Pidgin > Yahoo + AIM + IRC + MSN + Everything else

TheHatter

Why isn't this software more popular? It is by far the best IM client I've ever seen. I thought Trillian was the only multi-service client out there, but I never used it because it's GUI makes me want to puke and hasn't got better in the 10yrs or so since I first tried it.

Pidgin on the other hand, is freaking amazing. And I actually have a use for Windows Gadgets finally!

Cleffy

When I tried this before it worked good, but MSN had problems with it from time to time.  If you are using Yahoo Instant Messenger then you should definetly use Pidgin, Yahoo messenger is such a mess of a program, using a 3rd party version of it is much better.

I think the reason it isn't popular is because most people only use 1 messenger service.  If you have MSN like most people who use Instant Messengers, then its better to use the built in windows service instead.

Jimmy_Scythe

No voice chat and no webcam features. I can't share pictures when logged onto Yahoo and it doesn't automatically embed youtube when I put a link in it.

Now throw on the fact that any time Yahoo, MSN, AIM, etc. updates, you have to change the setting because the actuall network addresses used has been changed.

I like the idea of Pidgin, but it just isn't as robust as the programs it replaces.

TheHatter

Originally posted by Cleffy

When I tried this before it worked good, but MSN had problems with it from time to time.  If you are using Yahoo Instant Messenger then you should definetly use Pidgin, Yahoo messenger is such a mess of a program, using a 3rd party version of it is much better.

I think the reason it isn't popular is because most people only use 1 messenger service.  If you have MSN like most people who use Instant Messengers, then its better to use the built in windows service instead.

Yeah, I've heard of it before, but I dismissed it as crap like Trillian. I didn't know it was GAIM renamed though, that was a good program.

I actually don't use MSN reguarly and everytime I need to use it, I just make a new account. The only people I've ever known to use it were out of the US. Mostly Canada and Germany.

TheHatter

Originally posted by Jimmy_Scythe

No voice chat and no webcam features. I can't share pictures when logged onto Yahoo and it doesn't automatically embed youtube when I put a link in it.

Now throw on the fact that any time Yahoo, MSN, AIM, etc. updates, you have to change the setting because the actuall network addresses used has been changed.

I like the idea of Pidgin, but it just isn't as robust as the programs it replaces.

You can get plugins for voice chat, webcam and you don't need plugins to send files on Yahoo and AIM. There is also an option to keep it updated and more plugins to double check that all your protocols stay updated. (has 3 skype protocol plugins)

Sounds like you haven't tried it in awhile, tbh. Give it a shot. If the standard program doesn't have what you want/need, there is more than likely a plugin for it. I'm running about 50 plugins right now, it's connected to Yahoo, AIM, Facebook IM, GMail Talk, and IRC and only running at 30mb RAM usage..... which is half of what just yahoo takes up.

Also, so far...... it's an instant boot. You can't say the same thing for Yahoo and AIM, which I actually used to have to delay startup on windows startup becuase they lagged so bad.

SystemLag

This is way too much better thank Trillian... Thanks for the inputs Hatter!

Sheista

Yeah, have been using this since it was GAIM.  Pidgin > Everything Else