Skype 5-way Calling Limit Cracked

BobPaul writes "It turns out when Skype limited 10 way calling to Intel Processors only it really was arbitrary! Maxxus has a patched version of Skype that allows 10-way calling regardless of the processor installed. There's also info about the patch: "The patch is the result of two phases: code analysis and design of the patch. The code analysis, or reverse engineering, reveals the relevant code block, which overrides Skype's limitation for Intel's dual-core CPUs. The patch design isolates the minimal set of instructions that need to be modified to cancel this limitation." Windows only so far."

Aaaah Maxxuss

[Anonymous Coward]

Ah, Maxxuss. Is there anything you can't do? First you crack OS X, now Skype. You and DVD Jon should team up and become some sort of cracking superheros.

Victory for AMD? Not so fast!

[DingerX]

I know what you all are thinking. Great! He hacked it with three bytes, and showed his work. Now all AMD needs to do is get a 10-way conference call going on an X2 and they'll have another strike in their lawsuit against intel.

But wait -- there is a way out. See the code is written to identify CPUs, and to run on dual core CPUs, but it doesn't make that distinction for AMD. So all the defense needs to do is set up an XP box running an AMD 1.4 GhZ "Firebird", next to some oily rags, get a 10-way conference call going, and simulate a CPU heatsink failure. Clearly they were blocking AMD 10-way calls out of product liability concerns.

Skype Patch... from Russia with Trojan??

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah right.. I'm gonna' d/l this patch and app from www.silo.ru (in Russia!!!), they even say on their aite that that "There is no virus or backdoor added!". You've got to be kidding me!

Re:Optimization is where?

[Breakfast Pants]

"There are no Intel-only instructions anymore." Ah, but you see, the "CPUID" instruction works differently on intel than than it does on AMD. On AMD it actually reports that the user is using an AMD processor! Intel's chips therefore have a huge advantage--marketing.

kids these days...

[flynt]

Spoiled kids. When I was young, an occasional 3-way was enough.

Re:Two phases, huh?

[rylin]

Apply random patches until one kind of works?
Seems to be working pretty well for MicroSoft.

Re:Victory for AMD? Not so fast!

[sh0dan]

"Why would a Wookiee, an eight-foot tall Wookiee, want to live on Endor, with a bunch of two-foot tall Ewoks? That does NOT MAKE SENSE! But more important, you have to ask yourself: What does this have to do with this case? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this case! It does NOT MAKE SENSE! Look at me. I'm a lawyer defending a major electronics company, and I'm talkin' about Chewbacca! Does that make sense? Ladies and gentlemen, I am not making any sense! None of this makes sense! And so you have to remember, when you're in that jury room deliberatin' and conjugatin' the Emancipation Proclamation, does it make sense? No! Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed jury, it does NOT MAKE SENSE! If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit!"

The defense rests.