Starting July 1, 2017, Microsoft is going to discontinue the classic version of Skype for Linux. Linux users of Skype have to move to the modern Electron-based app.
The classic Skype for Linux, version 4.3, is the last version of Skype with peer-to-peer protocol (P2P) support. The Redmond giant is about to drop server-side support for all older Skype clients which use the peer-to-peer protocol to establish a connection between clients.
Skype for Linux 4.3 is using P2P and it already has issues with modern Skype clients like the web version of Skype or modern Skype for Linux.
For Linux users, Microsoft offers a new Skype app, which is a web app bundled with its own Electron engine. The application is not compatible with older Skype versions, however, it is able to work with all modern releases of the app available for other platforms. As of this writing, its most recent version is 5.2, which still lacks some of the features available in the classic Skype for Linux 4.3 application.
A special notice issued on the download page of Skype for Linux states the following.
Important notice: All Skype for Linux clients version 4.3 and older will be retired on July 1, 2017. To keep chatting, please install the latest version of Skype for Linux.
You can install the new Skype for Linux app using the following download link:
There are statically linked binaries wrapped up with DEB and RPM packages. If you are using Arch Linux or Manjaro, you can install the new app from AUR.
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Microsoft is getting out of control
How so? Microsoft are moving to a single uniform app for both Windows and Linux – this has been in the pipeline for quite a while. You can bash Microsoft all you want but it’s not as if Skype was getting much Linux attention even before Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype.
THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!! The problem is that the new Skype for Linux developed by MicroSoft does not work at all with Orca screen reader. The new Skype is completely 100% unaccessible with Orca screen reader. This means that blind users like me can not use Skype at all on Linux after the old Skype stops working. MicroSoft does know that the new Skype is completely unaccessible with Orca. There has been several requests to make the new Skype work with Orca. MicroSoft uses Chromium based Electron technology as a base for the new Skype. Chromium and all Electron applications are completely unaccessible with Orca screenreader and so is the new Skype too.Orca screen reader speaks NOTHING when I try to use the new Skype. That makes it 100% impossible for the blind and visually impaired people to use the new Skype for Linux. MicroSoft have been asked to base the new Skype on something else than Chromium based Electron stuff becauseThat is not accessible. A But they have continued to base Skype on Chromium, and now they are going to kill the old Skype which does work with Orca screen reader! Skype is so important these days that in my opinion MicroSoft is discrimininating blind and other visually impaired people. MicroSoft MUST continue to support the old Skype 4.3 until they have made the new Skype accessible with Orca screen reader. It is not acceptable that MicroSoft just kicks blind and other visually impaired users out from Skype. Blind and visually impaired people MUST be able to use Skype too. MicroSoft MUST provide Skype which is accessible. If MicroSoft will not provide Skype which is accessible for the blind and other visually impaired users then I am going to report this issue to the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired here in Finland.