Linux Skype gets pushed up to 1.4 Beta

Luxembourg (Luxembourg) - Skype has released a new beta version of its voice-over IP software for Linux users, bringing new features to the open source platform for the first time.

It’s the first major update for the Linux version of Skype in over nine months. The main feature added to the new version is call forwarding, allowing users to forward incoming calls to another phone line.

Also, emoticons are back in the new beta software, following past problems they caused with abnormal CPU usage. Functionally, the new application adds support for gilbc 2.3 systems and stabilizes Qt 4.3.0 adoption. This means older systems can now run Skype and all "serious issues" have been fixed with regard to the latter update, according to Skype’s official Linux blog.

Skype has been notoriously criticized by the Linux community because of numerous bug reports, and its downgraded version compared to Windows.

In the Skype blog, an employee known as "Andrew" wrote, "Everybody is expecting a great child out of the Linux project, and this child is coming."