Linux users - Upgrade skype to 4.3 now

I've recently found that skype for Linux versions prior to 4.3 are having problems with chat, and other things that made using skype between my Ubuntu desktop, Macbook, and my iPhone make me scratch my head and wonder what's wrong with linux Skype. It almost felt like something of a skype split brain problem. Anyway... if you use Linux, you probably want to/ need to upgrade to Skype 4.3 or greater and you're going to need to do it manually.

Background: Linux users have been trained over many years to just be thankful that Skype for Linux EXISTS, that Microsoft didn't kill the port, and that an occasional update for Linux still gets pushed out. Somehow... over time... someone produces proper 3rd party packages with proper dependency tracking and puts them in a repository, and life has been mostly good.


I run Ubuntu, and I've gotten used to installing Skype from the partner repository as described here in the official Ubuntu Skype guide.

To install the latest version of Skype, I agree with the recommendations here:

1. If skype is not already installed, install the packaged version of skype from the Canonical partners repository to get proper dependencies installed first
2. uninstall skype
3. download and install the new skype from skype.com

The 4.3 version has solved my Skype 'split brain' problems, random weirdness, and issues with Skype chat.