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Skype suddenly blocks users with OS X 10.5 or earlier
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MacNN Staff
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Microsoft-owned Skype has, without warning, cut off support for users with OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or earlier, reports say. The company has given instructions on how to update the client software, but users say they don't appear to fix the problem. A spokesperson explains that the company doesn't "currently have a build that OS X Leopard (10.5) users could use."
Apple itself no longer supports Leopard, which first came out in 2007, and lacks a number of now-standard OS X features such as the Mac App Store. Apple is selling upgrades to Snow Leopard for $20, but that won't help older PowerPC-based Macs that don't meet system requirements.
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Last edited by NewsPoster; Aug 10, 2014 at 12:28 AM.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Seattle
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Sigh, I'm actually running a new version of OS X, but this is yet another addition to my long list of reasons not to use Skype. At times, I get the impression Skype/Microsoft executives want to drive away their Mac customers.
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Author of Untangling Tolkien and Chesterton on War and Peace
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
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I don't think this is a Skype specific issue. Many software titles are requiring current OS's to run.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Sep 2000
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Shedding OS support is fine, but is generally preceded with an announcement to allow users to plan for it.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Prevent it from phoning home. http://community.skype.com/t5/Mac/My-solution-to-continue-using-Skype-2-8-on-older-OS-X-Lion-etc/td-p/3454441. Modify your hosts file (be very careful, hosing this can prevent you from getting anywhere on the internet). Launch Terminal, then type
sudo nano /private/etc/hosts
Use the arrow keys to go to the bottom of that list and add (with a tab between them):
ui.skype.com 127.0.0.1
Then Control-o, Return, Control-x, and quit from Terminal.
If you can't save at the Control-o step, you'll need an administrator for your Mac to do this.
Note: this works for most versions but did not work for 5.8.0.865 for me, don't know why.
Modifying the hosts file like this works for Windoze boxes too.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Maitland, FL
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OS X 10.5.x is no longer secure to be on the Internet anyway, particularly if one wants to use Flash or Java, so really this is just as well. For the few people remaining still on PowerPC machines, I'd recommend repurposing that machine for non-Internet use.
Those with Intel-based 10.5.x machines can of course upgrade to 10.6.8 for $20 and still be reasonably secure from threats for the short-term, but really this is just another (albeit rudely abrupt) sign that the train has left the station -- the last machines with 10.5.x native on them was seven years ago -- it's time to get yourself a new(er) computer.
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Charles Martin
MacNN Editor
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hey chas, what if we like our computers and don't like force obsolescence?
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Managing Editor
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Chas is actually on your side. That said, using a PPC on the Internet can't be considered forced obsolescence.
MS's arbitrary block of 10.5 has no meaning, and they just did it out of spite. I can see them saying "hey, on the next update, you're out of luck" but this was just a douche move.
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