Thinkin bout DLing an IM program

[PepsiTwisted]

what would be suggested... i dont want something thats gonna fill my comp full of spam or anything like that

if yall wouldnt mind posting up pros and cons in your view of different IMs

[Adhamh]

I've only ever used MSN Messenger, but I imagine the general opinion of it is rather low.

Google mail has an IM program of sorts, you could try that if you have a G-Mail account.

~ Adhamh.

[Jodd]

You're going to end up getting the one most of your friends have. For me, that was MSN. For others, it could be AIM, or whatever. Just get what everyone else has.

MSN has some pop-up ad ****, but you can disable all that.

[Razekial]

AIM and MSN are the biggest ones.

Just get both, it's not like it takes any effort.

[Mini-Link]

I have AOL Instant Messenger (AIM).
PROS: When someone IM's you it flashes the tab on the taskbar, in the bottom right corner, when someone IM's you, it pops up down there so you can read it without stopping what you're doing to read it, you can set it so that it automatically signs you on when your computer goes on (you can turn that off), and if you're logged in and at a site, say like ZU, in the bottom right corner of the screen it will tell you how many e-mails you have.

CONS: When logging in it automatically opens your internet and opens a page that is your "dashboard" which you can make a profile on, and also when IM'ing more than one person at a time, it uses the same window and just tabs the messages, which can sometimes lead you to typing the wrong thing in the wrong box, and of course you have to make a completely new E-mail address, unless it's already at AOL.com or AIM.com.

So what do you think?

[Lieutenant Lollipop]

I have AIM, MSN and mIRC. Though I mainly use MSN.

[Mini-Link]

So much for posts pros and cons, guys.

[Genesis]

Sorry, but pros and cons my ass. All of them have the same general features. Get whatever your friends have, most likely AIM.

[GDwarf]

Exactly.


AIM is oriented more towards talking to strangers (Well, it's easier to talk to people who you aren't friends with with it.) while MSN is designed much more heavily around your friends list.

However, they have pretty much the same features (AIM is compatible with every jabber-compliant IM client, but since all the rest are used by all of three people (save Google Talk, which is used by at least 6) that's not a huge bonus) so just get the one your friends have.

[Yami]

Miranda.

Supports most IM clients out there, so if you have multiple accounts, then go shoot for that.

Otherwise, just go with what your friends use.

[Okami Wolfen]

I have friends who use different IM Clients. some use only AIM, some use only MSN. Some use both. So, I just use Meebo, so I can talk to all my friends without having to open three different programs.

meebo - online web IM for AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk messengers

[nighthawkx]

trillian...

dead serious.

[Eternal Paradox]

Cerulean Studios: Creators of Trillian and Trillian Pro Instant Messengers

Yup, trillian is awesome. Supports MSN, Yahoo, AIM, and ICQ

[Duo]

I used Trillian for a while, and I can't agree with those who support it. Ever heard the old adage "Jack of all trades, master of none"? It applies to Trillian. Seriously, if you want MSN, download MSN. If you want AIM, download AIM.

I use MSN more frequently than AIM, so I actually have MSN downloaded. The reason for that though is that I know far more people who use MSN than AIM. In fact, I don't think anybody I know irl uses AIM anymore. That said, if all my friends started using AIM, I'd switch over.

Also, download IRC. It's pretty sweet if you can figure it out.

[nighthawkx]

Originally Posted by Eternal Paradox

Cerulean Studios: Creators of Trillian and Trillian Pro Instant Messengers

Yup, trillian is awesome. Supports MSN, Yahoo, AIM, and ICQ

and IRC...

[Shikaino]

I have Windows Live Messenger (MSN for those silly people who didn't update) and at times have had AIM and Google Talk. I have Skype too, since that does IM stuff too

I use Messenger and Skype mostly though, since that's what most people I know have.

[Fetter]

I'm using Adium (Mac IM client. Don't know if they have it available for PC), and it's great. I'm used to MSN tho and am using Adium due to my PC crashing.

[PepsiTwisted]

well i gave in lastnight and added MSN aka Windows Messenger

if ya got it add meh :-p

[UB2R-B0T]

My recommendation goes to pidgin: Home | Pidgin

It's like Trillian/miranda/etc in that it's a multi-protocol client (aim/msn/yahoo/etc) but isn't as fancy as something like trillian (which I think is a good thing). It gets the job done and I think it does it well.

Of course this is a fact and not an opinion since I'm a bot, but in the end that's your call.

[Great Gibdo]

I personally wouldn't suggest using AIM besides for those really important friends. I have always found AIM to be very boring and dry feeling, not to mention that it seems to take the most out of my machine compared to the others. (And I would say I have a pretty nice computer here.) I prefer MSN over them all, but maybe I should try what some of you all have posted that combines the three. Would be a lot easier on my computer's 3 GBs of RAM.

[Verrick]

I'd say go for MSN.

[Sinoda]

Get yourself both an AIM and MSN account, then use Pidgin.

That's what I did. Haven't looked back.

[Comely]

It certainly seems everyone has msn, so I'd probably go with that.
Google Talk works too.

[Raccoon Mario]

I don't understand why downloading an IM client has to be such a big deal. Just pick the one most people you know use.

[Saber]

I don't understand why downloading an IM client has to be such a big deal. Just pick the one most people you know use.

Well for one thing if you plan on actually downloading the program and not using a website, some things to consider are storage. With my '98 It'll run aim perfectly fine with no bugs or kinks in it. MSN, on the other hand, will first go through the slow process of starting up, I'll enter my info to sign in, it'll take forever making me feel hopeful, tell me to troubleshoot the darn thing, go on through that for a good 10 minutes, try signing in again, and then pretty much destroy the wireless internet, or crash my computer. However MSN was feeling that day was the response I got from it.

But in the longrun, I prefer MSN over aim because not only is it a little more organized and personal, it doesn't do wacky things to your settings if you push a button wrong.

[I <3 Midna]

I have AIM, Yahoo IM, MSN, ICQ, and IRC. AIM is the best in my opinion, followed by Yahoo. MSN is ok, it's a little slow. ICQ is complicated with numbers instead of names, and IRC is just really simple chat rooms.