I've been using MSN since I started IMing (though that is only a few years), just installed Pidgin to see. I never really had any issues with MSN, but Pidgin is cleaner in a nice way.
Unfortunately, I don't have much knowledge of Trillian...so I can only list the pros and cons of pidgin: - easy to use. Just type in your usename and password for whatever protocol you want to sign into and you're good to go. - lots of plugins. - good amount of preferences
cons: - not skinnable - no voice or video chatting....yet. It'll get it soon enough, I'd have to think.
To put Trillian against that: - also easy to use by that definition - also has lots of plugins - has a lot of preferences - is skinnable - has voice chat and perhaps even video chat, though I personally never use any of these features - Astra loads fast.
I don't go on IM much at all anymore. I mostly communicate with people via forums, Facebook, Skype, and e-mail nowadays. But when I do go on IM, I have OS X, so Adium is where it's at.
Its a SIP standard VoIP client(i.e. better than Skype), implements XMPP, and can intergrate with pretty much any major IM client. Other wise(e.g. I need my mic) I use Pidgin when I'm using GNOME or Finch from the terminal. *Three days dealing with openSuSE + NVidia + Kernel 2.4.22.17 patches*... (T_T). For IRC its an even tie between XChat & ChatZilla. Using Pidgin's IRC support always leads to crashing . . . oh & it sucks.
Unfortunately, I don't have much knowledge of Trillian...so I can only list the pros and cons of pidgin: - easy to use. Just type in your usename and password for whatever protocol you want to sign into and you're good to go. - lots of plugins. - good amount of preferences
cons: - not skinnable - no voice or video chatting....yet. It'll get it soon enough, I'd have to think.
To put Trillian against that: - also easy to use by that definition - also has lots of plugins - has a lot of preferences - is skinnable - has voice chat and perhaps even video chat, though I personally never use any of these features - Astra loads fast.
I haven't tested both, but I've also been told from people who use/have used both clients that Pidgin typically uses less RAM (using around 11mb on my laptop at the moment) and crashes less (my pidgin's never crashed or had a bad error).
For all the Adium fans- what makes it so much better than Pidgin and Trillian?
I haven't tested both, but I've also been told from people who use/have used both clients that Pidgin typically uses less RAM (using around 11mb on my laptop at the moment) and crashes less (my pidgin's never crashed or had a bad error).
For all the Adium fans- what makes it so much better than Pidgin and Trillian?
Hmmmm... the old Trillian indeed used some more RAM, and took some time with loading, but Astra is a lot better in those areas. And I personally prefer Trillian, I just find it better and easier to work with.
Myself just summed up my Trillian opinion perfectly. Everyone flaunts the same features of Pidgin, even though every good AIM client has the same stuff. All I know is that Trillian used to be the preferred AIM client, something was discovered/fixed in another client, and there was a mass migration to Pidgin. Anyone know why?
Also, I'm curious about what changes are being made in Astra. Does anyone have an Alpha invite?
and there was a mass migration to Pidgin. Anyone know why?
I used to use the regular AIM client because I didn't really use any other protocols. At one point, I tried Trillian and Gaim. Something was fucked up with my Trillian install, so I got rid of it and didn't go back to it. Gaim was equally crappy (and bug ridden) at that time, so I just stuck with the AIM client.
Then a while later I heard that Gaim was changing to Pidgin and getting a big update. I downloaded it, loved it, then stuck with it.
After reading this thread, I tried Pidgin for a while before hearing about Digsby. I read some about it and tried it out. That program is the epitome of functionality built into one device. What an amazing program.
I use Meebo.com with a Firefox plug-in for auto log in. I prefer Meebo's web app because I can log in from other computers without installing anything.
For all the Adium fans- what makes it so much better than Pidgin and Trillian?
In Adium everything is skinnable, from the buddy list to message windows, with good themes shipped stock. The chat history, in particular, is excellent, allowing you to search for particular terms across a scad of transcripts across multiple protocols. (I believe Trillian has this kind of support as well.) Multi-protocol support is on par with Pidgin (which it better be, as it's backed by libpurble.)
Succinctly: Adium is a free, Trillian-pretty Pidgin, and it's one of the few available on OSX. Needless to say it's my weapon of choice.
I used Gaim all through university. Those were the largely pre-Gmail days and, coupled with the incredibly networked environment of RIT, I used AIM almost exclusively to communicate with the rest of the crew. IM was honestly my primary means of communication, and I was rarely away from a networked computer for any span of time.
Now, mostly due to work and GeekNights, I rarely have live conversations outside of meatspace. This forum and email are useful again, largely because I need time-shifted communication, much as I need time-shifted entertainment. Thus, I usually just have a Gmail window open.
Isn't Skype lacking everywhere? The furthest an Adium plugin has come is accessing the chat, while having the official Skype running in the background.
Adium is the best for OS X but Digsby looks more than promising.
After numerous attempts at trying to get it to work on my Vista machine, I have finally given up on it. Maybe if they get it to work things will be different...
After numerous attempts at trying to get it to work on my Vista machine, I have finally given up on it. Maybe if they get it to work things will be different...
I was working it in wine, and also in a Windows XP VMWare. I will try it on Vista by the end of the week, and we'll see what happens.
Trying out Digsby, not too sure yet. I'm gonna make myself use it today and tomorrow just in case its a whole "I'm too used to pidgin" thing, if I still don't like it I'll go back to pidgen.
Comments
If something overthrew Adium I'd be mighty surprised.
I never really had any issues with MSN, but Pidgin is cleaner in a nice way.
- also easy to use by that definition
- also has lots of plugins
- has a lot of preferences
- is skinnable
- has voice chat and perhaps even video chat, though I personally never use any of these features
- Astra loads fast.
Its a SIP standard VoIP client(i.e. better than Skype), implements XMPP, and can intergrate with pretty much any major IM client. Other wise(e.g. I need my mic) I use Pidgin when I'm using GNOME or Finch from the terminal. *Three days dealing with openSuSE + NVidia + Kernel 2.4.22.17 patches*... (T_T). For IRC its an even tie between XChat & ChatZilla. Using Pidgin's IRC support always leads to crashing . . . oh & it sucks.
IMHO.
For all the Adium fans- what makes it so much better than Pidgin and Trillian?
Also, I'm curious about what changes are being made in Astra. Does anyone have an Alpha invite?
Then a while later I heard that Gaim was changing to Pidgin and getting a big update. I downloaded it, loved it, then stuck with it.
Succinctly: Adium is a free, Trillian-pretty Pidgin, and it's one of the few available on OSX. Needless to say it's my weapon of choice.
iChat and the various clients on my Mac.
Meebo when I'm not on my machines.
I've never heard of Pidgin.
Now, mostly due to work and GeekNights, I rarely have live conversations outside of meatspace. This forum and email are useful again, largely because I need time-shifted communication, much as I need time-shifted entertainment. Thus, I usually just have a Gmail window open.
Adium is the best for OS X but Digsby looks more than promising.