Skype - The Worst IT Support in The World?


Ian J

Advanced Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
1,880
I've recently updated Skype on my desktop after not using it for about a year. (I've been using it mainly on my phone)

When the new version started it asked for my password, I entered the password I have used with it since signing up 10 years+ ago and it wouldn't work.

No problem I thought I'll just request a reset.

1st issue, the email I used to register those 10+ years ago is no longer working as the company I used for internet access back then is no longer trading.

No problem I'll just contact Skype and get it sorted.

After providing a list of the contacts on my Skype account and extra details they are still emailing me a link to put in my registered email address so that they can send me a reset password token.  The same registered email that no longer works :(

Absolutely useless.

Anyone else had a similar problem and been able to resolve it?
 
When MSN went down an microsoft forced skype and requested you merged your skype account to your MSN account without the ability to do the opposite, or actually manage the merge, I simply dumped it all together. Hangout from google tends to all my comm needs and don´t do this kind of dick move. 
 
Just had another email asking me to fill in their "Get More Help" form.

This is the 3rd time I have completed the form.

Absolutely useless.
 
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Indeed. I tried to set it up on my phone but it didn't recognize my password, the same password I'd always used I thought, but maybe I was mistaken, it had been several months at least (if not years) since the last time I'd had to type it in. Ok, I'll just log into the site and change it. Apparently everything is now linked to an msn.com address or something so there was a bit of trouble getting that squared away but I thought it was all sorted. Try to log in... failed. Try again... failed. Try alternate passwords... failed. Attempt to reset password... linked to the email address I had a million years ago and no longer have access to. I even wrote out my password in a terminal and copy/pasted it into the field so I know I was typing what I thought was correct... failed. I contacted support, they sent me through an account verification process requiring a bunch of stuff that was a pain to figure out but was able to get my email address updated eventually so that was good. Do a password reset, typed out the password into a terminal, copy/pasted into the form, get the "password updated" email, attempt to log in by copy/pasting the password into the form... FAILED. Literally there is no way I could have mistyped it, I copy/pasted the password. So I sent support another email mentioning what I had done, suggesting that maybe I entered an invalid password too many times and that maybe my account had been temporarily locked as a result. A few hours later I tried again and successfully logged in. The next day I got a response telling me that there was nothing wrong with my account and that maybe I needed to update to the latest version of Skype, as if that would have any effect on the website.

So yeah, Skype is terrible, pass it on.
 
We now got the suggestion to not use Skype anymore at university as with a recent update they changed their eula and now have the right to do anything with your conversations. Be it video, files, chat or spoken word.


So yes... it's crap. Don't use it anymore at work.


I only use it to talk to my mother from time to time as it is the only chatting program she is used to.
 
Skype is an insecure piece of s**t.

It's even forbidden in university research in France, long before M$ bought it.

Why in the world somebody wants to use it when he could use SIP software ?
 
I wish I could at least delete my ancient Skype account...

I invested 2 hours yesterday just to eliminate my old (pre Google-)Youtube account and my old MySpace profile (which was empty anyway).

All those evil corporations buying millions of accounts and changing all the rules afterwards is just wrong.

You can't change a contract just like this, but even Paypal does it.
 
If there was an easy to use (for in-laws & elderly relatives) alternative I'd gladly swap to it.

It would take effort moving them all over to the new software but if it's as easy to use as Skype and is available on mobile phones I'd give it a go after this debacle.
 
I invested 2 hours yesterday just to eliminate my old (pre Google-)Youtube account and my old MySpace profile (which was empty anyway).
Similar to you on this, I have tried till I am blue in the face to stop Google+ notifications from my subscriptions on YouTube.

It only happens on a couple of subscriptions but I cannot find why.

Recently I have been getting email notifications too even though those are DEFINITELY disabled on my YT channel.

Again it is only on a couple of my 100+ subscriptions.

I really hate all of this social networking, everyone trying to tie all of your accounts together.

Bah Humbug.
 
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you can't use the same password on two different devices. make a new account for each device you have skpe on.
 
One thing to note - which I'm not sure is relevant. My Hotmail password (which was MSN as well), was 20 characters, however, Microsoft beefed up their security by limiting the password to a *maximum* of 16!

So now, I have to stop 4 short when entering my password... Hmmm, actually, I'm not sure I like how that shounds. If they've hashed it, how could they know the hash for 4 characters shorter?
 
Just tell them how awful skype is, stealing motherboard serials, firefox passwords etc...
It's not stealing if they tell you in the EULA that they'll be doing it.Doesn't make it less immoral, just less illegal.
 
One thing to note - which I'm not sure is relevant. My Hotmail password (which was MSN as well), was 20 characters, however, Microsoft beefed up their security by limiting the password to a *maximum* of 16!


So now, I have to stop 4 short when entering my password... Hmmm, actually, I'm not sure I like how that shounds. If they've hashed it, how could they know the hash for 4 characters shorter?
Now that you mention it... hmmmm
 
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