Use Skype under Linux

Skype is a program to do video phone calls over the network.

Get it

Download Skype from http://www.skype.com. The following example has been tested on 2010-06-03. It takes SUSE Linux 11.2 as example. Other distributions should work same or similar:

• Surf to http://www.skype.com
• Choose "Get Skype -> Get Skype for Linux -> Download now -> Static"
• open a console
• find out if you have a 32bit or 64bit system
• if you have an X64 operating system, install a graphical library:

yast -i xorg-x11-libXv-32bit

• unpack the file:

bunzip2 Download/skype*
tar xvf Download/skype*.tar

Run it

• run skype:

cd skype*
./skype

Configure it

You will now have to select "Options -> Sound Devices -> Make a test call" and experiment a bit with what Sound Card you use. "Make a test call" will explain everything to you.

Problems

Audio

• Does not work with Mandriva 2008
• Does not work with Mandriva 2009