At work I use a Windows PC which this morning updated Skype to the latest version: Skype 4.0. I just checked the Skype website and it seems it’s been out from the 3rd of June. I use Skype quite a bit (for work and leisure) and my first impressions are… mixed.
Here’s the new design for those of you who don’t have the new version yet (specially Linux users, as myself… Oh I just realized the Skype version I have in this laptop at home running Linux is Skype 2.0).
For comparison purposes, here is an image of Skype 2.0 for Linux (both the contact list and the chat window)
Comparison table between Skype 4.0 (for Windows) and Skype 2.0 (for Linux):
| Skype 4.0 | Skype 2.0 | Comments | I prefer… | |
| Contacts and Conversations windows | Together | Separate (one per conversation) | I agree that having a separate window for each chat conversation can make you go a bit crazy having to move from chat window to chat window. But you still have to change views in Skype 4.0 to move between conversations and you cannot see two conversations at the same time. | Skype 2.0 |
| Minimum Skype window size | 800 x 565px | 231 x 426 px (Contacts window) 506 x 326 px (each conversation window) |
I have not found a way of reducing it. When I am not chatting with anybody I would rather not have it occupying so much space. | Skype 2.0 |
| Contacts status icons | Different colours | Same colour, different mini icons on top | I actually like the different colours of Skype 4.0 better. Only complain: the icons for people that have not shared the contact details with you (which in Skype 2.0 appeared as a question mark) now look exactly the same as those of contacts off-line. | Skype 4.0 |
| Messages in conversation window | Appear under the name of who wrote them | Appear following … | Adding the fact that one cannot change the colour (one can’t, right?) of the text, a few times today I mistook what I had just written for comments from the other person. Very very confusing and difficult to follow who has said what. Not looking forward to 3 people’s conversations! | Skype 2.0 |
For the record:
- 24/06/2009 => 3 votes for Skype 2.0, one for Skype 4.0. New version not looking very good…
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Separate windows per chat is possible in Skype 4.1 – go to View > Compact View. Annoying this isn’t default.