It might help to post your
httpd-vhosts.conf file so it can be looked at and and a more informed reply composed. If you are worried about sensitive information (though I can't think of any) just obfuscate it after pasteing it.
Is it not possible to change the port that Skype listens on?
Not sure if this wildcard is OK or not:
<VirtualHost *>
Try specify a port number in place of 80, for example, being as you say it is only for development purposes.
<VirtualHost *:8000>
Or try this:
<VirtualHost vhostname:*>
Example:
<VirtualHost bluetree.lastbyte.ca:*>
More reading on virtual hosts:
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/co ... irtualhost
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/vhosts/
Running sites on different ports example:
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/vhosts/examples.html
At a command prompt in:
xampp/apache/bin
issue this command to check the syntax of your httpd-vhosts.conf file:
apache -S
It will give the line number(s), if any, of the problem(s), if any, and the error message(s), if any, associated with the line number(s).
If all is fine then it will give a
Syntax OK message.
This command checks the syntax in the httpd.conf file:
apache -t
As a side note my extremely limited Internet bandwidth, due to my rural location, prevents my use of any Skype like applications. Broadband in any form is not an option.