I have downloaded Skype and am trying to set it up for cheap phone calls over the internet.

The first step is to test my app using the "echo123" robot they have. This allows you to have a chat of sorts with the system to test that everything works. As soon as I try to do this the application stops with a "critical error".

Are there any Skype users out there who could help me?

Ian M., April 2005

I had the same problem when I first installed Skype. I uninstalled an application called Total Recorder and this fixed the problem.

Total Recorder interferes this Skype. There is information on the Skype website about it. (I think Total Recorder presents itself to your PC as another audio source along side your microphone etc. This confuses Skype. Skype doesn't know which source to use.) I don't fully understand the issue, because MSN Messenger and Total Recorder can co-exist quite happily.

Harry, April 2005