I love Ubuntu, but one thing I think is a pain is skype for it. It's outdated, buggy and generally just not as smooth as a lot of the other Ubuntu software.
Is there an alternative for it? I'm not speaking about another IM like AIM or Live Messenger. Put another piece of software like the native app that comes with Ubuntu, that allows me to sign into Skype as well? Or is there perhaps a plugin for the native Ubuntu chat app that allows Skype contacts, calling etc. etc.
If you mean alternative Skype client, no such tool exists because protocol used in the Skype is closed and they didn't published the source code of Skype. So you can't access Skype through another client.
You can use empathy for most of the other services though.
Note:
You can use Skype under pidgin using Skype plug-in. But even then, you are actually using Skype in the background using Skype API.
Links
Well, recently, I just embedded the beta Skype client within node webkit and I'm using it as an alternative client, on Linux. Repository here.
You can install the pidgin-skype Install pidgin-skype package from the Software Centre (or using apt-get)
This protocol plug-in allows libpurple to communicate with Skype. Applications using libpurple (Pidgin, Finch, Empathy/Telepathy, etc.) can thus show your Skype contacts alongside those from other protocols, and you can communicate with them using that application instead of the Skype user interface.
This plug-in communicates with the Skype application in the background to perform its work, so it's necessary to have Skype installed and running. This product uses the Skype API but is not endorsed, certified or otherwise approved in any way by Skype.
This answer is from How to integrate Skype into Pidgin? (user fluteflute )
Goober messenger by far is the best VOIP, video chat & text chat client I have found. OoVoo would be my second runner up, both are far better than Skype. However, all communications using Goober are encrypted for security and Goober uses very little memory. Goober is completely free and does not have any ads unlike ooVoo.
Goober also does not use supernodes like Skype does therefore freeing up lots of bandwidth. Goober has a simple and very clean interface as well. Try it out, I guarantee you will like it far better than any other similar program, even more specifically Skype!
Pidgin + SkypeWeb Plugin for Pidgin
This plugin communicates via Skype Web API, so you can use it without Skype application at all.
But note, Skype Web API still in beta, and "SkypeWeb Plugin for Pidgin" uses HTTP protocol.
There is also outlook.com [1] which I have been using lately. IMO it's minimal version available on the web you can use to chat with Skype contacts. I'm surprised no one hack around it a better GUI.
[1] You must link your Skype account with your Outlook account to make it work.
If you use Chrome (or Chromium) browser you can get a good Skype extension from the here on the chrome.google.com webstore.
Jitsi Videobridge
Put:
meet.jit.si/your_chatroom_name
into the address bar in Firefox or Chrome and send the link to whoever you want (multipe user support). Enable mic and camera when prompted of course.
