Subject: [Uri-review] 'skype' and 'callto' schemes

From: Mykyta Yevstifeyev <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:49:49 +0300

Hello,

Skype(tm) is known to use 'skype' and 'callto' URI schemes.  There is no 
any clear specification of the schemes on the Skype site, nor can I find 
it on the Net.  However, the syntax is known; it is said to be 
(transforming into ABNF):

> skype-uri      = "skype:" name [params]
> name           = telephone-subscriber / skype-username
> telephone-subscriber = <as defined in RFC 3966>
> skype-username = ALPHA 5( ALPHA / DIGIT ) *26( ALPHA/DIGIT)
> params         = "?" param
> param          = "add" / "call" / "chat" / "sendfile"
>                / "userinfo" / ext-param
> ext-param      = 1*ALPHA
>
> callto-uri     = "callto:" name

The operations of 'callto' URIs are to open a Skype call to <name>; 
'skype' URI provide richer semantics, per <params>.  Documentation for 
Skype operations is available from 
share.skype.com/media/1.2_api_doc_en.pdf (this document says it is 
confidential ;-).

The 'skype' URIs are known to be widely used; 'callto' are also used, 
but not as often as 'skype'.  Currently, the schemes are not officially 
registered with IANA; so my questions is: Can (should?) an effort to 
specify these two schemes be undertaken?  Any thoughts are welcome.

Mykyta Yevstifeyev

---

From: Mykyta Yevstifeyev <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:59:40 +0300

17.07.2011 11:49, Mykyta Yevstifeyev wrote:
> Documentation for Skype operations is available from 
The referenced document is obsolete; it documents Skype API 1.2 whereas 
newer versions are available.  I'm lazy a bit to seek the newer version 
:-) but should such need arise, this shouldn't be a problem.  Mykyta

---

From: Graham Klyne <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:22:44 +0100

As skype is so widely used, I think a provisional scheme registration would be 
sensible, but I don't think any new document should be created.  If there's a 
non-confidential Skype document we can point to, that should be enough.

I vaguely recall callto: has been "around" for a while, but don't know if it was 
ever formally defined.  According to http://www.w3.org/Addressing/schemes (now 
retired, but still a potential source of useful pointers), it looks as if it may 
have been a Microsoft specification from 1998 
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q157277/).

#g
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Mykyta Yevstifeyev wrote:
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