Do you really really want to IM with people you hardly know?Blue Velvet said:
Maybe yes but whatever..
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Instant Messaging 101: Any tips?
- Thread starter Blue Velvet
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Maybe yes but whatever..
fayans said:Do you really really want to IM with people you hardly know?
Maybe yes but whatever..
There's know, and then there's know.
Blue Velvet said:
i don't chat with people i don't know... i use im to connect with friends and family who are far away.. it makes people you miss feel closer, if you see what i mean. hence the webcam and audio.
DB
Just thought I'd chime in here: I had been using Messenger Mac v5 for a few weeks and eventually switched over to Adium b/c I was fed up with the connection issues that Messenger gave me. I've never been more impressed with an IM program in my life! My only qualm with it is the somewhat tedious process of changing your display picture. It also doesn't seem to pick up other people's display pictures very well or very often; rather, I know most of my contacts have custom display pics (for MSN, i.e.) and yet 90% of them have the Adium duck pic instead. Is this a known issue or...?
As you notice, there are a number of choices for a IM client. Primarily, Yahoo, AOL and MSN dominate the IM landscape these days
The most obvious, and in my opinion, the best client choice, is included with OS X. iChat works with .mac, AOL, and iChat's incorporation of the jabber protocol allows you to use other services such as Yahoo and MSN with a little tinkering. It supports both video and text messaging, the ability to conference (up to 3 for video), file exchange, and is integrated with other OS X apps (mail.app). Basically, all you need is either a free AOL account or a .mac account to get going, or the aforementioned jabber set-up to use other services.
Yahoo has a free, native OS X client for their service. It's not as fully featured as it's MS counterpart and hasn't been updated in awhile now, but it still works. Supports both video and text messaging, although the video isn't as good as iChat. It also supports file exchange. All you need to get going is a free Yahoo email account. The client is easy to set-up and configure.
Microsoft Messenger is MS's native OS X version for it's MSN service. Like Yahoo, it's not as fully featured as it's Windows counterpart and it doesn't support video at all. But it's a relatively painless entryway into MSN for simple, basic text messaging.
I don't use the open-source clients (adium, et al) because, although they are good at supporting multiple services from within a single client, none to date support video. I also haven't used Microsoft Messenger, again due to lack of video support. I have used Yahoo, and it works fine, gets the job done and it works with video. iChat does everything and it does it well and it's the hands-down winner provided your buddies are on AOL or .mac. Tiger's iChat jabber support allows it to interface with other services, but, as I understand it, it's limited (no video support for Yahoo or MSN) and setting up jabber to use them isn't exactly user friendly. I looked at it and figured it was just as easy to fire up, for example, the Yahoo client and get the missing features and be done with it.
The most obvious, and in my opinion, the best client choice, is included with OS X. iChat works with .mac, AOL, and iChat's incorporation of the jabber protocol allows you to use other services such as Yahoo and MSN with a little tinkering. It supports both video and text messaging, the ability to conference (up to 3 for video), file exchange, and is integrated with other OS X apps (mail.app). Basically, all you need is either a free AOL account or a .mac account to get going, or the aforementioned jabber set-up to use other services.
Yahoo has a free, native OS X client for their service. It's not as fully featured as it's MS counterpart and hasn't been updated in awhile now, but it still works. Supports both video and text messaging, although the video isn't as good as iChat. It also supports file exchange. All you need to get going is a free Yahoo email account. The client is easy to set-up and configure.
Microsoft Messenger is MS's native OS X version for it's MSN service. Like Yahoo, it's not as fully featured as it's Windows counterpart and it doesn't support video at all. But it's a relatively painless entryway into MSN for simple, basic text messaging.
I don't use the open-source clients (adium, et al) because, although they are good at supporting multiple services from within a single client, none to date support video. I also haven't used Microsoft Messenger, again due to lack of video support. I have used Yahoo, and it works fine, gets the job done and it works with video. iChat does everything and it does it well and it's the hands-down winner provided your buddies are on AOL or .mac. Tiger's iChat jabber support allows it to interface with other services, but, as I understand it, it's limited (no video support for Yahoo or MSN) and setting up jabber to use them isn't exactly user friendly. I looked at it and figured it was just as easy to fire up, for example, the Yahoo client and get the missing features and be done with it.
Just so you know, if you have are going to/are using an AOL Instant Messenger account...
I hate how on AIM anyone can add you to their buddy list and watch your online habbits (by reading your profile and/or away message) and you have no idea who adds you. Also, this is why on AIM there is a lot of IM spam, which is increasingly annoying (I made a thread about it, but only a few people replied )
But IM is a very easy way to get information from people and just have quick chats. I love IM
I hate how on AIM anyone can add you to their buddy list and watch your online habbits (by reading your profile and/or away message) and you have no idea who adds you. Also, this is why on AIM there is a lot of IM spam, which is increasingly annoying (I made a thread about it, but only a few people replied
)But IM is a very easy way to get information from people and just have quick chats. I love IM
What happens when you set the privacy level to only "Allow People in my Buddy List"?dotdotdot said:J...I hate how on AIM anyone can add you to their buddy list and watch your online habbits (by reading your profile and/or away message) and you have no idea who adds you. Also, this is why on AIM there is a lot of IM spam, which is increasingly annoying (I made a thread about it, but only a few people replied
iChat on the AIM network is the best...and nothing is better for learning typing than a ton of im windows open at once...did what no keyboarding classes ever could!
