Multi-Platform Chat programs.....

Do you actually have to download AIM and other chat programs to use programs like Trillium or others like it? Does Trillium allow you to chat with other people who don't have the same chat program as you. I had AIM once got rid of it as it seemed to slow down my computer but may try it again.

Thanks for the help.

 

Trillian, Miranda IM, Pidgin, etc work independently of the official IM clients (AIM, Messenger, Yahoo) and you can chat with others even if they dont have the same program.

 

You just need an active/valid user name and password for Aim, Yahoo messenger, etc. In the set-up you will enter that info in Trillian and it will sign you on. I currently do not have yahoo messenger as they still do not have a release for Vista (except a beta) but I speak to other yahoo messenger people all the time. Trillian will also incorporate your yahoo messenger and Aim buddy lists.

 

I heard about some websites before, you can login in your MS messenger and chat on the website. I think they can cross the multi-os.

 

I use www.meebo.com

 

So I do have to sign up (get username/password) for each service I want to be able to chat with? What I'm thinking is since I'm on facebook and various people might have different chat apps , but Id still like to chat with them without having to sign up for every possible chat service out there. Can Trillian do this or is this more of a chat app manager? Signing up for AIM , then MSN and Yahoo or some other chat app would seem rather tedious.

 

Yes you do have to sign up for each service.

 

As WSFuser said, you have to sign up for each. But it is really no different than signing up for an email address. It only takes a few minutes and then you are finished.

You can also register directly from the Trillian program. Just go to Trillian-->Trillian Preferences--> Identities & Connections --> Add New Connection Button--> select one option (choose which messenger service)--> Register for a new account.

Before doing the above I believe you have to enable all the different messenger programs you plan to use during the set-up.

 

As already noted at least a couple of times, yes you do have to register with any IM service you want to use.

The biggest advantage is that you don't need to download & install each of the separate IM apps, unless that's necessary to get registered in the first place. In any such case, you can simply un-install again once registered and let Trillian (or whatever) do all the work.

 

Trillian uses plug-ins to be compatible with each IM. And while you do make initial choices when installing, you can easily add or remove plug-ins anytime afterwards.

 

Not true in future. Check this, http://www.trillian.im/. I sign up today and waiting confirmation now.

Is there anyway to hide those adds?

 

Pidgin doesn't need plugins and is ready to go out of the box if you have accounts already. If not, you can go to the websites and sign up for an account with the specific service and then enter the info in the account manager.

If you have a Yahoo! e-mail addy, or MSN ID, then you are already set for both.

Only "nit" I have with Pidgin is the fact that it can sometimes loose access to MSN and Yahoo!. You need to sign into your web e-mail account(s) (Yahoo!) or log into the MSN client every so often to clear the error but does not happen that frequently.

HTH
Mike

 

Well, when you go to the AIM website theres a button to click to download AIM version 6.5 or whatever version it is. I do know that my sister used my laptop once to get on aim but I didn't have aim software downloaded or anything. She just logged on to the website.

I may have to download Trillium and try it to see if I can register through that app instead of downloading each chat app.

 

Pidgin has a long history in Open Source Software, originally known as Gaim.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin_(software)

If you want a Multi Protocol IM, look no further, it's one of the best, if not the best out there.