3 ms·
Firstly there's 3 versions of skype backend: original p2p, microsoft's intercept all your calls, and Lync. Then they renamed Lync to be Skype for Business, and
by mavhc 5y ago
Firstly there's 3 versions of skype backend: original p2p, microsoft's intercept all your calls, and Lync.
Then they renamed Lync to be Skype for Business, and now had to try to make those 2 systems work together.
Then Windows 8 comes along and they rewrite the client in Metro, but it doesn't do everything, so the Win32 client still exists.
Also recall that MS had MSNMessenger, so guns all pointing at each other.
Then they got social network jealousy, so tried to do something with Skype, then gave up.
I've still no idea if skype can call Lync/SfB/Teams or not.
I assume at some point they didn't bother making Android/iOS apps because they wanted WinPhone to be a thing.
- api 5y agoBoth Skype and FaceTime abandoned P2P at the expense of privacy and (usually) call quality because there used to be a patent troll called VirNetX going after large companies employing P2P networking. They had some ridiculous patent on "having two devices talk on a network, mediated by a third" and won in the Eastern District of Texas of course. That patent is now expired.
- colejohnson66 5y agoIt’s the same with Apple’s FaceTime. It was originally intended to be P2P, but VirNetX sued them. Some believe that’s why Steve Jobs’ claim of it becoming “open” to non-Apple devices never materialized.
- ohthehugemanate 5y agoMy friend who worked at Skype at the time tells me the rebuild was because of the rise of mobile devices, and the limitations of mobile internet at the time. Skype's original architecture used peer to peer routing, ie network quality relied on there being always-on nodes in between the calling parties. Demand for mobile Skype grew, but no one wanted to use their expensive, limited bandwidth mobile internet to be a router in the Skype network. Not to mention, those mobile connections weren't stable enough to be useful for nodes anyway. Hence the redesign around a client-server model, where MS could guarantee call quality a lot better, and which allowed for mobile to thrive. None of which excuses the UI of course, or problems with the back end. Or lync, or any of the other problems. But it does give some context.
- mijoharas 5y ago> Also recall that MS had MSNMessenger, so guns all pointing at each other. If anyone is wondering, I believe this might be a reference to this "microsoft organisational chart" [0]. [0] https://external-preview.redd.it/PUA8tCYtXm11ZBA1oLmqESSwjZn3Xx1WrfNLJvRus6s.png?auto=webp&s=3647c340e6347592cd1578dfcb4bd83881a9b18c https://external-preview.redd.it/PUA8tCYtXm11ZBA1oLmqESSwjZn...