Skype 4.2.0.13

[saintless]

Edit: Does not work this way since 08.08.2014. But works similar the opposite way starting 4.3.0.37 first. More information here:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=95202

OK guys, do not rush to delete Skype 4.0.0.8 and Skype 4.2 yet.
Here is how you can login with Skype 4.0.0.8 (no time today to test 4.2 but I guess it will work the same way). Tested on DebianDog with deb packages but it will be the same for Puppy. The instruction involves installing pet (deb) packages. You can addapt it to use SFS files but Skype 2.2.0.35-new has to be rebuilded with different path and name for skype binary and starting script /usr/bin/skype.

1. Start Skype 2.2.0.35-new (or if you have already installed Skype 2.1, or 2.2 + start-skype script from my previous post) and setup skype to autologin after start (very important). Quit and make sure starting skype really autologins in your account. If it does quit skype with right click from the tray icon (also very important).

2. Make sure /root/.Skype is there and do not delete anything from there.

3. Remove Skype 2.2.0.35-new (or your installed skype 2.2). Make sure to delete also start-skype script if it was manually added by you. It is important not to start it by accident because it will break Skype 4.0.0.8 from now.

4. Install Skype 4.0.0.8 (Im sure someone will point download location for working pet package). I'm using this ubuntu deb:
http://launchpadlibrarian.net/111495501 ... 1_i386.deb

5. Run Skype 4.0.0.8 from terminal by typing skype
You will autologin in you account which was setup to autologin with Skype 2.2

As long you quit and start skype without using logout it will work for you. If you use logout it will be broken again but it is OK. Read next step how to fix it:

6. In case you did logout and Skype again is not working extract the skype binary from Skype 2.2.0.35-new sfs or pet, rename it to skype-2 (for example) and move it in /usr/bin

7. Create script to run /usr/bin/skype-2 named skype-fix (for example):
skype-fix content:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

rm -f /root/.Skype/shared.lck
rm -f /root/.Skype/shared.xml
rm -fr /root/.Skype/shared_httpfe
rm -fr /root/.Skype/shared_dynco
/usr/bin/skype-2

Anytime you break by logging out Skype 4.0.0.8 use skype-fix to setup /root/.Skype folder content to autologin in your account. Then quit Skype 2.2 from the tray icon and start from terminal Skype 4.0.0.8 by typing skype.

I know it is not perfect solution and needs to keep skype-2 binary in the system but it is fine for me and I guess others will find it useful.

Maybe someone will make sfs and pet including both binaries and the right setup and menu entries after more people confirm it is working for them too.

Edit: Yes, it works for Skype 4.2 also.

Toni

[Payoon]

Hi Oscar
have convert your Skype 2.02.35new.pet to a Porteus module (.xzm) Audio and Video work flawless. Thanks a lot. I also have made a module for 4.3.0.37. from source. It starts without errors. but no audio and video ( maybe because I don't know howto handle pulseaudio). So as long as possible I will go with your Skype 2.02.35new.

Payoon

[Makoto]

I noticed this post tonight while I was looking around... apparently, all OS X users need to do to keep using older versions of Skype is block access to ui.skype.com.

Can anyone confirm whether or not this would work for Linux users?

[saintless]

Can anyone confirm whether or not this would work for Linux users?

I wish it was so easy for linux.
Tested in DebianDog with Skype 2.2.0.35 and 4.2.0.13 fresh installed adding this in /etc/hosts:

Code: Select all

127.0.0.1 ui.skype.com

and after that replacing with this:

Code: Select all

0.0.0.0 ui.skype.com

also:

Code: Select all

127.0.0.1 http://ui.skype.com

Code: Select all

0.0.0.0 http://ui.skype.com

Does not work for me. I think it will be the same in Puppy but more test reports will confirm if it works in some form for us.

Edit: Testing to use /etc/hosts.deny also does not work but needs more experimenting.

Toni

[saintless]

I have made a modified version of Skype 2.2.0.35-new which I have uploaded as .pet and .sfs to http://smokey01.com/OscarTalks

Can someone confirm if this pet still works for him?
I think the loophole we had is closed from today. I can't connect this morning. Hope it is my ISP issue but I doubt that.

