Instant Messaging Programs...what do you use?
 

Hey, all...

I have been using Trillian for a long time, and moderately like it. I was just wondering are then any other Instant Messaging programs that you guys use/have used that might be better than Trillian?

I am looking for something that is more feature-filled, able to combine multiple IM Networks (AIM, Yahoo IM, MSN IM, ICQ, etc..).

Hell, just post the IM program(s) you are currently using...:-)

Unfortunately, I have yet to find anything that works better for me than the standard AOL client. I tried Trillian, gAIM and the rest, and none of them worked worth a flip for me.

ive tried several, including trillian, and they all havent worked well for me at all. I used to use ICQ, but switched over to MSN quite a while ago.

Anyways, to sum it up, i use the MSN supplied messager, newest version 6.2 or so

I use trillian and it hasn't given me problems.
Only issue I have with it that it doesn't work on linux.

I use aol instant messenger and paid the $5 to get deadAIM from www.jdennis.net I've found it AIM a lot better program and is well worth it.

I use AIM for linux, and aMSN. I'm also in the process of trying to get Gaim to run on it. While at my other work, I constantly would use gaim because it did what I needed it to do.

MSN Messenger and ICQ.

I'm using Trillian Pro.

Im an aim user...yahoo if I HAVE to...I cant stand any of the other ones

aim with the free deadaim addon

yahoo or msn when I need to, but rarely.

Regular plain AIM

Using trillian on my windows boxen (actually popped for the pro version on this one, well worth it) and gAIM on the linux ones. I like them as I don't have to have four IM windows open :)

AIM, plain and simple. I like it. I've never used anything else, so perhaps I'm naive, but I don't care. I also use Lotus' Sametime at work. You could consider it a cut-off-at-the-knees version of AIM.

AIM with the AIMutation mod. It does what I need it to.

I use AIM along with some changes with ResHacker and hex editing (changing the menus, colors, removing ads, removing the background image,...). Go http://www.wintweaker.net/index.php?r=mod&id=90 for examples.

I've used trillian for years, the only problem I have is direct connecting with other people, that's when I start up AIM. But for everyday messaging I use trillian and never looked back.

To keep on topic... I use Netscape's built in IM'er when at work and AOL itself when at home. I have tried trillian, just haven't reloaded after my computer upgrade.

... Off topic... does anyone know of an IM program that logs when people on your buddy list have come and gone? I know Trillian logs actual conversations and stores them in a directory as .doc files, but I'm not sure about a history of people coming and going without a conversation being started.

my trillian pro logs into text files, not docs. but you can log all sort of things with it, including status windows (that have on/offline markers) by going to Options // Preferences // Message History / Automatically Log ..then choose the type you want. 'Status Windows' i think logs what you want. i just set it to log 'all'.

AIM 5.2.xxxx with AIMutation

does the job for me..

iChat for Mac.
Does wonders, built-in chat logging.

Oh, may as well list what my sn is:
Lyssdexia

I typically use either MSN or AIM, mainly because of whom i wish to talk with. Other then that, i have not really considered the program per se.

I basically only use aim. Although ichat is an option for me, i have been a pc user all my life until now and am so used to the aim setup that i prefer it to ichat.

Trillian Pro.
I've never had any problems with it, and I use it across all 5 platforms (AIM, MSN, Y!, ICQ, IRC)

MSN Messenger with Plus!

AIM

Trillian when in Windows
Adium when using OS X. This is a really great program and being actively worked on with weekly releases.
Gaim the odd time I am using X11 based desktop

Trillian Pro... yeah I actually paid for it because I think it's very well done.

I use AIM ICQ MSN YIM and that about covers all of them.. tried trillian,... wouldnt work, gave up

I use AOL and Yahoo... I like Yahoo better, but everybody I know is on AOL.

