IM questions

[AZRedhawk44]

I hate IM services.  It's like text messaging, iMacs and see-thru plastic electronics.... all designed for 12 year old girls.

But, I have a need to communicate via IM with folks on different IM services.  Some use MSN by means of hotmail or live accounts, while others use AIM by means of AOL or AIM accounts.

I don't want to run MSN messenger and AIM, as well as maintain two separate accounts on these different networks.  I want to use my existing MSN account to communicate with an AIM user.  Is this possible to do somehow?  Is there a cross-provider IM client that can make this possible?

[Mabs2]

The only thing that I know of us Pidgin and Trillian.
Either will allow you to use one program to sign into both services.
You'd have to have an AIM address still, but you could put all your MSN and AIM buddies in one list, and have chat with them in the same window.
Essentially, you could make it feel like one big IM client.
I personally use Trillian.

[Manedwolf]

I use Adium for the same thing, all-services client with minimal resource use and NO ADS, but that is for OSX.

[AZRedhawk44]

Yeah, I know about Trillian but I don't want to sign up for AIM at all.

No way to do this without signing up for AIM if I want to talk to an AIM user?

That is so teh gay.

[Manedwolf]

Yeah, I know about Trillian but I don't want to sign up for AIM at all.

No way to do this without signing up for AIM if I want to talk to an AIM user?

That is so teh gay.

You sign up for AIM, but you do not use the AIM client.

[Mabs2]

I can't fathom why you're you so against signing up for AIM.
When I got Trillian I signed up for ICQ and MSN just because Trillian had compatibility.  Took me about 2 seconds to sign up and punch it in the program.

[AZRedhawk44]

Because AIM's signup service is broken right now.

Because I don't want to maintain another email account.

Because I can send email between different SMTP servers, so I should be able to send IM's between different IM servers.

Because AOL is the redheaded retarded stepchild of the internet and I don't want anything AOL-ish on my computer to pervert it.  Back when a 14.4 modem was all the rage, AOL did neat stuff like have a closed DNS system and proprietary browser to keep all online purchases made by AOL users within the AOL merchant network.  But advertised this service as "Internet access."

[mtnbkr]

Because AIM's signup service is broken right now.
Because I don't want to maintain another email account.
Because I can send email between different SMTP servers, so I should be able to send IM's between different IM servers.
Because AOL is the redheaded retarded stepchild of the internet and I don't want anything AOL-ish on my computer to pervert it.  Back when a 14.4 modem was all the rage, AOL did neat stuff like have a closed DNS system and proprietary browser to keep all online purchases made by AOL users within the AOL merchant network.  But advertised this service as "Internet access."

Can't help with the broken signup.
You don't need another email account.
Can't help with the closed IM system.  There's always IRC.
AIM is actually pretty slick and the older clients have a small footprint.

Chris
AIM user since 1998ish.

[Phantom Warrior]

Mabs summed up my feelings pretty well.  I'll concede that you have a point if AIM's signup is broken right now.  But other than that, just download a multiprotocol IM client, take two seconds to sign up for AIM, and be done with it.  I use Digsby and routinely forget what my individual logins are for my different accounts.  I don't mess with my MSN or AIM e-mails or do anything but use them to chat through Digsby.  All your buddies are shown in one big list (well, separate sub-lists by client) and it's pretty much transparent to you. 

At the risk of sounding like I took my mean and rotten pills this morning, you've been given a really simple solution to your problem.  It seems a little silly to spend more time gripping about it than it would take you to just sign up and be done with it.

[Mabs2]

Because AIM's signup service is broken right now.

Well yea, that happens.

Because I don't want to maintain another email account.

I've never checked my Yahoo or AIM or MSN emails.  Ever.  Why would you?  You don't have to maintain them to keep the screen names.

Because I can send email between different SMTP servers, so I should be able to send IM's between different IM servers.

No clue, it might not be that simple.  Who knows.  Far as I know nothing like what you want has ever come out, and I doubt it will soon.

