Skype axes Skypecasts

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Image via CrunchBase, source unknown

A short note on the Skype blog a couple of days ago read:

What we’ve learned by watching how the product is used and through user feedback is that Skypecasts is not quite measuring up to our high standards and expectations for connecting and delighting our users.

As a result, we have made the decision to retire Skypecasts from active service for the immediate future, effective 12 noon BST on Monday, 1st September 2008.

This decision is consistent with Skype’s efforts to prioritise resources towards the products and areas of innovation that that will have the biggest impact on the Skype community.

The uproar has been pretty profound as fans of Skypecasts have spoken out en masse decrying the decision, especially the short notice given.  For fans of Skypecasts, I encourage you to try Calliflower. With similar capabilities to Skypecasts, and accessible from Skype, it should be an easy transition.

Alec Saunders is the Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. This is his personal blog, with his personal viewpoints. Prior to this Alec was the CEO and co-founder of Calliflower — the easiest way to hold a meeting, online, on a conference call, or on the go. A double-decade veteran of product management and marketing, he spent nine years at Microsoft where he helped launch Windows 95, the first two versions of Internet Explorer, the Universal Plug and Play initiative, the push into home markets, opt-in email marketing and what might well go down in history as the very first direct email list ever.