AIM mostly, tried using Trillain for a couple weeks, but been on AIM so long I don't use my Yahoo/MSN accounts that much anymore. Trillian does have much better connections for direct connect than AIM does for my computer, so if I'm filesharing, Trillian it is.

I'm using Trillian Pro and also paid for it. I used the slightly less legal version of it for a while and liked it, then went back to the normal AIM/MSN clients, and then came back to trillian and bought it.

Best IM software unless you want all the dumb features each client has on its own. The only complaint I have is it doesn't do msn cam.

Trillian version one and two are both very unstable. The developers should at the very least have a central place to triage their bugs instead of having everyone whine about things not operating correctly. Why people bought it, I'll never understand (this coming from a computer programmer and not your average Joe Schmo user).

I use Jabber to communicate, although I do not know anyone who actively uses the Jabber protocol ( care to add me? I'm trache@myjabber.net ). Individual Jabber servers are listed at http://www.jabber.org/user/publicservers.php

There are gateways to every major instant messaging protocol, so you can still communicate with others.

I personally use JAJC as a client, located at http://jajc.ksn.ru/ but you can pick your client of choice at http://www.jabber.org/software/clients.php

It does the same, if not more than Trillian, and has proven to be less prone to bugs than Trillian. All of JAJC's functionality is free to use, but unfortunately due to some of the libraries that have been incorporated into its development, it is not open-source.

Well i personally use MSN Messenger 6.2 but i know i'm looking for an alternative.

Because of this thread i tried GAIM and liked the tabbed conversations (using only one chat window, saving taskbar real estate) and liked it. The bad thing is i couldn't add someone to my exsisting conversation, and i didn't like that.

Then i tried Trillian again. I like that i could add people to my conversations but i really liked the tab chatting...and the interface was a bit clunky and when i tried to switch skins, the whole program glitched and i had to uninstall it.

Then i started looking at Jabbar, but even though it looks a bit overwhelming..i may find what i'm looking for.

So far i've liked GAIM the most though, but does anyone know how you can add someone to an exsisting conversation tab? And also make the icons for the contacts smaller?

I'm also a software programmer / hardware tech and I love trillian... I've found a couple small bugs over time, but nothing serious. I love having one program that sits down in the tray instead of 5 different ones. Just about everyone I know uses trillian and loves it.

kopete, on KDE

gaim and easymessage (easymessage.net) on windows

First, quickly, it's Gaim, not gAIM or GAIM. Legal issues.

Anyway, I use Gaim in Linux and AIM in Windows, with DeadAIM as well.

I'm not sure what you mean about adding someone to an existing conversation tab, but as far as the contact icons, you need to go into tools > preferences > interface > buddy list > turn off "show buddy icons."

Personally, while I'd love to use Gaim in Windows, I've never been satisfied with the stability of GTK for Windows while using Gaim. Maybe it's changed, I dunno. It's unfortunate, because most problems with Gaim in Windows have nothing to do with Gaim, but nonetheless, they're things that will keep people from using it in Windows.

I suppose that's to be expected though - it *IS* a native *NIX application.

I'd like to try kopete as well, but last time I did, about a month ago, there was a problem because I had too many buddies or something. Some bug that needed to be fixed.

I use Aim with DeadAIM, Yahoo! and MSN on occasion. I just never liked the features trillian offered.

I use Gaim, it does what I want, I use to use AIM+ but after it stopped working with newer versions i just picked up Gaim.

With Gaim, you can log any combination of when your buddies sign on or off, when they become idle/un-idle, when they go away/come back, and log (or not) your own of the above. These logs may be made in plain text or html. If you must have .doc logs, simply open the plain test ones in word and save.
Simple. To make the icons smaller, go to Preferences > Interface > Buddy list and uncheck "show buddy icons".
To add someone to an existing tab simply drag them there from the buddy list.

I would definately reccomend Gaim. I've been using it for atleast 2 years now and would never go back to Trillian or the regular AIM client

To download the current Windows version of click here