Toni

[mcewanw]

I have made a modified version of Skype 2.2.0.35-new which I have uploaded as .pet and .sfs to http://smokey01.com/OscarTalks

Can someone confirm if this pet still works for him?
I think the loophole we had is closed from today. I can't connect this morning. Hope it is my ISP issue but I doubt that.

Toni

I haven't been testing it Toni. But, maybe some of the Skype developers read the Puppy forum. Afterall, it is a very active forum, and a lot gets discussed here and murga forum links are quick to appear on google searches about most anything linux. So annoying that would be, and such a kill-joy wasting other people's time (yours particularly). If so, far better etiquette if Skype developers at least came on this forum and made it clear that they were planning to disable any such workarounds before significant effort(s) had already been put in to them.

Imagine how different things would be if Skype opened up the source or even the protocol (including login protocol details), what fun we would have making it all work and work better.

An opensourced Skype-like app that bettered Skype would be great. Problem, aside from the current number of Skype users, is that Microsoft are slowly and surely building Skype functionality into their other major apps such as Office. EDIT: So it becomes a bit of a monopoly that is difficult to break (maybe the EU, and US and everyone else, needs to warn Microsoft to allow competing VOIP apps to easily be linked into Office and so on else yet another example of anti-competitive practice and not sell their products with any VOIP already built in, but as optional addons only - otherwise becomes the same as how they 'used to' sell Windows OS with Internet Explorer effectively hardwired in).

William

[saintless]

Hi, William.
There are some projects in this direction:
http://www.oklabs.net/skype-reverse-eng ... g-journey/
http://www.oklabs.net/fakeskype-source-code/
http://www.oklabs.net/skype-reverse-eng ... g-genesis/

Searching for workarounds helps Skype developers to make the protection stronger unfortunately but there is also a chance they will break something for the new version. We shall wait and see...

Toni

[sgchris]

neither for me it works from yesterday
and I used all the tricks-scripts mentioned above.
I also tried some things with pulseaudio with no effects.

Now I use skype-4.3.0.37-experiment.sfs
all work great except SOUND

[OscarTalks]

Tried the 2.2.0.35-new several times but not logging in for me.

[sgchris]

to OscarTalks_Solution of yours that work
you posted

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 73f3eb9477

I did it
and works
I tried before a momment
and ALL works fine

Boot in RAM MODE (pfix=RAM)
Install pulseaudio-2.0-test.pet
and run
skype-4.3.0.37-experiment.sfs

ALLthings work fine
perhaps this can give us a dirrection.

[sgchris]

even better
I boot normally
not in RAM mode
install pulseaudio-2.0-test.pet

run the command
pulseaudio -k && sudo alsa force-reload
and then
# pulseaudio

it gave

W: [pulseaudio] main.c: This program is not intended to be run as root (unless --system is specified).

BUT

I load the skype-4.3.0.37-experiment.sfs

and ALL WORKED FINE
video, SOUND etc.
Perhaps all terminal commands don't needed
I will try other time with them.

But that way, for the 5.7.1. precise at least
we have Skype ALL working.

[Payoon]

While it worked for me 2 days ago, now login is no more possible. THIS IS MICROSOFT!!
Payoon

[saintless]

As Fred already found if you have a backup copy of /root/.Skype folder with working autologin in your account (and you did not execute logout) it still works with Skype.2 and Skype.4.2 - but you need to start Skype directly (without the start-skype script this time):
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 469#793469

[saintless]

For anyone - interested lets keep all in one place:
Use old Skype version after 01.08.2014

[sunburnt]

Hi Oscar & Toni; Oscar... Could you please make a complete "latest" Skype-4.3.0.xxx ?
Complete with everything needed to run in "Puppy Precise" ?

M$ has done it again... So it`s up to everyone else to fix their F***ups.
.

[fedcop]

FYI MS Email:
Your Skype for Linux version is being retired. Update today.
Dear tampaoffice,

We are now retiring older versions of Skype and it appears that at some point you signed into Skype with one of these. To continue signing into Skype on Linux you'll need to download the latest version. The new version comes with improved performance, the latest features and security updates, so you'll get the best possible Skype experience.

If you're on the latest version of Skype, the above will not apply.

