skype for Solaris

So I'm irked, really irked.

If we had Skype support for Solaris, I could probably ditch this half baked mess of Linux hosts running VMware guests with OpenSolaris and Nexenta. I want just a single host OS for my development box.

Right now the single biggest barrier to running OpenSolaris on my desktop for my job at Nexenta is Skype. But this is silly, because Skype works in Linux, and the APIs should basically be compatible. Especially with the OSS layer that we already have in OpenSolaris these days via Boomer.

If someone at Skype sees this (good luck trying to find a contact on their web site!), and wants to work with me on it, I'd be happy to help them work through the issues of getting a native Skype port.

If anyone who has an "in" at Skype reads this post, please forward it to your in at Skype.

If any folks are paying for business services from Skype, feel free to let them know you want a Solaris client, and there is an expert on the Solaris audio stack waiting to help.

Thanks!

(On a side note, I'd also like to have VMware on Solaris as well. Yeah, I know about VirtualBox, but I need support VMware for clients, and it would be a heck of a lot easier if I could just host VMware guests on my development head.)

Comments

Paul Gress said…
So no phone numbers are listed. Nothing "whois" cant handle.

Registrant:
Skype Technologies S.A.
6e etage, 22/24 Boulevard Royal
Luxembourg, Luxembourg L-2449
Luxembourg

Domain Name: SKYPE.COM
Created on: 23-Apr-03
Expires on: 23-Apr-14
Last Updated on: 11-Dec-09

Administrative Contact:
Hostmaster, Hostmaster
Skype Technologies S.A.
6e etage, 22/24 Boulevard Royal
Luxembourg, Luxembourg L-2449
Luxembourg
+352.26639134 Fax -- +352.26639550

Technical Contact:
Hostmaster, Hostmaster
Skype Technologies S.A.
6e etage, 22/24 Boulevard Royal
Luxembourg, Luxembourg L-2449
Luxembourg
+352.26639134 Fax -- +352.26639550

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.SKYPE.NET
NS2.SKYPE.NET
NS3.SKYPE.NET
NS5.SKYPE.NET
AUTH1.DNS.COGENTCO.COM
AUTH2.DNS.COGENTCO.COM

So at least there's phone numbers from Luxembourg, maybe their corporate headquarters.

Paul
June 15, 2010 at 8:02 PM
timf said…
+1 Skype is the only reason I boot windows/linux at the moment...
June 15, 2010 at 10:12 PM
phil said…
skype software is a difficult one. I appreciate you need to communicate with other skype users so you are stuck. However, I do not doubt you have the skills to remedy the problem if you could only get inside skypes walled garden.

I think the first initial contact should be with this person here
[ http://berkus.madfire.net/resume/en/ ]
names, numbers are all in there.

Now, my personal view that in the long run that may help you talk to other skypers...
support gtalk via empathy on opensolaris, there are free, opensource codecs available for cross platform communication ( this will rely on G. putting vp8 in win/mac Gtalk clients) and after lost market share one would imagine skype may open up to compatability with gtalk, they are already behind vp8.

good luck with Berkus,
June 15, 2010 at 11:47 PM
milek said…
http://about.skype.com/where-is-skype/
June 16, 2010 at 1:34 AM
Ram said…
Does running Skype in a VirtualBox (say XP VM) work? We support OSS on the host so it Mic should work. Not tried it myself
June 16, 2010 at 5:29 AM
Unknown said…
http://blogs.sun.com/migi/entry/skype_on_opensolaris_the_last
June 16, 2010 at 12:10 PM
Dev Mazumdar said…
I think the first initial contact should be with this person here
[ http://berkus.madfire.net/resume/en/ ]
names, numbers are all in there.


Indeed berkus is the main contact for Skype - I've spoken to him and you can find him on Skype.com - the problem is the same problem that Real Networks and Adobe claimed for years - that they are too busy with Linux and they don't have the time. If someone pays they might consider it.......sigh!
June 17, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Unknown said…
You can use :
https://imo.im/

That works with my opensolaris.

Paolo
June 18, 2010 at 7:59 AM
Unknown said…
check http://blogs.skype.com/devzone/2010/06/skypekit_beta.html
maybe it will be possible to port it to solaris?
i hope that while there is no GUI included, it will have a way to use it from the command line.
June 23, 2010 at 3:29 PM
phil said…
imo may be acceptable for others but not me =). quality too poor in comparison to "real skype".

regards skype in vm, virtual box needs a little push to get usb mic/webcams working with virtual hosts. i'm hoping this will be sooner than later.
maybe it would be easier to collaborate with virtualbox than skype.
June 26, 2010 at 2:08 AM
Constantin said…
Hi Garret,

great idea to push for Skype on OpenSolaris! I just sent a message to someone I know who works for Skype. Not sure if it will be heard, but at least I tried.

Cheers,
Constantin
June 29, 2010 at 1:07 PM
berkus said…
I have a working implementation of oss4 code for skype, which would work on Solaris afaik.

Can ping me on skype:berkus if you want to discuss more.
August 10, 2010 at 5:52 AM
Unknown said…
I will contact you. Indeed, OSSv4 support for Skype on Solaris would be awesome.
August 10, 2010 at 9:06 AM
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