Way back in mid-2k (maybe late), Skype was about to release the core of the code for linux as a lib that could be linked to from 3rd-party chat apps. They nixed

Way back in mid-2k (maybe late), Skype was about to release the core of the code for linux as a lib that could be linked to from 3rd-party chat apps. They nixed that at the last minute (after getting a lot of partner's hopes up) and instead we ended up with a shitty app for Linux instead an ok lib for Linux. I only heard about the lib as I was working for a company that was running the Skype hardware stores at the time.