Probably the easies way is to add the Medibuntu repository to your sources.list.

Just follow the ridiculously easy instructions at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu

It also gives you access to a host of other readily available packages: http://packages.medibuntu.org/jaunty/index.html

It doesn't seems so difficult to go to:
http://www.skype.com/intl/it/download/skype/linux/choose/
and download the package you need.
Ubuntu is heavily supported (karmic is not a problem and neither are 8.x versions)