Skype is going to be uninstalled forever

Well - it will stay afterall - thanks to sarge I installed Download Skype 3.8.0.115 - FileHippo.com for Win7 - so far so good. 6Mb on idle, and it didn't stop responding yet. No bloat either

Skype is very annoying:

1. Memory hog - around 100 MB idle. I want something like ver 3.8 when it used 8MB on idle!
2. Bloated (facebook? What next?)
3. Type "skype security issues" in Google
4. Newest issue - it just stops responding sitting idle in processes (using a lot of ram). Cannot be terminated (not even with advanced proccess managers) but if I start a new Skype it says I am logged on and cannot login again! I tried everything and only restart helps. It happens since ver 5.1. I reinstalled windows in the mean time - no help. I guess it happens when laptop is suspended or in sleep. I use win7 x64. I thought it was MSE but it is the same with Comodo.

Imo.im covers 90% of Skype functionality, and how about Logitech VID for video? Any other suggestions?

So far the best solution is that I would use imo.im all the time and start skype for a couple of things that aren't featured in imo.im. I hope imo.im includes all features of skype.

 

Just uninstall it... No need to tell the world... I am not sure why skype is lagging for you because when I use it it barely takes up 5mb of ram... try using the business install.. it does remove about half the bloat

 

It does creep up to the 100mb range quite easily if you have it running for a few hours - even if you never touch the window.

I would be far more concerned about the security issues than the memory usage.

 

Skype is ridiculously annoying. It's always installing all of these other components + browser addons etc. I don't need that. Switched to gmail video and I'm much happier.

 

repeat, use the business-class install to avoid all of the consumer grade crap.

 

OR don't install it at all because it uses a ton of memory and gmail provides it just fine.

 

Really, gmail will let me call any cell or landline in the US and Canada for $3.99 a month?

Gary

 

Would this do?

 

have you ever typed - banana security issues - into google? that gets a lot of results also. I'm sure I could find other phrases that get comparable results to skype security issues. That doesn't mean much imo.

 

Calling US phones from your computer is currently free with Google talk (not sure about Canada, sorry).

Now its clear why Microsoft just acquired Skype for 8,000,000,000$. It just fits perfectly with their own product line

 

hm. banana security issues does not bring up any interesting google results except this thread. but theres a software called 'banana security'.



but anyways, skype is known to be a thread to most companies security setups, it's even designed that way (as it's designed for the right to speak with everyone even within locked, censored, blocked etc environments like certain countries, and obviously companies).

so there's not a google search needed to know that it's essentially "spyware for the good". it's by design, it's what they want.

i never understood much of the need for skype. most use it for chat and web-telephony, where every other chat app works just as well. those that use it for landline calls of course have a point. but i've yet to meet one doing that in real life.

 

Yeah, use Skype business it uses a lot less memory.

Business Software - Download Skype for Business - Skype

 

Hope MSFT fixes all the security issues and makes Skype more secure

http://forum.notebookreview.com/off-topic/577333-microsoft-due-confirm-takeover-skype.html

 

great
im going to install it now :d

 

Yes. But not outside America.

Nope - My 2GB ram is used for SSD RAM cache which I am currently testing so I have only 500MB free above 1,5GB of windows and a few open programs (including skype). It is a bit extreme situation I know and I might get more ram if I decide to keep this SSD RAM cache tool, but it made me to check the processes to see the memory usage. And from the list of processes Skype beats IE9, Comodo and even Outlook 2010! I don't care about ram so much apart from the time when I need it. Superfetch does the job anyway and whole ram is always used these days (check the Free amount in Task manager - it is always very low). I just hate to see the same functionality from 5 years ago using 10 times more resources for no obvious reason. It is sitting idle forgodssakes - it is not checking for viruses or holding all my mails and addressbooks and tasks and calendar synchronized with my phone. And btw apps that do that need half the ram.

CPU utilitization is ok - 0


Edit: installed Business - disabled facebook BS and all possible settings in Options. Now it uses 80MB. Thanks to all that suggested it. At least it will be smaller when I run it in case I need it above imo.im. I hope it will not stop responding either. Cheers.

 

Yeah good question - since both look the same to me. I even downloaded twice to check if I clicked the right button

Both have facebook and other common features seems to me. Business download comes as a 20 MB file, and ordinary Skype has a 0.98MB loader and then downloads the rest.

But business has group video chat for extra money says the webpage. And the 20MB difference in RAM

 

I did a search of my old posts and i found your answer, see link below.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...d-more-memory-no-negative-posts-required.html

 

@ikovac Thanks for the global announcement.

Install Skype 3.8.0.115 for vista/win7 (ignore compatibility warning) or 3.8.0.188 for winXP.
If you prefer the Skype 4 layout, install 4.2.0.169.
Disable Skype Extras manager if you don't need it.

/thread

 

sarge thanks! I tried many 3.8 versions from hippo and most of them didn't work (.188 is recommended everywhere). Skype may stay for a while now. Disabled extras and Automatic update since it immediately tried to update itself. 6MB RAM on idle - now that is like it should be.

