<<Skype is available from the normal Ubuntu repositories isn't it? I.e. just search for it in Synaptic and install it (or apt-get it).>>
No it isn't, Chris.
<<Why are you using the static/dynamic download rather than just installing the package and having done?>>
As to why I've got the static version, my reasoning was that it might be better than one that was for a version of Ubuntu I don't have yet.
Bev.