Skype is a proprietary voice-over-Internet Protocol service and software application originally created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis in 2003, and owned by Microsoft since 2011.
The service allows users to communicate with peers by voice, video, and instant messaging over the Internet. Phone calls may be placed to recipients on the traditional telephone networks. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free of charge, while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system. Skype has also become popular for its additional features, including file transfer, and videoconferencing. Competitors include SIP and H.323-based services, such as Empathy, Linphone, Ekiga as well as the Google Talk service.
Install skype in ubuntu 12.04
To install Skype add the Canonical Partner Repository.Open the terminal and run the following commands
sudo apt-add-repository "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner"
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install skype
Hey, I know this is a little old but I am unable to get this to install. I type in the command and get there errors
E: Could not get lock /var/cache/apt/archives/lock – open (11: Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock directory /var/cache/apt/archives/
Is there a way to appropriately unlock and lock these files? The terminal text leading up to this shows that it is ready to install but cannot because of these two things…
Some help would be great thanks!
it works for me fine
sudo apt-add-repository “deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner”
I am getting this error
Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock – open (11: Resource temporarily unavailable)
It worked…
Thanks. I m new to Ubuntu and I appreciate this help.
Is not working. Error: unable to locate package skype.
same thing here it seems like this thing aint working if anyone knows how to please sort a brother out
are you trying to install on 32-bit or 64-bit ubuntu operating system
Thank you for help!
We too wept after spending frustreting hours trying to load Skype on Ubuntu! We must thank you people for the command lines. The trick was to change our OS to Ubuntu 12.04 for which all the dependencies etc. for 64 bit have been taken care of by Skype. After changing the OS we downloaded Skype using the command lines. Then we typed skype in the terminal and proceeded to enter. Then Skype got activated, the icon came on the left side Launcher bar, we locked it to Launcher (because it was not coming up on search in dash home). The you click on the icon it works like magic & you are on board. Looks so simple now, but it was a trial! Thanks all!
I am using ubunto 12.04 LTS. Followed the instructions for installing Skype, but got this error message
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
skype : Depends: skype-bin
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
Can someone help?
Hi, Can anyone tell me like an idiot how to install Skype 64 bit on ubuntu 12.04. treat me like an idiot!
Many thanks.
Working for ubuntu 12.04 32bit! thanks.
Thanks a lot!! I am new to ubuntu. This helped me save some time 🙂
I have 64bit Ubuntu 12.04 and cannot install via the command line or from Synaptic/Software center. I keep getting the 404 file(s) not found message. If I download from the Skype site and install it, I get warnings everyday from Ubuntu that it’s not a valid version. Can anything be changed from the command line to pick up the 64bit version or is it not available? Has something changed that makes the repository files unavailable?
thanks
what is a Canonical Partner Repository.Open?
Where do I find it? How do I use it? Why do I have to type commands as though this was 1980?
Of course! This information help me to unstall skype, I even think there is no Skype on Ubuntu..haha,I am very happy, a friend of mine help me to find this item…Thank you , to whom write this article…
Hi there,
This worked for me in Ubuntu 12.04 and just wanted to say how much I appreciate the article. Thanks very much.
I had the same question, then realized it’s a typo. There should be a space after the period after Repository. “Open the terminal…” is a new sentence. So, to interpret for us neophytes:
Go to Menu > Accessories > Terminal (or Terminal Emulator).
This will open a little window into which you type the commands.
The commands will then “…add the Canonical Partner Repository.” I am guessing this is the digital info required to be installed on your computer in order for it to link to Skype and run the application. Why do they call it a “Canonical Partner Repository” ?? Ask the geek that thought of that name!
If this solution doesn’t work, you can go about it this way (Terminal, don’t copy what starts with //, those are comments):
1. wget http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-beta-ubuntu-64
//Or you could go to skype.com -> Download -> Linux -> Select Distro -> Ubuntu 12.04, but if you do, make sure you “cd” to your download folder
2.sudo dpkg -i skype-*
//Yes you can specify just the start of the name and add “*” or write it all done (currently: “skype-ubuntu-precise_4.2.0.11-1_i386.deb”), your choice
3.sudo apt-get -f install
//Just to be sure your dependencies are all good.
That’s it, look for it in the search window.
So from start to finish (in the Terminal, don’t copy what starts with //, those are comments from me to you 🙂 ):
1. sudo sh -c ‘echo “deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ precise partner” >> \ /etc/apt/sources.list.d/canonical_partner.list’
//or
sudo apt-add-repository “deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ precise partner”
// The first one will tell the shell to add the Partner Repository to your source list. The second one will tell “apt” to do it. It’s just another way of doing the same thing. In the description it says “$(lsb_release -sc)”, that should let the system figure out what release you have, we are just going to specify it ourselves by replacing that with “precise” (as in Ubuntu 12.04)
2. sudo apt-get update
// Just updating the source list
3. sudo apt-get -f install skype
//This should be it. If for some reason this doesn’t work, then you could go about it manually (sorry no auto updates since no repository, you will have to remove it manually and reinstall newer versions the same way you did this one), which are the following steps (4->6). If it installs correctly then forget about the rest *Slowly waves his hand* “These are not the commands you are looking for”
4. wget http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-beta-ubuntu-64
//Or you could go to skype.com -> Download -> Linux -> Select Distro -> Ubuntu 12.04, but if you do, make sure you “cd” to your download folder
5.sudo dpkg -i skype-*
//Yes you can specify just the start of the name and add “*” or write it all done (currently: “skype-ubuntu-precise_4.2.0.11-1_i386.deb”), your choice
6.sudo apt-get -f install
//Just to be sure your dependencies are all good.
That’s it, look for it in the search/start window.
Hi,
Thanks for the great help worked fine and installed very easily on Ubuntu 12.04
Worked! thank you very much for taking your time sharing this great info
try typing sudo apt-get install -f
Best Answer Available On the NET to install skype on Ubuntu 12.04 Precise!!!
The first command went fine, second one whn did, the following msg came!
You might want to run ‘apt-get -f install’ to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
skype : Conflicts: skype:i386 but 4.1.0.20-1 is to be installed
skype:i386 : Conflicts: skype-bin
Conflicts: skype-bin:i386 but 4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2 is to be installed
Conflicts: skype but 4.2.0.11-0ubuntu0.12.04.2 is to be installed
skype-bin:i386 : Breaks: skype:i386 (< 4.1.0.20.0-0ubuntu0.12.04.1) but 4.1.0.20-1 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
That was great help. Thanks a lot
I was really looking for a tutorial like this, laid out for newbies of Ubuntu or Linux, thank you very much, it came useful for me :).
I have been using Skype with Ubuntu 12.04 for about a year and every time I turn on my Logitech camera during a video session, both my picture and the picture of the other party flash blue. The other person sees me perfectly. If I turn off my Logitech, the blue flashing disappears. Today during a video chat, my entire screen when blank and I had to reboot Ubuntu. Is there a driver upgrade available for Logitech USB cameras. The processor is an older Dell Dimension 4600C.