BEST OF #1: IM Clients

So this is my first BEST OF posts, I hope you enjoy it and learn a bit. Please comment about anything I could do differently, better, or anything that could enhance you and other reader’s experience when reading through my blog. Thanks. And now, without further ado, I present you with the list.

MIRANDA

• Official Site: http://www.miranda-im.org/
• PROS: The application is freeware (completely free to use), open source, easily customizable, and supports many protocols (AIM, ICQ, IRC, Jabber, MSN, Yahoo Talk, …)
• CONS: Only supported on Windows Operating Systems (95 / 98 / ME / NT / 2000 / 2003 / XP / Vista)

Pidgin

• Official Site: http://pidgin.im/
• PROS: Application is freeware, supports even more protocols than Miranda
• CONS: Once again, this program is not supported on MAC OS

Adium

• Official Site: http://www.adiumx.com/
• PROS: Application is freeware, customizable, supports around the same number of protocols as Pidgin, Growl support
• CONS: Application only available for MAC OS

Meebo

• Official Site: http://www.meebo.com/
• PROS: Not an application (the client runs in your web browser) which means you can log on from essentially any network connected computer (regardless of OS), translated into TONS of languages, very simply to start using, accessible on iPhone
• CONS: Not really customizable, lags a bit at times, supports many less protocols than most other clients, obviously doesn’t have an OS integrated feel

Digsby

• Official Site: http://www.digsby.com/
• PROS: Integrates IM, email, and social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace), allows for Facebook chat protocol, very simply to customize, very interesting, unique features not available with most other IM clients (merging contacts, …)
• CONS: Supports only the ‘big 6′ protocols other than Facebook chat, not available for MAC OS or Linux

Trillian

• Official Site: http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/
• PROS: Very quick functioning, new version still in beta and in the works which will work for MAC OS and iPhone
• CONS: Not YET available for MAC OS, not as customizable as the other OS based clients, supports only the most basic protocols and doesn’t even support many of the basic client options (group chats, audio chats, chat rooms, …)

Okay, that’s all for this first BEST OF … . Let’s see what you think, please comment and let me know which client you like best and why!

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