What Instant Messaging Client(s) Do You Use?

[Omega]

Rather than posting this in a poll form, I'm just going to leave this open for discussion: What IM client(s) do you use (and why)?


Despite all the other "techie" software I use (Opera, foobar2000, etc.), I still stick with the official AIM client (whatever the absolute latest release (beta if available) is) (currently 5.9.3702). I'm a sucker for the latest and greatest functionality (an upgrade junkie?). I don't care for the "IM Expressions," (meh for frilly stuff), but it doesn't really get in my way, either. While some complain about the ads, the fact that they're taking up about 80 of my 1200 pixels of screen height doesn't bother me enough to switch to something else. Furthermore, I've yet to see another AIM replacement that actually supports direct IM or file transfers as well as AIM does. Lastly, AIM's support for SSL certificates (.p12) is quite fantastic for me, ever since I've gotten paranoid about various semi-public networks potentially listening to me.

I've also recently started using Nalsoft AIM Log Manager which is a non-invasive 3rd party add-on to AIM that does what it claims to do (logs conversations). Logging was really the only feature that I discredited AIM for not including, but this was able to remedy that complaint without sacrificing the features of the official AIM client onto which I've been so dearly holding.

I use the AIM protocol (rather than ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, etc.) mainly because it's what everyone I know has (which is kind of a circular argument). I live in Minneapolis, MN, USA, and virtually everyone around here seems to favor AIM. I've observed a lot of people from Wisconsin using MSN, but I don't claim my sample is representative or unbiased in anyway (just a casual observation). I used to hang on to ICQ, too (well, maybe around '97-'00), but pretty much everyone I knew on ICQ had AIM as well (and more people had AIM), so it lost the battle.

I tried Trillian for a few weeks (admittedly this was probably ~2.5-3 years ago), and wasn't tremendously pleased with its offerings. I didn't like the appearance (I'm very minimalistic, classic style), it didn't have good feature compatibility with the official clients, it lacked some features, and then it had other features I didn't want at all... I understand that quite a bit has changed in that time, and I should probably give it another try (maybe in a VM), but for the time being, official AIM it is...

[Jason425]

I don't care for trillian at all.. too much work...

I use MSN most of the time... AIM when I have to. Never use YIM or ICQ...

[Tyler]

Yeah I tried Trillian for a couple days like a few years ago also, and I didn't like it, but I'm sure it has changed, maybe its time to give it another try. Anyway, I used to use ICQ mainly for years but I moved to MSN a while ago because a lot more people use it, though I still log on to ICQ onc every few weeks just to see who may be online or if I have any messages. I use AIM also, but not very often, mainly just to communicate with people from this site

[Prometheus]

I use Aim Ad hack which gets rid of the ads and spyware in AIM....and I use MSN messenger as well

[Jason425]

link?

[Prometheus]

[Jason425]

I won't do it!

i use msn.... its prettier!


heh AIM/AOL is the devil

[Jason425]

w0rd to that!

GAIM user myself. b/c it's in sid and nothing else is. apt-get install gaim is too easy. I don't trust AIM encryption, since it's not client to client but goes through the server (like a built in man in the middle attack). Unfortunately, no-one uses GAIM, so GAIM encryption is also worthless. *meh* GAIM's logging is pretty nice (nice log viewer, searchable and all) which is quite nice. I just wish there was a way to integrate the logs from my lappy to my desktop. I hate trying to remember where I had a conversation.

File transfers are crap in both trillian and gaim, but i'm not too worried about it. It would be nice if it worked better. I'm looking forward, though, to increased usability of iFolder sharing with GAIM. For now, I just throw a file up on a publicly accessible part of my server for a few minutes while the person uses their browser to download it.

I used to be a trilian user, but i got quite sick of the community and the program itself wasn't developing quickly enough for my money. not that gaim is developing quickly per se, but it's free (and OSS).