Because AOL is the redheaded retarded stepchild of the internet and I don't want anything AOL-ish on my computer to pervert it.  Back when a 14.4 modem was all the rage, AOL did neat stuff like have a closed DNS system and proprietary browser to keep all online purchases made by AOL users within the AOL merchant network.  But advertised this service as "Internet access."

We're talking about registering a screen name from AOL.com and using it in a program like Trillian.  Nothing was mentioned of installing AIM or any other software (other than Trillian...or Pidgin) onto your computer.

[Manedwolf]

Because AIM's signup service is broken right now.

Because I don't want to maintain another email account.

Because I can send email between different SMTP servers, so I should be able to send IM's between different IM servers.

Because AOL is the redheaded retarded stepchild of the internet and I don't want anything AOL-ish on my computer to pervert it.  Back when a 14.4 modem was all the rage, AOL did neat stuff like have a closed DNS system and proprietary browser to keep all online purchases made by AOL users within the AOL merchant network.  But advertised this service as "Internet access."

You aren't installing anything. You sign up on a website.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

www.meebo.com if you don't want to install anything on your computer.
www.pidgin.im if you don't mind installing anything on your computer.  Both are 100% free, and very functional.  I use both daily.

[Ben]

Pidgin is what a limited number of us at my work are using to evaluate for pre-deployment in our agency. Stable, multi-platform, and pretty unobtrusive. Especially for me because I feel the same as you about IMs and already get enough text messages on my damn phone, so I always "forget" to turn Pidgin on. :)

[HeroHog]

+1 for Trillian. I bought the Pro version but unless you plan to do video, use the free version. I am up right now on it on AIM, MSIM, Yahoo IM, ICQ, Rendezvous and Jabber! On install, just de-select the tool bar and the package will be small and not beat you to death with ads and crud.

[mtnbkr]

I tried pidgin as a "portable app" on a USB key and it kept corrupting the key's file system.  Didn't give me warm and fuzzies.

Chris

[CNYCacher]

Another vote for pidgin.  Fast, cross-platform and free with no ads.  I think you can create IM accounts with it, but am not sure.

I tried pidgin as a "portable app" on a USB key and it kept corrupting the key's file system.  Didn't give me warm and fuzzies.

Chris

Applications do not interface directly with the filesystem, only files on the filesystem.  The OS interfaces with the filesystem.

The most likely explanation in the scenario that you are describing is that the USB key was unplugged without being safely shutdown, possibly because the user merely yanked it out when done chatting without shutting down the program that was running and possibly modifying files at the time.

[mtnbkr]

The most likely explanation in the scenario that you are describing is that the USB key was unplugged without being safely shutdown, possibly because the user merely yanked it out when done chatting without shutting down the program that was running and possibly modifying files at the time.

Nope.  That isn't what happened at all.  What did happen is a USB key with Portable Apps installed (including Pidgin) would be fine until I ran Pidgin, then would be missing many random files with remaining files unreadable or corrupted in some manner.  Most of the files weren't open at the time and were unrelated to Pidgin's operation.  This happened three times.  Each time, the key was in fine shape until I ran Pidgin.  I know better than to unplug the key without properly "unmounting" it. 

I don't know how it happened or why, but the same USB key and PA install would be fine until I used Pidgin, then all hell would break loose.

Chris

[CNYCacher]

Well, I suppose that situation is possible, but would require a pretty bad bug in the program.

I thought you were talking about corruption of the file system.

[mtnbkr]

Well, I suppose that situation is possible, but would require a pretty bad bug in the program.

I thought you were talking about corruption of the file system.

It did pretty much trash everything on the usb key, even stuff that was completely unrelated to Pidgin AND Portable Apps. 

Chris

[never_retreat]

Ya know I was just about to ask this question also. Every time you turn around one of the programs wants to update something. Usually just means more adds or other crap. I just installed pidgin and so far so good. I have aol, yahoo, and msn. The msn program never runs right (theres a shock with a microsoft program). So this is good one program for all.

[Mabs2]

mtnbkr, did you get the Pidgin you put on that drive from here?
http://portableapps.com/news/2008-12-22_-_pidgin_portable_2.5.3