Ever since Skype got bought out by Microsoft in 2011, it took a while for the cracks to start showing. But once they did, Skype was slowly on its last legs. This software was great to use before the buyout, but soon it became a mess when it tried to "fix" things that didn't really need fixing and the performance started to wane. Now, it looks like Microsoft is putting the final nail in Skype Classic's coffin and driving anyone still using it away to find alternatives!
It's not like the "new" Skype is bad... it's just that a lot of options that were available in classic Skype are absent, some due to them still being worked on, and others because they have been removed intentionally (like adjusting auto-afk status after X mins have passed). Also, the new interface screams that it has been ported to desktop PCs from mobile platforms.
The worst of the situation for me is that I have too many active contacts in Skype and I cannot just instruct them to migrate to some new platform, so I am kind of "forced" to keep using it. The alternatives to Skype are not really something amazing either.
It auto-updated for me a while back and wiped all of my local conversations. I hate Microsoft.
They said they're keeping it for now at least
******UPDATE******
Based on customer feedback, we are extending support for Skype 7 (Skype classic) for some time. Our customers can continue to use Skype classic until then.
Thanks for all your comments – we are listening. We are working to bring all the features you’ve asked for into Skype 8.
Watch this space.