I need a new IM service!

[kevin11951]

i am so sick of aim loosing my contacts, or dropping my emails, i changed to gmail, and now i need a new IM service.

i was thinking Google talk, does anyone have anything to say about Google talk?

maybe another service would be better? msn, icq, etc...?

[FuturePilot]

I've been using Googletalk lately. It's pretty good. I haven't had any problems with it like I have had with MSN. Sometimes I get randomly disconnected from MSN. And Googletalk is supported in Pidgin. All Googletalk really is is Jabber. It's an open protocol so it's very well supported. :)

[smartboyathome]

I still use MSN because that is what most of my contacts use, but I also use Google Talk. I would say if you want to go with another service, use Google Talk, though if you want to talk to other MSN contacts, there is Yahoo's IM service, I haven't used it.

[Dr Small]

Jabber

[fedex1993]

Jabber

jabber or google talk even thoe google talk is pretty much jabber

[kevin11951]

well, since i already have gmail, i guess i will use google talk.

[xdarkxanarchyx]

http://www.jabber.org/

[kevin11951]

http://www.jabber.org/

why does everyone keep saying jabber!? im using google talk, isnt that jabber?

[xdarkxanarchyx]

why does everyone keep saying jabber!? im using google talk, isnt that jabber?

Yeah, basically. It uses XMPP & so does the LiveJournal IM system.

[-grubby]

why does everyone keep saying jabber!? im using google talk, isnt that jabber?

Google talk is jabber, yes. You should just be able to set up a new xmpp account in pidgin using your gmail info and have it work fine

[Northsider]

I have Gtalk, Yahoo, AIM, MSN, ICQ, and probably some more that I never use. I just log in them all through pidgin...seriously they are all the same! No one is better than any other, they all do the same thing: connect and chat.

[kevin11951]

I have Gtalk, Yahoo, AIM, MSN, ICQ, and probably some more that I never use. I just log in them all through pidgin...seriously they are all the same! No one is better than any other, they all do the same thing: connect and chat.

but aim lost all my info, everything i setup over the years gone!

[xdarkxanarchyx]

I use my friends jabber server to and connect to AIM through it. I've got Y!, MSN & MySpace and each is just for one or two people. I can't seem to convince or walk others through using jabber. :(
I've been switching between Gajim and Pidgin. I like that I can use my OpenPGP key for Gajim but I haven't found a jabber server for the other networks.

[tashmooclam]

How about meebo.com? It is web-based but will let you chat with people using various other chat clients.

[mrgnash]

Jabber/Google Talk leave Yahoo/MSN and co. for dead :)

[Lod]

Jabber/Google Talk leave Yahoo/MSN and co. for dead :)Why?

[RiceMonster]

I have Gtalk, Yahoo, AIM, MSN, ICQ, and probably some more that I never use. I just log in them all through pidgin...seriously they are all the same! No one is better than any other, they all do the same thing: connect and chat.

Agreed. I only use MSN, but I've tried other IM services. I'll just stick with MSN because everyone I know uses it. I don't care about anything else. I just want to chat with my friends.

[mrgnash]

Why?

Because it's open, and it just works.

Also, Google Talk/Jabber supports SSL encryption -- the others do not. So the above post about the different services not being different in any way is complete rubbish.

[Lod]

Oh, okay. Here in the Netherlands almost everyone is using MSN so I'll have to stick with it.

[LookTJ]

If you want stable and open IM network service: XXMP

If you want a popular(what everyone uses and familiar with) IM service(with a few problems: connectivity is what I hear of from others using pidgin, though new pidgin should solve that): MSN

[c2olen]

The majority of my contacts is using MSN, so this is still on my highly usage list. For all other contacts, there is nothing else but GoogleTalk.

[hellion0]

+1 for Jabber/Google Talk/LJTalk/anything else using XMPP.

[kirsis]

I, like a lot of people, use MSN (and sometimes Skype) out of necessity. If I could have my way, everyone would use GTalk :) It's more reliable than MSN, which way too often just swallows messages and spits out "message could not be delivered"

Though I'm not sure if XMPP supports audio/video conversations.

[loell]

Though I'm not sure if XMPP supports audio/video conversations.

it does, through jingle :)

[KillerSponge]

Well, to be fair, GTalk has its fair share of connection problems. Mainly messages not getting delivered, and a rare random disconnect. I still use it, and so do all my friends (lucky me). So yeah, GTalk ftw! :KS