Microsoft have pledged to ‘invest in and support’ Skype builds on non-Microsoft platforms, the company has confimed.

The news confirms what many had suspected, and I myself had mooted yesterday: with the purchase of Skype being a business investment as much as a strategical move against its competitors, limiting the number of users – including potential paying users – just wouldn’t make sense. And this, logic dictates, should include continued support for Linux.

In an official press release confirming the Skype acquisition Microsoft say: –

“Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms”

With Steve Ballmer himself assuring that having said the above statement, that he ‘means’ it, going on to say: –

“We will continue to support non-Microsoft platforms, because it’s fundamental to the value proposition of communications.

…fundamental to the value proposition of communications is being able to reach everybody, whether they happen to be on your device or not. And I think that, in fact, will be one of our competitive advantages, both for the Skype communications services, and in fact, for the devices as we move forward.”

Skype now forms a new business division in Microsoft – ‘Skype Microsoft Division’ – with Skype CEO as its as president.

With thanks to DM