 

Umm.....

from
Skype security - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Skype client for Linux has been observed accessing the /etc/passwd file during execution. ...As this file contains sensitive system information related to logins which are not used in the Skype system, there is zero legitimate use for accessing this file and thus Skype's motives for doing so must be questioned.

The Skype client for Mac has been observed accessing protected information in the system Address Book even when integration with the Address Book (on by default) is disabled in the Skype preferences.

I've never actually searched for Skype security flaws. Unsettling information but not unsurprising these days.

 

And that has absolutely zero relevance to the Windows version of Skype.

Skype for Windows is secure enough for use. The known flaws have been fixed long ago. I'd say it's more secure than most software on your PC.

 

sarge, don't be so sure. Here is something very recent:
https://www.privacyinternational.org/article/skype-called-answer-mounting-security-concerns

But since skype was bought by Microsoft for 8.5bn$ I guess now it will be all fixed and integrated into Windows Bugs will become features!

 

I just installed the latest business version on a brand new laptop.
While this version maybe uses less disk space, it doesn't use less RAM for me.

It uses about 150 MB.

I don't think the business version was like that when this was posted.

 

@ikovac

1st one is just social engineering. You could do the same on Facebook and wherever else.

2nd is possible, but doesn't concern me since I don't use the update feature (staying with 3.8).

3rd one is very interesting, but it's about VoIP in general, not Skype. It would definitely be harder to make this work with Skype streams, since they tend to transmit dummy data and whatnot. Plus I'm not paranoid about someone listening in on my conversations.

Anyhow, that does show that some attacks are possible. But you're much more likely to be compromised through other ways.

 

Who even cares about 150 MB of used RAM these days when you have GB's of RAM sitting around unused? Do you use Skype 24/7? I always quit Skype when I am done with it.

Unused RAM = Wasted RAM

 

If I have one program that uses 99 MB of RAM and one program that uses 100MB of RAM and they're the same exact program/ provide the same quality of service... I'll use the one that uses 99MB.

I used to hear this ALL the time when people defended firefox for being such a RAM hog. It's simply not true. Maybe with XP but the idea is way outdated now. Windows 7 WILL make use of free RAM.

Yes, there's no reason to have 32GB or something outrageous. This is not free license for poor programming. Programs shouldn't say "oh well they weren't using it anyway" and neither should users.

 

If I had 1 or 2 MB of memory I would probably watch at all the stuff being loaded into memory. But if my system has 3 MB or more I really don't pay attention to it. Not that i'm disagreeing with you but if I have $400 in my wallet I don't mind splurging on lunch. Kind of a dumb example but it's the only one I got.

 

I think you mean GB. It happens =p

My point is that if I offered you two identical programs but I said "this one uses 150MB less RAM" why would you ever possibly use the other version?

 

Yeah good catch I meant to say MB not GB. Oops I did it again.

 

I would use the program that uses the least CPU.

 

... Except that has nothing to do with what we're talking about. We're talking about RAM. Your post literally advocated the use of a program that does the same exact thing but manages to use more RAM.

So it's understandable that someone would be upset about this since it makes no sense whatsoever. Again, why is it that you opt into using up more RAM? Because "who cares about 150MB of RAM?" That seems pretty silly.

 

Does it also send out your iPhone GPS log?????

 

I'm not sure if this has been stated yet in this thread (too lazy to read), but Skype was bought by Microsoft recently. You're going to see it a lot more now..integrated in Office, etc etc.

 

Skype still contains bugs and flaws like any other software, and also contains a couple 0day exploits and attack vectors that I know of that are still unpatched. As with any communication software, often times it's the social engi aspect that is the big problem (PEBCAK) so they can get away without patching and simply blame the user (again in most cases this is actually correct).

You carry risk by using any communication software or being on the net period. Is it worth it to talk to friends far away or clients you can't meet? Yeah, it is. Would I like skype and programs in general to be less(non)-invasive and behave, yeah. But for free? Nothing is truly free.

 

^^^^^^That is how I see things.

Skype ver 5.3. vs Skype 3.8.
100MB vs 8MB
BIG bloat vs very little bloat
100% features (I use) vs 100% features (I use)
stops responding (on my comp) vs doesn't stop responding (on my comp so far)


ver 3.8.0.115 solved issues number 1,2 and 4 from my initial post.
I can live with issue no 3.

 

Why did you choose 3.8.0.115 instead of one of the other six 3.8 versions?

 

because the rest of them just don't work on win 7 x64. I can open it, it connects, loads contacts and then stops responding. ver 3.8.0.188 is the best I found people recommend, but sarge pointed out this .115 that I somehow missed before while testing 3.8.xxxx on win7. It works well and so far didn't stop responding.

 

Did you try 3.8.0.188, and if so, did it stop responding?

 

yes. it just crashes. tried compatibility mode, elevated permissions but it didn't help.