Yesterday, Skype 5.0 dropped onto the PC for Windows users, bringing Facebook integration and group video calling into the mix. That update is not yet available for the Mac, but according to a post on Skype’s official blog, a new version of the popular VoIP application is coming to OS X soon.
I’m worried, though. In the blog post, Skype alarmingly mentions a “complete overhaul, both in terms of the way it looks, and in terms of functionality.”
Look, Skype isn’t a very well designed app by Mac standards, I agree… but have you ever seen the absolutely unidentifiable puddle of mashed up design elements that comprises the Windows interface? If you’ve got a minute, I’ve got an anecdote that might help describe it if you haven’t.
Back when I was a kid at summer camp, we’d do a skit called the Raunch-O-Matic. Six kids would come on stage and one would pretend to be an appliance salesman pitching a brand new food processor to the audience. Next to him, four kids stood in line, and the salesman would empty a series of revolting ingredients (sardines, oatmeal, Pepsi, hot sauce) into the mouth of the first kid in line, who would chew it thoughtfully, spit it out, then give it to the next in line, who would do the same. After the fourth kid had gotten done with chewing up the sludge, he would hand it off to the last kid, who would duly choke it down, rub his stomach and say, “Delicious!” Then five out of the six kids would rush off the stage to vomit.
Well, Skype for Windows’ interface is a lot like that. If Skype plans on bringing that to OS X, god help us all.
[via 9to5Mac]
