Hey everyone,
As many of you may have heard, Microsoft has announced that Skype will be discontinued on May 5, 2025. This means that all Skype services, including group chats, will no longer be available. Many of us rely on Skype for our Clarion discussions, so we need to start considering alternative platforms to keep our community connected.
What This Means
- Skype group chats will no longer be available. Many Clarion developers use Skype for real-time discussions, troubleshooting, and networking. We need to find a new platform where we can continue these conversations.
- Some members may be impacted by the loss of Skype In and Out, but our main concern is ensuring our chat groups have a new home.
- Microsoft is pushing users toward Teams, but it’s not a direct replacement for casual, open-ended developer discussions.
Alternative Options
Here are some potential replacements for our Clarion Skype chats, along with possible downsides:
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Discord – Offers persistent chat history, topic-based channels, and voice/video calls. Many communities have successfully migrated here.
Downsides: Can feel overwhelming for new users, requires account creation, and advanced features may require a paid subscription. -
Slack – Provides structured discussions, integrations, and searchable chat history.
Downsides: Free tier has a message history limit (10,000 messages), some features are locked behind a paid plan. -
Telegram – Supports large groups, works across multiple devices, and allows file sharing and pinned messages.
Downsides: Requires phone number for account creation, and group moderation tools are somewhat limited compared to other platforms. -
WhatsApp Communities – Useful for those already using WhatsApp.
Downsides: Requires sharing phone numbers, and chat history can be difficult to manage for larger groups. -
Discourse Chat (on this forum!) – Our Discourse forum has a chat feature. Should we consider using it as our primary alternative?
Downsides: May not be as real-time or interactive as dedicated chat apps, and could require additional setup or adjustments.
Your Thoughts?
We’d love to hear from the community about this transition. If you’re active in the Skype groups, what do you think would work best? Are there any other platforms we should consider?
Let’s work together to find the best solution to keep our Clarion discussions active and accessible.
— Mark
