Skype

[matsuki]

Somehow "Skype Business" made it's way on to my work PC...can't even log in with it. Have uninstalled it 3X...

[wagyl]

And just this week they updated the new Linux beta client with an even more new hip GUI. On my box, audio doesn't work anymore, though. I am sure, they'll fix that over the years...

Due to some poor but unavoidable decisions made by me in the past, and some incredibly disastrous decisions made by Microsoft, my dual boot Win 7/32-bit Linux box became unworkable, and I bit the bullet, wiped it clean and installed single boot 64-bit Linux. I was thus able to try the new Skype client. I can confirm that audio is unworkable -- and we are not alone -- it appears to arise from incompatibility between pulse and Skype. The audio sounds like the other person has a loose wire in their microphone.

But all of that is moot, because I see that Skype now suggests "contacts you may know" based on who you share contacts in common with. This is a creepiness and intrusion too far in my view. They have jumped over the shark jumping over the killer whale. If only other platforms had the network effects Skype had, but the way they are killing it, that will only be a matter of time.

[Grumpy Gramps]

Yes and they try to grab the contacts out ouf your phone. Need at least Android 6 I think, to refuse the permission.

I almost bit the bullet and installed Whatsapp on my phone to go where everyone else is. But that would be like casting out devils by Beelzebub and no real solution, so I am still resisting that evil empire.

[Taro Toporific]

Yes and they try to grab the contacts out of your phone...

Grrr, that "grab the contacts" behavior drives me bonkers.

Whether it is phones or computers, I have got to point that my only registered contact is Mrs. Taro who is on my au family plan and my home IP address, whichis obviously is already "registered". Otherwise, I always empty my contact list and I keep a dyslexic-Lithuainan-pig-latin* text file of list of my contacts, neener neener.

*Good fcking luck to the Evil Empire trying to figure out
my dyslexic-Lithuainan-pig-latin text file to just to learn
the phone number my burakumin plumber while I am using
mobile and desktop https VPN connections.

[matsuki]

In other words, Taro keeps his blackbook contacts on the uwaki burner like any respectable sara lee man should.