Just in case anybody else is getting annoyed by ads on Skype, the following action works

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=blocking+ads+on+skype

You get a barely visible pale blue box at the top of the Skype window

Thank You Dorsetmike....having limited bandwidth removing the ads might make skype work better 

When Microsloth took over Skype and started to make big changes I stopped updating, I'm still running V6.22.81.105 dated 2014 about the last of the uncluttered versions, every morning I get the Update Skype pop up and click Not Now!

You may be able to download earlier versions from this site, you'd probably need to erase the current version. I have no problem communicating with users of current versions.

http://www.oldapps.com/skype.php

Quite a few old versions of other apps on the site, (some handy if you are running older Windows versions)

http://www.oldapps.com/skype.php

Be aware that they do block or cripple older versions, I was happy on the "traditional" pre-Microsoft version on OS X for years but they forced me to upgrade a while back . The other week they also removed some functionality for group calls on Linux, which is a problem in my company as there are a lot of Linux users (and oddly enough a few ex-Skype employees who jumped ship after they were bought by Microsoft).

I'm still using V6.22.81.110. of 2014. Keep hitting "Not now" on the update window every morning.

Quote from: Dorsetmike on March 11, 2016, 10:48:01 PM
I'm still using V6.22.81.110. of 2014. Keep hitting "Not now" on the update window every morning.

Sooner or later, Mike, you'll get a message saying that you must upgrade to continue using Skype. When I got that message I removed the software entirely and haven't used it since.

When Skype started getting the so-called enhancements back in 2014 I spent about half an hour on the Skype help chat line & explained that I did not want that upgrade nor any subsequent ones and was then talked through downloading the version I have. I and the friend I talk with mostly on Skype have been using that version since, we get an "upgrade now" pop up when booting, but just click "not now"

Maybe I have a special Luddites version. If/when they do send me an "upgrade or else" I will ignore it, or if necessary find a suitable alternative.