Which Instant Messaging Network do you use ?
This may seem like a simple question but it is one that is confusing me greatly these days. We use Lotus Sametime at work. We are only allowed to use it to chat with people who are also on Lotus Sametime. So, what to use for everyone outside the corporate walls and when I’m not on the clock ?
I could use GoogleTalk, AOL Instant Messaging, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, iChat, Facebook, MySpace, or one of the many free Jabber services, or IRC, or one of the multitude of tiny proprietary services. But none of them get me to all my friends and family. I could have accounts on most of them and use a mutli-protocol chat client like Trillian or Pidgin but that is like hunting for a tree in the woods at night with only pen light - or a handful of pen lights to be more specific.
So, which is the most common instant messaging community these days ? Which one covers the majority of your friends and family ?
October 30th, 2007 at 17:14
I’m an iChat/Skype syncretist. The family is on iChat (thanks to my sister, who wouldn’t let anyone rest until we all were lined up together). My overseas friends prefer Skype, and I’m a bit afraid my sister will go after them as well.
November 2nd, 2007 at 08:20
Trillian Pro is my vote … allowing use for Sametime, Microsoft Communicator, YahooChat, etc.
November 6th, 2007 at 07:54
I’m using Pidgin at the moment, as I have contacts on most of the IM networks. And Skype for cheap international calls.