New icons in version 2.8 are horrible. Anyone knows how to use the 2.7 instead? Skype looks like cheap app.

I use to LOVE skype but this "connection fee" makes skype short calls expensive. Hope Google Voice put some pressure on this!
Skype video calls are awesome. I just wish I could use the same interface as Adium.

It should probably be noted that the above version 2.8.0.438 is a beta version.

"At the moment, screen sharing only works when sharing from a Mac-to-Mac or Mac-to-PC. We’re working hard on a PC-to-PC and PC-to-Mac version."
http://www.skype.com/intl/en/allfeatures/screensharing/

If you do not have Skype on your mac, you're missing out :)

This get a strange feeling with this "gift" / "group hug"... :(

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype:
"One major problem with Skype is that its source code is not open source, and therefore cannot be inspected by most people - including most security specialists - for back doors that can be exploited by hackers or government agents. Security specialist Bruce Schneier said (...) that "In the cryptography world, we consider open source necessary for good security; we have for decades."
(...)
A third party paper analyzing the security and methodology of Skype was presented at Black Hat Europe 2006. It analyzed Skype and made these observations:
(...)
* Assumes a 'blind trust' of anything else speaking Skype
* No way to know if there is or will be a 'backdoor'
* Skype has been found to access BIOS data to identify individual computers and provide DRM protection for plug-ins.
* Skype is owned by eBay, whose privacy policy is perhaps the least protective of customers of any large corporation. (...)

It works... just.

For the most part for me, Skype performs as intended but I still get 1 in 7 (average) SMS stuck as 'pending' meaning I am never sure if the message was received at the other end by the intended recipient so I end up calling them.

Apparently this is more to do with the cell phone network not always sending a 'successful delivery' flag back to Skype. So you may find some cell phone networks behave better than others.

Skype is very much hit and miss. On one hand, it brought video conference to the masses and cheap conference calls to my company. On the other, the quality is mediocre on lots of calls, the service unreliable and the UI for the mac version rather drab. I downgraded to 2.6 stable from 2.7 beta due to the various issues introduced by the so-called 'high quality/resolution' calls, which do not work as advertised and are just a tie in with Logitech to sell more quickcams. (yes I know about the xml trick, but still). Recommended with reservations until IChat gets its stuff together.

Version 2.7 beta brings 640×480 video.
Available here.

Since yesterday that Skype is unable to establish a connection. And this also happens with other Skype users. My brother uses a PC and he has the same problem: since yesterday he is unable to connect through Skype.
Anyboday knows what's happening? Is the whole Skype system down?