The Obvious: Skype Interface on the Mac Sucks

[awildbard]

I agree.  I wasn't sure if it was mac or just updated skype, but I really liked chatting feature on skype before, but now it doesn't work the same way at all.  It used to be in a separate window which was super convenient.  And I used to chat with groups of people very freely without needing to contact someone by phone which of course we don't always want to do.  That is the beauty of chat. 

And when you want to call someone, sometimes you can send chat messages first to say something like, hey are you there? ready for the call? but now it is pretty awkward to say the least.  And it is difficult to monitor the conversation.  I used to be able to view a long (or short) readout of the chat, but now that is very clumsy.

I don't understand why companies try to improve by making things less usable.

[tbalto]

You would think they would TEST it out for user friendly.

[zOdeac]

This is the second time i have posted and once about 1hr ago.

Message to Skype, Microsoft

Bring back the volume button we had in the last version where i can turn down the connected video and hear my podcasts.  You guys are taking stuff away that im using on a day to day bases.

[kenobi]

Each time a new mac version comes out it becomes more and more user unfriendly. I can't stop swearing at my monitor since the last version came out.

Seriously, just hire a proper UI/UX crew, guys. 

Thank you!

[helle18]

I agree that the UI seems to get bigger and more messed up with each new version of Skype for Mac. I use Skype both on my Mac and on a PC and I have to say that I like the Windows version better. There at least some of the most annoying stuff can be disabled because you have OPTIONS. For some reason that word seems unheard of when it comes to Mac. Why is that?

My top three wish list looks like this:

1. I want a badge on the menu bar icon to see that I have a new message, like I do on the systems tray icon in Windows. There I get a discreet 1 (or 2 or how many people have sent me messages) showing up in a little yellow bouncing circle. I know there is a badge on the dock icon, but since I usually auto hide my dock, I want the badge on the menu bar icon as that is always visible.
2. Compact window - for the love of god, give me the option of a compact window. I want a narrow window with the name and status ONLY, I am not one bit interested in stars/lists/locations/etc.
3. I want to be able to chat in separate windows (Windows style). This one big monster window in the Mac UI is just ugly and annoying.

[josh87]

Basically my problems are

RAM Usage

Unwanted FB integration

UI is insanely bad

Volume button - bring it back now! wth was the thinking with that??!

All I know is that if these issues are not corrected and competition(multiplatform) comes around I am gone from skype forever.

[xtfocus]

I Hate the new black icon. It makes it very difficult to know if you're online or not. Whoever came up with that ... it was a really bad idea. 

[tbarth]

I've been using Skype since 2003, and I have to say that the UI has rarely been their strong point. Remember the guides people would make describing the long process of deuglifying and minimizing the interface? (Windows version)

I've been on Mac for about five years and the interface was more or less 'ok' with 2.8, but 5 is unusable unless you're a uni-tasker and don't care that it takes up all of your screen space.

I've been back to version 2.8.0.866 since the day 5 came out and am still perfectly fine ignoring their 'progress' with the v5 train wreck.

[design69]

I am in violent agreement with many of these posts, but have a particular peeve which is getting me rather annoyed. Apart from the black menu bar icon (just give us an option, please, to choose b/w or colour!) I am going nuts with the massive Skype logo staring back at me when I go full screen in a video chat. Not to mention that the outgoing video thumbnail snaps to the nearest corner you drag it to. I need to be able to see my own face when I speak with people, without having to look away from the camera. Who thought that not allowing a user to position the video window where he needs it was a good idea? Give your users options, don't take them away! In the meantime, I'm going back to 2.8. Lemme know when things change. Thanks.

[inqunknown]

I never had any complaints until this latest upgrade. I can't even run the program on my Mac (OS 10.6.. It unexpectedly quits immediately after opening. I saw enough to see that it uploaded all of my address book, which I definitely didn't want. Sounds like the UI went down the tubes. If I had to guess, I would think skype got someone new working for them with "new" ideas trying to fix something that wasn't this broken to begin with...Reminds me of why I went to Mac from windows...Every upgrade has massive unnecessary changes instead of building on a reliable stable system.

Then again, I wonder if most people think "change" is synonymous with "better".