Skype In Ubuntu 8.1 w/ GNOME

[Nod]

I've tried EVERYTHING I can think of and I'm just plain stumped. It just doesn't work no matter what I do. I downloaded almost every version available on the site. I even found a post in the skype forums about changing it to an lpia file. I followed the instructions to the letter and just couldn't get it to work. Anyone got any ideas?

[MattGSX]

What's the output when you try opening it from the terminal? What is it doing when you try to open the binary? Are you even getting that far?
Are you installing from source, or using a package, or using a binary?

[Nod]

Honestly? I have no idea. Basically what I was doing was downloading the versions from Skype.com, opening them and trying the executable inside. It would  either try to install and tell me "Error: WRONG ARCHITECTURE 'i386'" or it would do nothing at all. So I tried the instructions  found  in this PDF file and couldn't get it to work that way either. I think maybe I'm just an idiot and have no idea what I'm doing.

[MattGSX]

Isn't there a Ubuntu-friendly version of Skype (or at least an equivalent) found in synaptic? I know Ekiga is a little lame, but I thought there were better alternatives.

[Nod]

I didn't find anything in Synaptic. That was the first place I looked for it.

[MattGSX]

this may seem foolish, but it works:

1) Install Wine. search for it in Synaptic. There should be a few dependencies that Synaptic will resolve for you.

2) Download the Windows version of Skype

3) Right-click on the exe-installer for Skype, and select "open with wine". You can also do this from the terminal. I think the command would just be:
wine /path/to/installer.exe

You can then open this program through your menu launcher, under the "wine applications" tab.
Or, for a better solution, you can PM trev, as he actually knows his shit.

[Nod]

It seemed to install and run the program fine except that when Skype loaded an error window popped up saying "Access violation at address 00598014 in module 'Skype.exe' Read of address FFFFFFFF" and then skype closed.

[Arox!]

This might be a stupid question but have you tried this file?  http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-ubuntu

[trevelyn]

LordNod, if i get it working, you have to get me opped in this forum.

sudo su
echo deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable non-free >> /etc/apt/sources.list
apt-get update
apt-get install skype
skype

And tell me what errors you get from there.

EDIT: thanks for the idea, i just added it to WNLA and it works great!

[Nod]

buncha stuff was here but now it's gone                    

[trevelyn]

youre not using dial up are you? are you using 64bit ubuntu? and you are in fact using intrepid right?  I wonder why you cant get more than 2 updates for aptitude...
hrmm..

try this:

sudo su
cp /etc/sources.list /etc/sources.list.backup
echo "deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable non-free" > /etc/sources.list
apt-get update
apt-get install skype
cat /etc/sources.list.backup > /etc/sources.list
apt-get update
skype

mind the single ">" to clobber whats in the old /etc/sources.list that you backed up and restored with the second cat.

If you are using 64bit ubuntu, you might have to wait till they make a 64 bit skype for 64bit linux.

or try this as they say on their site:

sudo apt-get install ia32-libs lib32asound2 libasound2-plugins; wget -N boundlesssupremacy.com/Cappy/getlibs/getlibs-all.deb; wget -O skype-install.deb http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-ubuntu-amd64; sudo dpkg -i skype-install.deb; sudo dpkg -i getlibs-all.deb; sudo getlibs -p libqtcore4 libqtgui4 bluez-alsa

[Nod]

It works! HUZZAH!

But I can't make calls. It says there's a problem with the audio playback. I'm gonna try to play with settings

[trevelyn]

if you are running 64bit, run  Skype from the terminal and watch what it says when you try to get sound..  If its an alsa error you may have to do this:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ia32-libs/+bug/273693/comments/6

looks easy enough. i'm off to bed nao.

[Nod]

I got the playback working but not the microphone. I've tried like every setting available.

OMFG IT WORX! THANKS TREV! You're THE BEST!

[MattGSX]

and our in-house Linux expert solves yet another issue through PMs leading to cryptic forum posts.

For those of us running Ubuntu and having troubles with installing/running Skype or other voip programs, would either of you care to share your PMs that reveal the other half of the interaction?