Skype 3.0

I won't rehash the news about Skype's new calling plan, since folks like the New York Times and Andy Abramson have done so already, and in detail.

I am more interested in the Gold release of Skype 3.0, which has been overshadowed by the pricing announcement. Along with a long list of user experience improvements, Skype 3.0 has some really large steps forward, like global chat rooms and a plug-in architecture that allows third parties to build services that can be added by Skype users.

I was wised up to the plugin architecture by Charles Palmer via email:

So, basically, the new Skype 3.0 client has a new Tools>Do More menu - which opens up a gallery of third-party plugins. These plugins perform a variety of tasks using the Skype infrastructure to pass messages and data between Skype users. There are about 20 to start with, plus a mechanism to allow others to create new plugins (or "Extras", as Skype terms them).

Examples:

sketchpad: your freehand drawing is sent instantly to your Skype partner
last.fm: get music of your choice piped to you, and share it with others
skySpace: share files

Charles' company has launched a skills and tasks bulletin board accessible via Skype plugin:

It is a database and bulletin board that puts people with Skills in touch with people with Tasks who are searching for those Skills. It can be accessed through the Skype Extras framework. It's mainly intended to link Skype users who have Skills and Tasks, but you can use it even if you are not yet a Skype user. It opens up a new front in the social networking phenomenon: finding work and skilled workers through the Skype network.

Interesting. The plugin architecture seems similar to that of Yahoo, as far as I can see, and represents another step toward the notion that the buddylist is the center of the universe.

But I have a bone to pick on this version skew of Windows versus Mac. eBay and Skype are big business: they have loads of cash. Why intentionally delay the same features to Mac users? Are these guys beholden to Microsoft in some way? It's not a tiny little startup of 3 guys and a dog. It's a shame to prop up a company like Microsoft this way.

tags: hall+of+shame, windows, mac+os+x, skype, ebay, skype+3.0

Comments

[Charles Palmer]

If you are interested in the idea of finding work or workers via Skype, the service is called "Consensus Skills and Tasks" and you can get to it here: http://the-consensus.com, or by installing Skype 3.0 and clicking Tools>Do More>Get Extras and looking for the Consensus entry.

The latter route will lead you to the other Skype Extras as well.

[Anna Farmery]

I am waiting to intstall Skype 3.0 because I hear some people have had issues with the compatibility with Hot Recorder which I use for my interviewing....do you know if this is true, or if so how to solve it?