
Skype for Linux 1.3 README

INSTALLATION

If you are using one of the distribution-specific packages, simply run the
"skype" executable.  KDE users should find a launcher for Skype in their
Internet menu if Skype has been installed through one of these packages.

If you are using the dynamic and statically linked generic versions, you
will need to choose a path for Skype to exist in.  If you choose to launch
Skype without being in the directory (or having the working path set to the
Skype directory), you will need to let Skype know where to find its resources
(such as sounds).

The resource paths are checked in the following order:

    $SKYPE_RESOURCES_PATH
    ./
    /usr/share/skype
    /usr/local/share/skype

KNOWN ISSUES

* If you are using a non-standard character set on your filesystem, and you
  attempt to receive files into a directory named with non-standard characters,
  your file transfer may fail.  The only workaround at this time is to avoid
  saving files into directories that contain non-standard characters.

* If you are getting poor sound quality, particularly on USB devices, be sure
  that Esound is not running.  Esound is not necessary on newer versions of
  ALSA after 1.0.11 (which handles sound mixing natively).  To stop it, simply
  open a console and type "killall esd".

* Quickfilter requires your [x] Show offline contacts to be on, otherwise you
  will see just empty groups for offline contacts matching quickfilter.

* If you are running dual-monitors with the ATi driver (possibly others) and
  you attempt to drag a user off your contact list to the other desktop whilst
  a list update occurs, Skype may exit with a Segmentation fault.

* If you are using ALSA 1.0.11 or later, and still have an /etc/asound.conf or
  ~/.asoundrc config file with settings related to dmix, you can now delete
  this file (or save it elsewhere if you think it has settings that you need).
  dmix is now handled internally by ALSA, and no configuration is required.
  Using these configuration files may cause "Problem with sound device" errors
  when attempting to make a call.

* If you are getting choppy audio, you may want to check if you are running
  esd.  Open a console and type: (without the % sign)
  
     % ps uax | grep "esd"
  
  If you see a line like this,
  
  root      5347  0.0  0.1   3184  1480 ?        Ss   16:08   0:00 /usr/bin/esd -terminate -nobeeps -as 1 -spawnfd 14
  
  Try typing "killall esd", then try your Skype call again.

* The closed-source Flash plug-in from Adobe is compiled against OSS.  This
  means that it may use the OSS emulation under ALSA to play its sounds.
  Unfortunately, software mixing of audio is disabled when this emulation is
  used and thus Skype will give a "Problem with sound device" error when
  audio is playing from the Flash applet.
