Problem here is Ubuntu's patching of ALSA configs to use pulseaudio. If you uninstall pulseaudio, ALSA's device configuration breaks up and you will have all sorts of problems. Just use PulseAudio on recent Ubuntus and come to skype linux forums for more help.
rysiek writes "Seems like there might be a revolution in the works, as far as VoIP software for Linux is concerned. After mailing Skype support about Skype providing Mandriva RPM packages, Olivier Faurax got an answer which suggests that the Linux Skype client will be open-sourced. After asking for verification of whether that was the case, the tech support answer claimed it is going to happen, and that it's supposed to happen 'in the nearest future.' Now, this probably only means the client (the underlying protocol will probably be handled by a binary-only library), but even if that's the case, it seems like there is still reason to celebrate."
rysiek writes: Seems like there might be a revolution in the works, as far as VoIP software for Linux is concerned — after mailing Skype support about Skype providing Mandriva RPM packages, Olivier Faurax got an answer that seems to suggest that Linux Skype client will be open-sourced. After asking for verification, if that is the case, the tech support answer claimed it is going to happen, and that it's supposed to happen "in nearest future". Now, this probably only means the client (underlying protocol will probably be handled by a binary-only library), but even if that's the case, seems like there is still reason to celebrate.