8 ms·

We initially used Skype on our team to communicate with others. However, the software was horribly buggy on OSX. Slack has become part of our main toolchain. It

We initially used Skype on our team to communicate with others. However, the software was horribly buggy on OSX. Slack has become part of our main toolchain. It works, has the basic features you need and doesn't get in our way. The integrations are great and we'll continue to use them. Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up, I don't see us leaving Slack for it. They had their chance, and they dropped the ball.

jklinger410 11y ago
As far as I know most people use Skype for business calls. Maybe "team communication" was something that can be done with Skype, but I don't really think it's their core focus. I think what them not buying Slack is implying is that they will start to try and actually compete with Slack directly. Instead of just internet telephony.
- teen 11y ago
  It's also used for video games a lot, but between leaking your IP and allowing esports players to get DDOSed, and just generally being not a great fit, Discord is getting more popular.
  - tomlongson 11y ago
    I hadn't heard about any data leaks from Slack, so I looked it up: http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/8/6946341/slack-has-a-serious-data-leak http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/8/6946341/slack-has-a-seriou... https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/382mao/psa_how_to_protect_your_skype_from_leaking_your_ip/ https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/382mao/psa... What's confusing is the second link is about Skype leaking your IP, not Slack.
    - avtar 11y ago
      When I read teen's comment I thought they were implying that Skype is used by gamers and leaks info.
cheez 11y ago
Microsoft had their chance and dropped the ball on a lot of things, but they always figure it out. Skype on OSX looks much better now and I suspect if they're focusing on Skype instead of spending $8B, then you're looking at serious competition.
- atmosx 11y ago
  I have a different experience. It was bad before MS came in and got way worst after - except the icon. The icon now is way more slick! But that won't cut it... Plus, I would never use it professionally since Skype (and MS in general) are the extreme low in regards to privacy.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - junto 11y ago
    The one thing that really bugs me about Skype recently is that it refuses to remember my login. Every time I want to login to the Windows app after a restart or update it doesn't log me in automatically. There isn't even a "remember me" option on the login page, which I swear used to be there. Since my password is a 1Password generated secure password, I have to go look it up every time.
  - phren0logy 11y ago
    Now that Skype is under the Office license (and hence must be secure enough to meet HIPAA/HITEC) hopefully the security issues improve dramatically.
    - toyg 11y ago
      Are you sure you're not mixing up Skype, which is just the traditional voip network, and "Skype for business" (aka Lync) which is part of Office but a very different product?
- r00fus 11y ago
  I agree - my Skype on OSX has no ads, the windows version does. So it works good for me.
Negative1 11y ago
"Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up" This. This exactly. Is it really unbelievable to assume Microsoft wouldn't attempt to build their own IRC+ clone and save a few billion while they are at it? I do agree with you, Slack is much better than Skype, but I would add that Lync is just as good. I went from Lync to Slack (after changing jobs) and I would say that Lync not only works just as well but has more features a team would find useful. For instance, multi-user video+voice chat w/ great screensharing/presentation functionality. Edit: Should mention I was using Lync in a Windows shop and now Slack in OSX. In Windows it worked perfectly but I could be convinced it had issues in OSX.
- kough 11y ago
  When I was forced to use Lync (due to an acquisition) in 2014 it was absolutely fucking terrible. The OS X client failed to report online status correctly, couldn't participate in most group chats or video or audio calls, and crashed regularly. Also weirdly non-native UI. And, no linux client to speak of - for a startup like the one I worked for where many devs used linux, that was a nonstarter. Has the story improved since then? (Thankfully no longer have to deal with it since I quit that job a half year later)
  - douche 11y ago
    If you're using Lync, but can get by with just IM and presence, install Pidgin and use SIPE[1]. Even if you're on Windows, it's worth doing - Lync has some silly restrictions about running multiple instances, and no way to connect to more than one account at a time [1] http://sipe.sourceforge.net/ http://sipe.sourceforge.net/
  - mitchty 11y ago
    Lync actually starts for you? Mine just segfaults on startup. I've given up on it entirely.
    - area51org 11y ago
      Adium has a plugin available (OCS) that lets you connect. No video or audio, but if you just need IM to work, this'll do the job.
plamb 11y ago
Microsoft wouldn't let me use the version of skype i had on win 8.1 anymore unless i upgraded it, then wouldn't let me upgrade it unless i upgraded to windows 10. I opted to try the skype web client and had to install some skype plugin. Chrome quite literally stopped working the next day, though I'm not sure if it's related to the skype plugin. At any rate, Slack's user experience has been head and shoulders above Skype.
- tempestn 11y ago
  Oh god, speaking of skype plugins, "Skype Click to Call" is a travesty. First of all it automatically installs itself into your browser whenever you install or update Skype, without prompting you. Second, it does some kind of horribly inefficient regex of every page you visit, looking for phone numbers, massively slowing everything down. With Click to Call enabled in Firefox, loading folders in gmail for me goes from sub-second to ~10 seconds.
wiremine 11y ago
I think the have the opportunity, but they are very late to the game. I used Skype for 6 years for work related stuff, and it wasn't great in terms of chat. Slack is WORLDS better. But Skype works GREAT for my interactions with family. The use cases are extremely different. My preference would be to keep the current Skype as-is, or maybe even simplify it, and also add a new "Skype For Teams" product.
saulrh 11y ago
> Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up, I don't see us leaving Slack for it. They had their chance, and they dropped the ball. The funny thing is, they didn't just have a chance, they had a huge chance. My company can't currently use Slack because our regulatory environment (HIPAA) frowns on our data crossing other people's servers. An enterprise-focused Slack equivalent, hosted on client-owned hardware and with a focus on regulatory compliance, could have eaten a huge chunk of the market.
- spdustin 11y ago
  That would be (maybe?) solved with self-hosted Hipchat. https://www.hipchat.com/server https://www.hipchat.com/server

jklinger410 11y ago

As far as I know most people use Skype for business calls. Maybe "team communication" was something that can be done with Skype, but I don't really think it's their core focus. I think what them not buying Slack is implying is that they will start to try and actually compete with Slack directly. Instead of just internet telephony.

