Microsoft is killing Skype • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#381

Post by kevin_thibedeau » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:14 PM UTC

StableAlkyne wrote: post #376

drooopy wrote: post #101

The way Microsoft and Skype missed their opportunity during the pandemic to maintain or even expand their lead in video conferencing, while allowing a complete unknown (outside of the corporate world, at least) like Zoom to become the dominant platform, should be studied in business schools. The term 'Skype' is so synonymous with video calling that, based on personal experience, it is still used in place of FaceTime…

Some suit was probably worried about cannibalizing their Teams business (even though Skype has better name recognition and Teams has a bad reputation). It's pretty common in the dinosaurs like Microsoft. Kodak for example had working digital cameras very early on, but didn't do anything with them because they didn't want to cannibalize their film business. Give a suit a KPI, and they're gonna optimize for that KPI.

Digital cameras were mostly useless in the 80s and early 90s for rank and file consumers. The demand wasn't there.

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#382

Post by pjs_ » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:16 PM UTC

I liked it when they made all the lines wiggly

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#383

Post by foogazi » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:19 PM UTC

Why not use AI to make Skype successful?

Not adding AI, but have AI design, and execute the steps to turn Skype into a successful product

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#384

Post by Scene_Cast2 » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:20 PM UTC

Is there a good alternative with high-bandwidth, high-quality video? I just tried Discord, Telegram, and Element - they all compress their video quite noticeably into a blurry mush.

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#385

Post by klausa » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:23 PM UTC

Am4TIfIsER0ppos wrote: post #362

thwarted wrote: post #330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've heard that the French are strict about language, but what does "reserved" mean here? What do the French call coke¹? ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel) ?

One upon a time wikipedia used to have links to the other language wikis on the same entry. Now I have to edit the URL to jump to the disambiguation page https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke which tells me it is also "coke" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(charbon)

It still does.

There's a button saying "58 languages" on the trailing edge of where the title of the page is. It opens a drop-down with language selection.

(Presumably the UI is different on mobile, speaking about web.)

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#386

Post by jdlyga » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:25 PM UTC

Every time I'm forced to use Teams it's a chore. I was trying to find a way to set a virtual background or change camera settings, and it looks like it's only available right before you join a meeting. It's wild.

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#387

Post by acd10j » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

drooopy wrote: post #101

The way Microsoft and Skype missed their opportunity during the pandemic to maintain or even expand their lead in video conferencing, while allowing a complete unknown (outside of the corporate world, at least) like Zoom to become the dominant platform, should be studied in business schools. The term 'Skype' is so synonymous with video calling that, based on personal experience, it is still used in place of FaceTime…

What are you talking about? Microsoft Teams took over everything else during and after the pandemic. The reason for Skype being left behind was that everyone started using Teams in enterprises.

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#388

Post by lbourdages » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

pcl wrote: post #289

lbourdages wrote: post #285

Anyone knows of an alternative to Skype to make free calls to 1-800 numbers? I was keeping Skype in my back pocket during trips abroad for that exact reason (allowed me to get away with using data only eSIMs and still be able to call bank/airline if something happens).

Google Voice is pretty cheap for that use case.

Not available in Canada sadly.

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#389

Post by bombcar » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:29 PM UTC

Scene_Cast2 wrote: post #384

Is there a good alternative with high-bandwidth, high-quality video? I just tried Discord, Telegram, and Element - they all compress their video quite noticeably into a blurry mush.

Zoom has some settings for HQ and “musician audio”. But to really do it right you need something designed for recording high quality - like riverside.

Re: Microsoft is killing Skype

#390

Post by h2zizzle » Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 5:30 PM UTC

pembrook wrote: post #107

xnorswap wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I too have worked for a European company bought out by a large American company. They too didn't understand our culture. They completely ignored the parts of our business that were scalable and taking off, and focused instead on nebulous "synergies". They actually seemed more interested in us taking on their branding than what we actually did. They'd push down demands to chase some latest trends but when we needed so…

What both of you are describing is just what normally happens with MOST acquisitions (regardless of the nationality of the acquirer). Most acquisitions don’t turn into YouTube or WhatsApp/Instagram-level success for the acquirer. The academic literature on CEOs empire building via acquisition is that most of the time it’s value destructive. I love a good US vs Europe debate but acquisitions aren’t an area where eithe…

What I gather about the differences between American and European attitudes towards work hours and vacation leads me to believe that there's actually a material difference between American and European acquisitions. I'm certain that new Euro bosses don't walk in expecting to be able to pull everyone back from summer holiday on a whim, but I've heard of just such a thing happening when we Americans rolled in.