Since we moved to the other side of the world, we have found Skype to be invaluable for keeping in touch. This morning, we were disappointed to find we couldn’t log in. First we thought there was a problem with our DSL (no, everything else works, but rebooted the router just in case), maybe a problem with our ISP? No, can’t log in from work either. Had a look on the Skype website and found this update:
Hello everyone,
Apologies for the delay, but we can now update you on the Skype sign-on issue. As we continue to work hard at resolving the problem, we wanted to dispel some of the concerns that you may have. The Skype system has not crashed or been victim of a cyber attack. We love our customers too much to let that happen. This problem occurred because of a deficiency in an algorithm* within Skype networking software. This controls the interaction between the user’s own Skype client and the rest of the Skype network.
Rest assured that everyone at Skype is working around the clock — from Tallinn to Luxembourg to San Jose — to resume normal service as quickly as possible.
*If you’re a non-techie, try replacing “deficiency in an algorithm” with “programming error”.
I suppose it’s nice of them to try to keep their customers reassured, but it’s contradictory to say they love their customers too much to let a crash or cyber attack break Skype (which I’m pretty sure is impossible to guarantee) BUT they’ll quite happily release a ‘deficient algorithm within the Skype networking software’ which causes the software to become unusable for everyone. Absolutely renders their product useless. Completely.
Recently I have seen the counter at the bottom of my Skype client say there is over 8 million people connected, that’s a lot of customers to annoy.
On the Skype homepage they say they will have it fixed within 12 to 24 hours. That’s a long time to wait for a fix. I can only assume it was some sort of capacity issue, since they’re not being specific and it broke so catastrophically.
August 17th, 2007 at 9:54 am
All contacts to our working artists all over the world we keep via Skype
so already whole day we are “out of business”
August 17th, 2007 at 10:03 am
They seem honestly trying to keep everyone informed but I cant help feeling there is something else going on. I mean SKYPE did some maintenance yesteday, In anybody’s world that is going to screw things!!! The ALGORITHM thing does not wash. It sounds like something my IT guys would tell me just before I go into orbit. Software that worked yesteday will still work today as long as no one has messed with it. Simple. ALGORITHMS are the same calculations they were 2 days ago. Simple. I am sure SKYPE have a complete hadware redundancy solution so that leaves only a couple of alternatives. 1. The maintenance went wrong. The “upgrade” went wrong. No problem reload the old stuff. Oops we never kept it? 2. A malicious attack.
If it is a malcious attack SKYPE do no deserve it. They are a credit to an open on line world. Lets back the guys and hope they get it going
August 17th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Shall we all switch to Gizmo project? Or Busta?
August 17th, 2007 at 10:08 am
skype is the only way for me to keep in contact with my boyfriend who lives in england, its too expensive to call from the land phone and he doesnt have internet right now
i know, stupid to have a boyfriend in another country, but i am that stupid..
anyways. this is killing me, not being able to talk to him.. not going to see him for another 30 days. .so if this doesnt work soon im running away from home to be with him.hah
August 17th, 2007 at 10:11 am
It does seem odd it broke like this and the error is still there, then again Im not a peer2peer programmer
August 17th, 2007 at 10:29 am
@2 - I can’t believe Skype don’t have a code repository. They must keep old versions, surely?
@5 - Apparently the login process is not P2P, that only kicks in once you make a call.
August 17th, 2007 at 10:37 am
Come on, you get this service for free (mostly) so you have no guarantee that it is always available.
Both the software and management is hugely complex for any system that has to handle some million(!) concurrent connections. I’m pretty sure Skype has various strategies and lots of redundant servers to avoid such problems, but you can’t really be completely sure at all.
I agree it takes long to fix this problem. It /sounds/ like their database crashed and they have to roll back a backup but none of us really knows how their technology works internally. This is not just a web server…
So, relax, get out and meet people and be patient until everything is working again…
August 17th, 2007 at 10:46 am
It’s been about 18 hours or so since I noticed this problem. Still no service, but what do you expect? MSN has seen far worse days.
Now, that said. My skype-out number still works, and on top of that, my call-transfer option still works. Maybe skype should disregard billing all call-transfers for this period to even the whole thing.
August 17th, 2007 at 10:47 am
check out http://www.openwengo.org/ an opensource alternative to skype
August 17th, 2007 at 10:55 am
@7 and 8 - I agree the service is ‘mostly free’ (I still pay for some services) but it’s not like it’s run by volunteers. Skype is a commercial business and as such customers have reasonable expectations of availability and service.
Redundant hardware doesn’t seem to come into it in this case, the statement says it was a dodgy algorithm in their code. What that *actually* means is anyone’s guess, but having more servers wouldn’t change a thing.
“This is not just a web server” - well no, but the login process broke and it broke hard. I’m not going to speculate about what went wrong ‘under the hood’ but as Peter says, other services are unaffected, which is something. However, if you want to log in to use Skype you’re out of luck. For now, at least.
August 17th, 2007 at 11:11 am
I’m not that desperate of loosing my skype connection, although I do use it a lot. The thing is, in some of my computers the program crashes completely after trying to connect for several minutes. That may indicate to a bug in the client program (3.5..) on top of the bug in the servers or routers backbone. Another interesting point is the fact that the problem began (for me) after my computers made an automatic Microsoft update. (Just something to think about).
August 17th, 2007 at 11:25 am
It’s 00:17 UK and SKYPE keeps coming on and off line. Looks more promising. As this is a global problem maybe we should be looking at global events, Does this crash not co-incide with a major earthquake in Peru / South America. It makes corporate sense to outsource some or most of your operation to he lowest cost base. I wonder if there are major server links in that region? I still dont buy the software problem. I think I’ll look for further problems elsewhere.
IDA hope you speak to your boy friend soon. Having a boyfriend in England makes perfect sense. Good luck!
August 17th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Whatever… I am currently logged in and see about 500,000 other people are too
PS: What I meant was, that - commercial or not - there are lots of things that can go wrong with such a large scale system. I would not rely my business on a service like Skype. You better be prepared for failures just like yout POTS or electricity can go down (altough hopefully not for such a long time). After all, even Google had problems once or twice…
August 17th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Just personally disgusted with this outtage-seeing as Skype used a proprietry system different to other VOIP systems I expected it to have a bit more redundancy built in. No backup system? My trust in Skype VOIP is shattered. Add to this the bad quality of calls of late, I definitely will look for a different solution for making long-distance phone calls from now on.
August 17th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
It’s bad, but what do you expect when the owners eBay like to get as much out of it as possible . . . well an COMPUTER is nothing more then an ALGORITHM running on silicon, soon we have self-replicating organic polymers doing the work.