Instant Messaging

[cdave]

I started compiling an address book late last year. There are several places I can look when I need to find someone's contact details, but I'd never compiled them into a central location.

One thing this reminded me of, is that I haven't used an IM tool (outside of facebook) in about 3 or 4 years. I've tried and I can't access my old MSN account, so decided to just reinstall Trillian install Pidgin, and create some new accounts.

So I'd thought I'd ask what's popular with the kids these days.

[Poll #1343464]

So far I have an MSN and Google Talk both using this email.

Comments screened, if you feel like leaving me your details.

Comments

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

MSN is my preference for IM. I have to use it at work so it's easiest to use it everywhere. The other ticks are because sometimes people talk to me on facebook or gmail and I respond, but I'll rarely initiate chat in those unless I'm really keen to talk to someone.

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

I stick with multi-IM tools like Trillian, with MSN, Y! and AIM accounts. As my IDs have shifted over time I seem to have two MSN accounts, two AIM (one of which is really .mac), and a handful of jabber accounts.

Most of it is down to using IM for work purposes...

[andrewducker]

Out of interest - why multiple jabber accounts? Do you find that federation doesn't work well enough?

I have two - but only because livejournal gives you one automatically :->

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

They're for private, non-federated servers. There are a surprising amount of them out there (one or two of which I set up for people...).

But yes, my main ones are jabber.org, livejournal, and Gtalk. Have I ever said just how much I like XMPP?

[andrewducker]

It is great. I wonder how long it will be until AOL or Yahoo switch over to it.

Microsoft, of course, can't - they allow any email address as a login.

[andrewducker]

Google Talk and LJ Chat are both Jabber based - so you don't need accounts on both. I have Jabber set up for my own domain - and that seems to be my main source of IM nowdays.

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

Used to use Skype. Haven't had any reason to for ages.

[owlfish]

Bonjour. How I love only being available in realtime to only those (usually one person) on my local network! Technically it's an IM system, even if not of much use for what you're asking about.

[cdave]

I use Windows Live Messenger at work several times a day (the joys of a global company), but as that only works with people on the company network, I didn't include it in the list.

(Although rumour has it there's a Fan in management, a few layers above me)