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04.17.17

How I Learned that Skype is a Spy Campaign (My Personal Story) — by Yuval Levental

Posted in GNU/Linux, Microsoft at 1:08 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Guest post by Yuval Levental as part of the Skype is Spy Campaign

Skype

Summary: Skype is now tracking serial numbers, too

I first discovered Linux when I was 13 years old, and was amazed by it. I really enjoyed the freedom, security, and customizability. I only used Microsoft Windows when I didn’t have an alternative.

“I felt like they were watching my actions, and reading more about this issue confirmed my thoughts.”Last year, when I bought the current laptop I am using, it came with Windows 10 installed on it. I figured I would partition the hard drive in half and install Linux on one half, to see which operating system I would use the most. As it turned out, I would use Linux almost all the time without any extra effort. There was one exception, and that was Skype, which I used to video chat with some people on. However, one day, I tried changing my password, but that didn’t work. I even tried uninstalling and reinstalling Skype a few times, and for some reason that still didn’t work.

Many hours later, I found that changing the assigned virtual serial number finally let me log in to Skype. However, the hassle was immense, and I was shocked that Skype would be tracking my serial number. I felt like they were watching my actions, and reading more about this issue confirmed my thoughts.

This was the last time I ever used Windows 10 for personal use. Shortly after, I decided to finally fully switch to Linux. I hope that many people in the future will also switch to Linux, as Linux is far more advanced and potentially user-friendly than it was even just a few years ago. There is no better time than now to switch to Linux. █

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2 Comments

  1. ghostler said,

    April 17, 2017 at 9:06 pm

    Gravatar

    Been a long time user of Linux. Because of it, I have retained the same hardware. My desktop is now 10 years old, but under Linux it still performs well. Ditto for my netbooks, especially the ASUS 4G Surf. Although it is diminutive at 512mb RAM, 800×480 pixel screen, 4gb SSHD, Linux has kept it updated, particularly Lubuntu. I feel no particular need to upgrade my hardware until I absolutely have to.

    Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
    April 18th, 2017 at 3:37 am

    My workstation is 8 years old now. With just 2GB of RAM is still suits my needs.

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