Update now at http://www.skype.com/download.
How to manually update your desktop version
To download the latest version from Skype's website, simply type 'skype.com' into the address bar of your web browser and follow these steps:

1. Visit skype.com > Downloads tab > Computer
2. Download the latest version by clicking Get Skype for Linux
3. Sign into Skype
Forgot your account details?
See our FAQ to reset your password.
Support
For Skype for Linux support, see our FAQs.

Thank you,
Skype

Which version applicable to Puppies?
Thanks in advance for your help.
fedcop

[OscarTalks]

Oscar... Could you please make a complete "latest" Skype-4.3.0.xxx ? Complete with everything needed to run in "Puppy Precise" ?

I'm afraid there isn't yet a "one size fits all" package of the latest Skype that will work for everybody. For Precise Puppy I suggest you go to http://smokey01.com/OscarTalks and install pulseaudio-2.0-i486-w5.pet and then either the .pet or the .sfs of skype-4.3.0.37-experiment

Skype should then start and run from the menu. The main question that remains is concerning your soundcard device settings. For most people (if they are using the default soundcard for both input (mic) and output (speakers or headphones) everything should work if you just get your retrovol settings right. For people who are using another soundcard (perhaps in the form of a usb device for example) you may need to figure out the hw number of the soundcard and edit the file default.pa accordingly. This file is located in /etc/pulse (or possibly /usr/etc/pulse). See this thread http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=94807 for more details of ways of editing this file.

People are still tinkering with pulseaudio so it is best to keep it as a separate .pet package for now so it will be easier for users to make the switch if a better method of audio device selection is found.

[sunburnt]

Thanks Oscar; I see what you mean about PulseAudio.

I`ll look for the packages and install as you say. Many thanks...

[mcewanw]

Skype 4.3.0.37 for Linux is not ideal for Puppy

Alsa support is disabled.
You are required to install Pulse Audio
How stupid is that?

Hi OscarTalks,

What I don't like is that they have made it difficult for old versions of Skype to work (yes, I know about the workarounds people have been coming up with). But, perhaps, they are changing the login procedures to genuinely make them more secure (?), in which case there would be nothing to argue about there.

As far as requiring pulseaudio... To be realistic, it makes sense for Skype t move in that direction, if you think about it. If apps go straight to alsa then every such app needs to be configured to know where the hardware is (e.g. hw:0,0; hw:2,1 and so on endlessly). Fine for systems that just require default hw:0,0 but so many systems, particularly with usb plugins, have all sorts of potentially different sound hardware device ids.

For example, refer to some of the links I posted here (particularly the last couple, and the complexity of relying on apps directly operating via alsa only becomes I think apparent):

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 895#793895

Putting pulseaudio in the middle effectively removes that issue from the application (if pulseaudio is set up correctly for a given machines hardware and all apps are set up to use pulseaudio then the configuration problem is removed).

That's just my overall feeling about it anyway.

William

[jamesbond]

As far as requiring pulseaudio... To be realistic, it makes sense for Skype t move in that direction, if you think about it. If apps go straight to alsa then every such app needs to be configured to know where the hardware is (e.g. hw:0,0; hw:2,1 and so on endlessly). Fine for systems that just require default hw:0,0 but so many systems, particularly with usb plugins, have all sorts of potentially different sound hardware device ids.

For example, refer to some of the links I posted here (particularly the last couple, and the complexity of relying on apps directly operating via alsa only becomes I think apparent):

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 895#793895

Except that ALSA support has been there since day one. I use USB headset regularly with Skype 2.2 with *zero* problems for years. Choosing the device to use is a solved problem: I can choose which device to use (for input, output, ringer) with ease within Skype itself - and it works. Whatever kinks they had with ALSA must have been straightened over the years. Why drop an proven, working code?

Putting pulseaudio in the middle effectively removes that issue from the application (if pulseaudio is set up correctly for a given machines hardware and all apps are set up to use pulseaudio then the configuration problem is removed).

If they do want to use a "middleware" layer to hide platform-dependence code, then there are many better libraries. They can use portaudio, or use SDL, etc. that does force the end-user to install craptastic crash-prone "audio server". Heck, if they need "low-latency" audio then use JACK, for example. But pulseaudio?