Open Thread: What is your favorite IM?
With so many instant messaging applications out there, which has the highest WebWorkerDaily user rating. Is there just one winner? Or do web workers prefer to use a few different ones throughout the day? Do you use aggregators like Adium or Trillian? Or are you like us – addicted to the relative simplicity of Google Talk, its bare bones options, and lack of funny icons. Have your say! What IM, or IM’s do you prefer to use throughout the day to get your job done? Or maybe you just find them to be a nuisance?
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Google Talk… its strong at wat it says.. Best voice quality.. simple n clean interface.. easy on resources.. integrates with orkut.. a perfect IM client thats getting better n better by the day.
I avoid instant messaging because it is often just another distraction, but I use AIM for quick communication with family and would only ever use IBM’s SameTime, especially with the excellent SameTime 7.5 out, with business colleagues.
My contacts are pretty evenly split between MSN and AIM, so Trillian is my IM of choice to handle them all in one place with no annoying ads. I also have Skype running, as that is what my husband uses when he’s traveling. In my organization, most of us work remotely so IMs are essential.
I use the AIM service primarily because of work and friends, and I love Trillian because we use Lotus’ Sametime at work. There are plenty of plug-ins for Trillian and I like the “one-stop” aspects of the product and I don’t have to use 3 clients to manage my conversations.
Trillian/AIM
I used to be on ICQ (with a low ID! :)), but I haven’t started that up in years. Now my contacts are split between MSN, Skype and some Gmail chat. I would prefer to use one (and, currently, Gmail would be my favorite), but it isn’t that easy to switch all your contacts. Lately I have mainly be using Gchat and MSN, as they both have a web interface, and I’m using many different PC’s.
I’ve been using Miranda for some time now but am looking for an alternative. I have problems with some ICQ contacts on my list. I see Trillian is quite popular, I’ll give it a go.
I use Google Chat for my friends, who are mostly on Google Mail; MSN for work (because they already use it there); and sometimes Skype’s IM for some of my family, and a few friends who aren’t on Google Chat. I’ve also used Y!Messenger and trillian in the distant past, before most of my friends got Google Chat.
Out of all of these, I like Google Chat most. It’s unobtrustive, and it’s integration with Google Mail is brilliant. Also, the animations for smilies make me smile every time I see them.
On the PC I use Trillian. I wouldn’t say I’m thrilled with it, but it lets me chat w/ co-workers on Yahoo! and friends on AIM and has a good array of features.
On my Mac at home it’s Adium all the way. iChat doesn’t extend enough features.
Panman, wanna play who’s got the lower IQ? I mean, ICQ ID? Have you been following the eBay auctions for them? I don’t use mine but I wouldn’t sell it. It’s an early adopter status badge. Mine is 177117. At one point when I was a fulltime work-at-homer I had it on all the time with my name displayed as “Amy.” After getting some interesting but childish sexual invitations, I changed it to “Your Mom” and the unwanted incomings promptly stopped. Use Gmail these days, to see who’s on, but I rarely use it. Use AIM to track down my kids.
A comment thread like this might have been a good primer topic for the message board.