Skype woes

[RKS Computer Solutions]

For those wondering why this wonderful piece of technology is not currently available...

Problems with Skype login

UPDATED 14:02 GMT 16 August: Some of you may be having problems logging into Skype. Our engineering team has determined that it’s a software issue. We expect this to be resolved within 12 to 24 hours. Meanwhile, you can simply leave your Skype client running and as soon as the issue is resolved, you will be logged in. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Additionally, downloads of Skype have been temporarily disabled. We will make downloads available again as quickly as possible.

Full updated status here

This begs a question: How often do we only rely on one technology in todays world of various solutions?

[duncan drennan]

With so many other options available (Gtalk, MSN, ICQ, Gaim, Pidgeon, etc.) why just rely on one? Oh, and especially, why just rely on the one that uses a proprietary (closed) protocol and does not speak to any of the others? Skype is a closed protocol, while most of the other IM/VOIP clients use an open and standardised protocol.

[RKS Computer Solutions]

Where we are at 1100 GMT

August 17, 2007.

Hello all,

As Europe has woken up to a new day and Asia is entering the evening hours, here’s the latest on the sign-on problem.

We’re on the road to recovery. Skype is stabilizing, but this process may continue throughout the day.

An encouraging number of users can now use Skype once again. We know we’re not out of the woods yet, but we are in better shape now than we were yesterday.

Finally, we’d like to dispel a couple of theories that we are still hearing. Neither Wednesday’s planned maintenance of our web-based payment services nor any form of attack was related to the current sign-on issues in any way.

We’ll update you again as soon as we can. Thanks for hanging tight.

[RKS Computer Solutions]

Skype I believe is better than all the others... Why confuse the living daylights out of your customers giving them huge amounts of options when the best will do?

That said, for the first time in it's 3 or 4 years of existence, they are having one bad day... Give them a break... I can personally vouch for the money left in my back pocket from savings made dialing home when overseas... All using the best free solution on the market today!

For those not wanting to install 427 different messengers onto your desktop, check out Meebo!

Quick registration and it connects to multiple messengers direct from one page, and the best feature I reckon is the ability to host a chat panel on your website directly from your free account!

[Dave A]

It seems natural that in time a cross-platform protocol and link-up will happen. Those that get to dogged in a closed network approach will inevitably be the losers.

[duncan drennan]

It seems natural that in time a cross-platform protocol and link-up will happen. Those that get to dogged in a closed network approach will inevitably be the losers.

The cross platform protocol (SIP - session initiation protocol) has been around for quite a while. Skype has just elected to go the route of vendor lock in. I use whatever my clients or contacts prefer (cause that just makes sense).

[Dave A]

Maybe I should have said the multiple access platform will inevitably dominate...