Multiple Sessions?
I jsut switched back to a Mac after about a year or so in laptop PC-ville and was trying to find an IM program similiar to Trillian.. One of the nicest features of Trillian is the ability to have multiple logons with the same Service.. for example - I have 2 Yahoo messenger accounts and I can have both logged in at once - in one merged buddy list.. Does any of the above mentioned programs allow that? I've tried Fire and Adium, but either I'm missing a setting or they don't allow it..
Any other suggestions?
I jsut switched back to a Mac after about a year or so in laptop PC-ville and was trying to find an IM program similiar to Trillian.. One of the nicest features of Trillian is the ability to have multiple logons with the same Service.. for example - I have 2 Yahoo messenger accounts and I can have both logged in at once - in one merged buddy list.. Does any of the above mentioned programs allow that? I've tried Fire and Adium, but either I'm missing a setting or they don't allow it..
Any other suggestions?
iChat and other IM services
Is there a guide on MR for having other IM services work with iChat? Did a quick search but didn't find anything about this.
Is there a guide on MR for having other IM services work with iChat? Did a quick search but didn't find anything about this.
I just use MSN Messenger: Mac for family and friends - and mIRC for people who I know but havent met.
I don't get why this whole thread points a completely new user to AdiumX when there is iChat built into the computer, and is much easier to handle
If you know absolutely nothing about IM it's going to take you a while to get used to it, but believe me, it's worth it. Instant messaging is one of my favorite hobbies and it's an indispensable tool for me. Try visiting the link in my signature, it's a good resource for messaging on Macs. I think it has a walkthrough for beginners too.
calebjohnston said:
Not everyone uses iChat. And most newbies are keen to continue chatting with their Windoze based friends. Outside of the USA very few people use AOL. Here in Aust most people use MSN Messenger... or ICQ.
I think one of the reasons Adium is so popular, and thus this thread is around for those who want to read it, is it is IMHO the best multi client IM app. Allows for complete customisation, and still lets people chat with ICQ, MSN, Yahoo etc mates.
I wonder about those messaging icons in the profile possibilities here on MR. I've put in a link icon to Skype, but I'd really like to put my iChat in as well. It seems strange that that isn't a possibility on a Mac forum - or is this a complete n00b thing to ask, and the answer is right in front of me somewhere?
PS Didn't mean to hijack the thread, it seemed relevant when I posted, but looking back I'm not so sure....
PS Didn't mean to hijack the thread, it seemed relevant when I posted, but looking back I'm not so sure....
illegalprelude here!! omg. everybody IM flush me!
I have myself never heard of fire. I love adium though. you can customise the life out of that program. cant do that with iChat.
But adium dosent support video or audio (99% of my friends are in the pc world so their too retarded to even video chat, let alone have the tools to do it.they just know how to use Word and pop in WoW in the computer)
Only thing that really bugs me about adium is the file tranfer on it dosent work correctly, even to other adium users
I have myself never heard of fire. I love adium though. you can customise the life out of that program. cant do that with iChat.
But adium dosent support video or audio (99% of my friends are in the pc world so their too retarded to even video chat, let alone have the tools to do it.they just know how to use Word and pop in WoW in the computer)
Only thing that really bugs me about adium is the file tranfer on it dosent work correctly, even to other adium users
My favorites are just normal AIM from AOL and iChat.
I like iChat because it never crashes and its easy to use. Also everything is modern on iChat like the buddy list and such. A drawback to iChat is that its sometimes confusing to add buddies and you cannot make a profile.
I like AIM because it provides easy file sharing between me and my friends because most of my friends have a PC.
I have used a program called 'Fire' before. I don't remember why I stopped using it. I like it because it allowed you to use two instant messenging programs at once. (ex: AIM and Yahoo)
Edit: I just noticed that Fire has been mentioned before
I like iChat because it never crashes and its easy to use. Also everything is modern on iChat like the buddy list and such. A drawback to iChat is that its sometimes confusing to add buddies and you cannot make a profile.
I like AIM because it provides easy file sharing between me and my friends because most of my friends have a PC.
I have used a program called 'Fire' before. I don't remember why I stopped using it. I like it because it allowed you to use two instant messenging programs at once. (ex: AIM and Yahoo)
Edit: I just noticed that Fire has been mentioned before
my favorite is iChat. its a nice interface, it fits with OS X, it arranges buddies who are online and offline, it displays names, not screennames (if you have them in your address book), you have what i call available messages, its easy to change your logo, etc. I think they can improve it in alot of ways.
I do have one question though. What is the point of the "block everyone" function in AIM. If you block everyone, why do you have AIM?
I do have one question though. What is the point of the "block everyone" function in AIM. If you block everyone, why do you have AIM?