Install Skype on Fedora

There are some great application for chat, voice and video calling. From MSN Messenger (now Windows Live Messenger), Yahoo Messenger, Skype, and Google Talk. The state of some features from some of them are partially available (I can say it lack) on Linux OS. Let say, Yahoo Messenger is very popular IM network for general Internet user. It can be found and used from PC to mobile phone. Yap, mostly for chat—in term of text chat—only.

And I personally use—and love—this kind of old and primitive chat method. As a *nix users, did you remember things like wall, write and talk? As an Internet users, did you remember time we have chit-chats in IRC era? And time just keep moving. Lately, for some purpose—and reasons—, we use voice/video call from pc-to-pc, and voice call from pc-to-phone. Yap, here is a proof of concept were evolution theory works very well on software industry.

We may said that technology behind Microsoft Windows Live Messenger, Skype and Google Talk are the best implementation in voice/video call. Right now. And Google Talk is the only one IM with voice/video call feature that using open protocol as a base, XMPP. Please refer to Wikipedia article for more comparison of IM Protocol.

Back to the topic. To install Skype application on Fedora system—tested on Fedora 13,14,15,16—what you have to be done are listed below. Please note, you must use root account or using sudo to run these commands.

• install required dependencies:
  yum install qt-x11.i686 alsa-plugins-pulseaudio.i686 libXScrnSaver.i686

• for Fedora 15 and up, you also need:
  yum install libXv.i686

• now, install Skype itself:
  yum localinstall --nogpgcheck http://download.skype.com/linux/skype-2.2.0.35-fedora.i586.rpm

• and you're done

As a bonus, here is how to install Google Talk voice and video chat plugins.

• Before proceed, please check latest system update from System > Administration > Sotware Update
• Go download the Google Talk voice and video chat plug-in from your Firefox browser
• Choose the right version for your Fedora system
• Select Open with: Package Installer
• Press Install button on popup question "Do you want to install this file?"
• be patient, and installation should be finished in seconds (or minutes) related to speed of your connection.

Enjoy your call while you do your works. Hope it can optimize your productivity.