If you've got buddies on multiple instant messenger networks and are sick of having a client for each, there are solutions at hand.
Miranda IM connected to both MSN and ICQ.
There are many instant messaging protocols out there and most of them are incompatible with each other. If you and your friends are even moderate IM users, chances are that you'll be logged into multiple networks at any one time. While having Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Messenger and ICQ all open at the same time is a workable solution, it's far from elegant. Wouldn't it be great if you could combine all your favourite, or not so favourite, IM clients into one?
There are plenty of third-party clients out there that do just that. Below we review four of the better IM clients for Windows users. The mad monks of Mac-land may want to check out Adium X, which is based on the ever-popular Gaim client.
Operating systems: Windows NT/2000/XP, Windows 95/98/Me
Networks: ICQ, MSN, AIM, Yahoo, IRC, Jabber
Pros: One-click sign-in to IM accounts
Cons: Old-school graphics, no default emoticons, overly subtle message-alert system
Extras: Oodles of plug-ins
Miranda IM is the most basic multiservice IM client of the batch. It intersperses contacts in a long, narrow screen, and Miranda is the only client without tabbed conversations. The default graphics are amateurish by today's standards, but scads of user-generated plug-ins dress up the basic look with skins, themes, and emoticons. Security and management tools enhance the back end. As always, take care when downloading files from unknown sources.
Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
Networks: ICQ, IRC, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber (and Google Talk), AIM, Gadu-Gadu, Simple, XMPP, and others
Pros: Useful, in-client plug-ins, conversation windows pop up
Cons: Known bugs, broken functionality related to specific IM protocols
Extras: "Buddy pounce" macro command, option to group multiple screen names under one contact
For legal reasons -- apparently AOL thought Gaim sounded too much like AIM -- the popular Gaim IM app is changing its name to Pidgin and receiving a makeover in the process. Pidgin has a clean interface and a few nice touches -- like WYSIWYG character formatting, in-screen spell-check, and a plug-in that lets you colour code conversations. We had some problems getting emoticons to sync, which led to some cryptic conversations involving "(8)" -- another IM client's character map for a music note. We liked some of the more complex configuration options, like auto-accepting transfer files from select users. Once again, however, we were left wishing for a bolder message notification system.
Operating Systems: For Windows 2000/2003 Server/XP
Networks: AIM, Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk
Pros: Elegant interface, fast media upload, clear contact sign-in alerts at the taskbar
Cons: Registration, session sign-in, no file transfers
Extras: Blog, displays media in status message
Not just an instant-messaging service, imeem is a social networking community geared toward visual and aural artists. In the imeem cosmos, content is king. This makes uploading media a breeze, and building out your profile as important as chatting, if not more so.
While the visual emphasis makes imeem our favourite of the chat clients to use, it lacks certain key instant-messaging features and adds a few questionable ones. Unlike other IM apps, you have to create an account before using imeem. You also have to sign in every session. The tabbed chats come in two varieties -- a linear history and the more fanciful "bubble" format that associates word balloons with the speaker's buddy icon. We were disappointed that none of our contacts (all outside imeem) could see the emoticons.
Operating Systems: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/Vista
Networks: AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, IRC
Pros: Tons of emoticons, dedicated file-transfer button, video and audio controls
Cons: Contacts grouped into a window by category
Extras: Audio chat, secure IM for certain protocols
Users should pay attention during Trillian's installation, or they might wind up with a toolbar and widget they hadn't expected. This massively popular all-in-one chat client is highly customisable, down to skins, themes, sound preferences, and settings for shared computer users. Spell-checking is a nice touch, as are the easily accessible multimedia controls. Less wonderful was how Trillian grouped contacts into a tabbed window per category (work, friends, other), rather than presenting all contacts in the same window.
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lanceahorniman
21/06/2007 05:44 PM
good stuff
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