How to install Skype on your brand new Debian Wheezy 64bit
I’m migrating all my personal computers to Debian Wheezy (or Jessie in some cases). Personally i hate Skype but i have friends who don’t want to understand the importance of using open source software only, and for this reason i need Skype at least to school them to the open source life style.
Skype will come in what they claim being a multi architecture package, but in the end it’s just a 32 bit package.
So if i want to install this program i have to enable the multiarch and i have to add the “i386” architecture to my system. The guide at the address http://wiki.debian.org/Multiarch is pretty useful in this sense.
So to enable the multiarch superpowers open up a terminal and type:
dpkg --add-architecture i386
Time to download skype:
http://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-linux/downloading/?type=debian32
You can install your new “multiarch” skype typing:
dpkg -i skype-debian_4.2.0.11-1_i386.deb
At this point your package manager will complain about unsatisfied dependencies, which you will resolve with
apt-get -f install
Have nice chats with your friends!
Giuseppe