teen 11y ago
It's also used for video games a lot, but between leaking your IP and allowing esports players to get DDOSed, and just generally being not a great fit, Discord is getting more popular.
- tomlongson 11y ago
  I hadn't heard about any data leaks from Slack, so I looked it up: http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/8/6946341/slack-has-a-serious-data-leak http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/8/6946341/slack-has-a-seriou... https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/382mao/psa_how_to_protect_your_skype_from_leaking_your_ip/ https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/382mao/psa... What's confusing is the second link is about Skype leaking your IP, not Slack.
  - avtar 11y ago
    When I read teen's comment I thought they were implying that Skype is used by gamers and leaks info.

cheez 11y ago

Microsoft had their chance and dropped the ball on a lot of things, but they always figure it out. Skype on OSX looks much better now and I suspect if they're focusing on Skype instead of spending $8B, then you're looking at serious competition.

atmosx 11y ago
I have a different experience. It was bad before MS came in and got way worst after - except the icon. The icon now is way more slick! But that won't cut it... Plus, I would never use it professionally since Skype (and MS in general) are the extreme low in regards to privacy.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- junto 11y ago
  The one thing that really bugs me about Skype recently is that it refuses to remember my login. Every time I want to login to the Windows app after a restart or update it doesn't log me in automatically. There isn't even a "remember me" option on the login page, which I swear used to be there. Since my password is a 1Password generated secure password, I have to go look it up every time.
- phren0logy 11y ago
  Now that Skype is under the Office license (and hence must be secure enough to meet HIPAA/HITEC) hopefully the security issues improve dramatically.
  - toyg 11y ago
    Are you sure you're not mixing up Skype, which is just the traditional voip network, and "Skype for business" (aka Lync) which is part of Office but a very different product?
r00fus 11y ago
I agree - my Skype on OSX has no ads, the windows version does. So it works good for me.

Negative1 11y ago

"Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up" This. This exactly. Is it really unbelievable to assume Microsoft wouldn't attempt to build their own IRC+ clone and save a few billion while they are at it? I do agree with you, Slack is much better than Skype, but I would add that Lync is just as good. I went from Lync to Slack (after changing jobs) and I would say that Lync not only works just as well but has more features a team would find useful. For instance, multi-user video+voice chat w/ great screensharing/presentation functionality. Edit: Should mention I was using Lync in a Windows shop and now Slack in OSX. In Windows it worked perfectly but I could be convinced it had issues in OSX.

kough 11y ago
When I was forced to use Lync (due to an acquisition) in 2014 it was absolutely fucking terrible. The OS X client failed to report online status correctly, couldn't participate in most group chats or video or audio calls, and crashed regularly. Also weirdly non-native UI. And, no linux client to speak of - for a startup like the one I worked for where many devs used linux, that was a nonstarter. Has the story improved since then? (Thankfully no longer have to deal with it since I quit that job a half year later)
- douche 11y ago
  If you're using Lync, but can get by with just IM and presence, install Pidgin and use SIPE[1]. Even if you're on Windows, it's worth doing - Lync has some silly restrictions about running multiple instances, and no way to connect to more than one account at a time [1] http://sipe.sourceforge.net/ http://sipe.sourceforge.net/
- mitchty 11y ago
  Lync actually starts for you? Mine just segfaults on startup. I've given up on it entirely.
  - area51org 11y ago
    Adium has a plugin available (OCS) that lets you connect. No video or audio, but if you just need IM to work, this'll do the job.

plamb 11y ago

Microsoft wouldn't let me use the version of skype i had on win 8.1 anymore unless i upgraded it, then wouldn't let me upgrade it unless i upgraded to windows 10. I opted to try the skype web client and had to install some skype plugin. Chrome quite literally stopped working the next day, though I'm not sure if it's related to the skype plugin. At any rate, Slack's user experience has been head and shoulders above Skype.

tempestn 11y ago
Oh god, speaking of skype plugins, "Skype Click to Call" is a travesty. First of all it automatically installs itself into your browser whenever you install or update Skype, without prompting you. Second, it does some kind of horribly inefficient regex of every page you visit, looking for phone numbers, massively slowing everything down. With Click to Call enabled in Firefox, loading folders in gmail for me goes from sub-second to ~10 seconds.

wiremine 11y ago

I think the have the opportunity, but they are very late to the game. I used Skype for 6 years for work related stuff, and it wasn't great in terms of chat. Slack is WORLDS better. But Skype works GREAT for my interactions with family. The use cases are extremely different. My preference would be to keep the current Skype as-is, or maybe even simplify it, and also add a new "Skype For Teams" product.

saulrh 11y ago

> Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up, I don't see us leaving Slack for it. They had their chance, and they dropped the ball. The funny thing is, they didn't just have a chance, they had a huge chance. My company can't currently use Slack because our regulatory environment (HIPAA) frowns on our data crossing other people's servers. An enterprise-focused Slack equivalent, hosted on client-owned hardware and with a focus on regulatory compliance, could have eaten a huge chunk of the market.

spdustin 11y ago
That would be (maybe?) solved with self-hosted Hipchat. https://www.hipchat.com/server https://www.hipchat.com/server