love it

o0Zodiac0o

@tinyhands

I have the same experience vis a vis Skype and MSN, etc. Skype (at least the old version) is faster and handles the bandwidth much better, with a clearer pic from my logitech cam.

If possible, I'd love to see in the new version the ability to change resolution and add more users in video mode (conferencing). If Skype could intelligently manage the bandwidth to get that done, I'd be pretty happy.

Greg.Rowler

@tinyhands: Very cool, I will have to give that one a shot also. I have only used the video chat from Skype once now to try it out the other day with my sister and I was pretty impressed with it. Works decent, audio was nice, no noticeable lag and stutters.

Gigadafud

@Greg.Rowler: Sounds like managing bandwidth is something you'll either have to do at the router or via software QoS.

Multi-party conferencing is something I failed to mention with SightSpeed: At last check, it was a premium service, not free. (It's also worth noting that I'm merely a user- I have no other connection to SS.)

tinyhands

@artistpavel: Skype 3 will do video on a single core, but Skype specifies dual core for high quality video.

MrJR

The Linux version may be stuck at version 2.0, but as long as it doesn't have all that abominable Windows bloat, I'm happy.

imagia

@imagia: agreed.

coonj

Who's the broad in the pic? shes hot.

tonynyc

You can put the conversation in a separate regular-sized window, and then it's actually pretty nice. I finally get to have video and IM on the same window

burnblue

I don't like the new interface at all. I often use Skype to communicate with people while I'm doing other things, and use chat and file transfer much more than voice or even video calls. I use to keep the Skype window narrow and snapped to the right edge of the screen. It's impossible to do that with the new design, which importunately demands exclusive attention. Hope they'll change that until the final release, or at least include the option to switch back to the old design.

thomasmb

@thomasmb: yes you can. Click the button next to the "+ Add people" button at the upper right corner when you have a contact in focus.

testAnt

@testAnt: Thanks, I must have overlooked that. Anyway I'm not going to try again until a more stable version is released, because it's not possible to install both versions parallel and I don't want to uninstall/reinstall all the time.

thomasmb

Errr.... Skype 3 has picture-in-picture full screen video chat. You just have to know how to use it. I won't be downloading this until it is a full release, and hopefully they lose some of the bloatedness.

virgilstar

It has a function where you can make individual chats become seperate windows... They seperate windows are slimmer than on the previous skypes... the icon is in the top left. That way you can just close the big skype window and use little chat windows... Better sized than on the previous versions so I am happy. The call feature of having location and time is really good, video was much better when used between two pcs both using the new skype...

stoonk

you know i just realized...skype is going to be getting alot bigger now that webcams are becoming such a standard and common feature in laptops.

hey quick q...anyone have any idea why cam prices havent changed at all for the consumer? the logictech cam that i bought 4 or 5 years ago still costs about the same price that it did then.

jrghoull

Full screen is nice, but I would really love multi-party video conferencing...

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