Multi IM Client (MSN, Google Talk, ICQ etc)

cormie

Hi there,
Just wondering can anyone suggest a downloadable, bloat free, lite multi IM client that would allow a single list of online contacts connected to MSN, Google Talk, ICQ, Facebook and whatever else?

I have a great app for my android phone called Meebo, but I see they have no such program for the PC. I'd want to be able to choose which clients I can sign into, so I just have to tick a box beside each one before logging in.

I don't want to have to register a new account with the software provider at all, but don't mind if the software itself has a password to open it.

Would like if file transfer was possible too.

Something like the android Meebo with file transfer would be absolutely perfect where it lists all online contacts together and then you can see offline contacts from each service in their own groups like this:



Also, tabbed conversations would be great so I just have one taskbar slot and if someone replies, that flashes and I can just switch between them with tabs and detach all windows if need be!

I don't want a browser based client, just one that can be downloaded

Any feedback appreciated

Diddy Kong

My vote would be for Trillian.

Blowfish

Pidgin gets my vote. I tried Trillian for a while, but ended up sticking with Pidgin.

Cabaal

Blowfish wrote: »

Pidgin gets my vote. I tried Trillian for a while, but ended up sticking with Pidgin.

pidgin is excellent

GerardKeating

Diddy Kong wrote: »

My vote would be for Trillian.

Switched from trillian to digsby last year, seems "ligher" more stable..

It also connected to more "networks" than trillian did at the time i switched, trillian may have caught up, but i never looked back to see...

cormie

Thanks for the replies Have used Trillian before but didn't really like it. I see Pidgin doesn't support facebook, Digsby, just by the look of the website seems to be what I'm after!

cormie

Had another look at the pidgin site and it seems you can get plugins for facebook and a few other things too. Gerard, is there any reason you reckon Digsby would be better than Pidgin?

Random

Another +1 for Pidgen here.

cormie

Can't see it mentioned on pidgins site, but is there a widget on the main program for hotmail that shows you a preview of new mail etc that you can delete? I think that's on digsby.

Also, with pidgin I see there is a "login/register" link on the main site. Do I need to create a pidgin account to use my existing msn account etc or do I simply download the program and put the msn un/pw into a field when I open it without the need to register any new account?

duffman85

Another vote for Pidgin.

cormie wrote: »

Thanks for the replies Have used Trillian before but didn't really like it. I see Pidgin doesn't support facebook, Digsby, just by the look of the website seems to be what I'm after!

You can now access facebook chat from Pidgin.
Details on how to set it up are here: http://www.facebook.com/sitetour/chat.php

cormie wrote: »

Can't see it mentioned on pidgins site, but is there a widget on the main program for hotmail that shows you a preview of new mail etc that you can delete? I think that's on digsby.

Also, with pidgin I see there is a "login/register" link on the main site. Do I need to create a pidgin account to use my existing msn account etc or do I simply download the program and put the msn un/pw into a field when I open it without the need to register any new account?

No need to register with them just add an account with your e-mail address and password through the program itself.
Like this:

cormie

Cool thanks for that. Do you know what happens when you get a mail to hotmail with pidgin? do you have to open up firefox/put in password etc or can you delete it from the client itself? I think you can delete from the client itself with digsby?

GerardKeating

cormie wrote: »

Had another look at the pidgin site and it seems you can get plugins for facebook and a few other things too. Gerard, is there any reason you reckon Digsby would be better than Pidgin?

Never said it was better, was a Trillian users, wanted to switch, started to look around, stopped looking when i found Digsby, never got to look at Pidgin.

cormie

thanks for the input. Just by the looks of it, digsby seems nice and light and if it has a widget that you can preview mails and it supports facebook out of the box I may just go with that

cormie

Installed Digsby then when I saw I had to create an account to use it I installed Pidgin, then pidgin looks a bit too bloaty and wouldn't log in with my google talk account so I went back to try Disgby and signed up and I must say, it's exactly what I was looking for! Very customisable and works very well. Deleting spam mail without having to open browser is very handy too, I can just do it from the client itself. It does everything I need so I think I'll just stick with it!

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions