Mysterous Mail: Will Skype Become Open Source?

Nov 02, 2009

French Mandriva user Olivier Faurax registered a support case at Skype complaining about a missing Mandriva package. Instead of the package he received a reply of some amazement.

The response from Skype to Olivier Faurax's blog was that Skype regretted that no Mandriva package had been included. However, Skype also asserted in the same reply that it will "from now on be part of the open source community." This bit of news was quite welcome in that it allows future Linux developers to influence the Skype client software "which will most certainly result in specific versions for the different distributions."

When astonished Faurax further inquired about when this was to happen, the response was, "Yes, indeed, the Linux Skype version will become open source in the nearest future," signed by Joerg in Skype customer support.

If this is to be taken seriously may be determined fairly soon. Commentators on the blog already doubt whether Skype will open up the important components. One commentator suspects that the graphical interface might be the first candidate.

Meanwhile the first Skype plugin for Asterisk has become available.

Related content

  • VoIP with Skype

    The free but proprietary Skype is a popular calling option.

  • Skype for Linux

    The old Microsoft gave the cold shoulder to Skype for Linux, neither updating it nor equipping it with new features. The new Microsoft promises to do better, with a brand new alpha prerelease version of a Linux client for the famous telephony tool.

  • Skype Plugin for Asterisk

    Digium, makers of Asterisk telephony solutions, and VoIP provider Skype have announced a one-year development period for a Skype plugin to the free telephony service.

  • MegaPanzer: Parts of Possible Govware Trojan Released under GPL

    The name Ruben Unteregger may well become more newsworthy in the next few days. Unteregger has been working at the Swiss ERA IT Solutions company to develop the trojans MegaPanzer and MiniPanzer and has released the code under GPL.

  • VoIP Clients

    Looking for a softphone? We compare five Linux-ready VoIP clients.

Comments

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News