[eric343]

After being unable to find a 3rd-party MSN chat client, I got MSN for OSX... first reaction? Interface is AWFUL, iChat is waay better

Oh well... most of my friends use MSN

 

[Hajime]

Eric,

File transfers are also slow and certain features often do not work unless both parties have the same configuration.

That being said, if you're a simple user then it can work quite well for simple chatting. It may not be the greatest interface, but if you use only the basic features MSN can be enjoyable.

 

[Lando]

Bad news for everyone: Microsoft is going to stop allowing 3rd party clients to access their chat network. Fortunately for me, I only have two acquaintences who use MSN. Everyone else I chat with uses AIM or Trillian. For all you PC users out there, Trillian is a kick-ass IM client that lets you connect to ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, MSN (for the time being), and IRC. The best part is that the basic version is free. It might be worth it for you Mac users to ask for a port if there really isn't a good multi-network IM client for OSX.

http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Everyone in HK is still using ICQ

It's about the same status as phone numbers now

 

[kelly]

When AOL wouldn't let Microsoft have access to their chat system, Microsoft sued.

Now Microsoft is blocking other clients from their system.

Lucky for me, I never used MSN to begin with. If I had friends dumb enough to be on MSN, I'd first question why I had this person as a friend and then, if still necessary, explain to that person that their "hotmail" account can still reach me by email.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

You could always tell him to get an AIM(?) account.

 

[stereth]

Trillian has claimed repeatedly that even their free version will be patched to work with the updates to MSN and Yahoo. Until then I have to deal with the messages telling me to update, but since I configured it, I've never had a problem with Trillian that others haven't had with the official clients.

Lando, Microsoft is going to try to block 3rd-party clients... http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,112540,00.asp

 

[minya]

If Trillian was able to grab ICQ contact lists from the ICQ servers, then Trillian would rule.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be able to do that. (Unless I have it misconfigured?) Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

- Chris

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly When AOL wouldn't let Microsoft have access to their chat system, Microsoft sued. Now Microsoft is blocking other clients from their system. Lucky for me, I never used MSN to begin with. If I had friends dumb enough to be on MSN, I'd first question why I had this person as a friend and then, if still necessary, explain to that person that their "hotmail" account can still reach me by email.

The MSN is the best of the bunch for chatting, AIM and Yahell really sucks and the audio is a real shame to begin with, once you chat on MSN unless you get a better one, you will never want to use the AIM or yahell again.....I will give it that Trillian a try later on tonight with a friend in Germany to see.....

 

[TimSchirmer]

**** microsoft. Just use jabber or IRC if you are that bored.

 

[kelly]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sovkiller The MSN is the best of the bunch for chatting, AIM and Yahell really sucks and the audio is a real shame to begin with, once you chat on MSN unless you get a better one, you will never want to use the AIM or yahell again.....I will give it that Trillian a try later on tonight with a friend in Germany to see.....

I've used all four and I don't agree. AIM has the easiest interface and ICQ has the best features. But the social aspect of instant messaging pisses me off so I'm pulling out of it anyway. Trillian is a worthy client especially if you want IRC included.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Lando For all you PC users out there, Trillian is a kick-ass IM client that lets you connect to ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, MSN (for the time being), and IRC. The best part is that the basic version is free. It might be worth it for you Mac users to ask for a port if there really isn't a good multi-network IM client for OSX.

OS X has a few, as well:

Fire: AIM, ICQ, IRC, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber
http://fire.sourceforge.net/

Proteus: AIM, ICQ, IRC, MSN, Yahoo (plus service plug-ins to enable additional services)
http://www.indigofield.com/

JSuperChat: AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo
http://www.zion.com/products/jsuperchat/

 

[Sovkiller]

I tried this trillian, the pro version, and is not a kick ass as somone stated, in any way, is just and simple a manager that runs over the other programs and uses them, if you do not have them installed it will not run this portion of the program, I was not able to run ICQ as I do not have it installed, and period, it lets you see and manage all the accounts at the same time, IMO has a ton of limitations over the others, don't have audio, don't let you hide (you are always visible), among others, etc...and the transfer of the files uses the same method as the default program that you choose, IMO that is another dumb program...till now the best in audio is the MSN, and for file transfer use another method, the IM programs have too much limitations for that purpose.
kelly the AIM has the same interface as the rest, but the worst service, I have it and never use it, the audio is horrible, the worst of all of them, try audio and video on MSN specially with other countries, and later on, try any other and you will see, BTW I hate to say that, as I hate microsoft, but one more time microsoft "rules" on that, the rest are just toys the video and audio are the best of all I have tried to the date (I have aobut four of them)....I use them everyday, right now I'm chatting with a friend in Germany, and I wish to find one even better, that was why following the recos of someone here, I downloaded and installed the trillian, ********....ten minutes later is was completelly unistalled....

 

[stereth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sovkiller I tried this trillian, the pro version, and is not a kick ass as somone stated, in any way, is just and simple a manager that runs over the other programs and uses them,

umm...no? I've been using Trillian 0.74 for over a year now. I connect to AIM, MSN, ICQ, and Yahoo, and I guarantee you that those programs are not running in the background. Contacts are stored on the servers for all of those except ICQ. I don't use audio/video chat and file transfers work fine unless you're trying to transfer across two firewalls, which is the same limitation the official clients have.

 

[archosman]

Joined the dark side? Is that all? For a minute there I thought you bought some Bose headphones.