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Pidgin is a multi-service messenger app that lets you chat with users from MSN, AIM, Gmail, ICQ, and more, all from a single app. Users can keep their modern clients but also keep in touch with their old-school friends and family who just refuse to get off AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. It also supports lesser-known protocols like Jabber, MySpace, and Gadu-Gadu.
Installation was pretty straightforward: You'll be taken through a series of standard confirmations for install directories and then be introduced to an initial setup process to have your accounts synced up. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, we were unable to get Facebook Chat to work, due to some XMPP validation error. It's okay, though; you're probably on Facebook right now, anyway.
Users can create custom responses, or "pounces," for notifications from specific parties or IDs. That means that if you receive a notification from an important friend or family member, you can create custom triggers and alerts. Other options include mail notifications (as for Gmail users) and custom add-ons like transparency effects, buddy tickers, and more.
The interface is very minimal and clean, with a standard green/red/yellow dot to indicate user activity or idleness, followed by the name and avatar. You can set your own custom notification and status message on the bottom and change your own avatar directly from the main menu. It's as simple as it gets.
Pidgin is free and open-source. We recommend it especially for users who want to use a single message client for multiple services. In the meantime, tell your friends stuck in the 1990s to discover Gmail or Facebook.
Publisher's Description
From Pidgin:
Pidgin (formerly known as Gaim) is a multi-protocol instant messaging client for BSD and Windows. It is compatible with AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, IRC, and Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and Zephyr networks. Pidgin users can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AOL Instant Messenger, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time. It also goes beyond that and provides many unique features. A few popular features are Buddy Pounces, which give the ability to notify you, send a message, play a sound, or run a program when a specific buddy goes away, signs online, or returns from idle, and plug-in, consisting of text replacement, a buddy ticker, extended message notification, and iconify on away.
What's new in this version: Pidgin 2.10.7 contains some security updates for users of MXit, Sametime, and anyone connected to a public network (unencrypted Wi-Fi, universities, offices, etc). It also contains updated SSL certificates to fix signin problems with MSN.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 282 votes
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Current version:
5.0 starsout of 2 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-2 of 2
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"Great software!"
Version: Pidgin 2.10.7
Pros
Pidgin allows you to collect all your messenger contacts into one single program.
You can chat with people in different networks at the same time, without having to clutter your desk with n different windows.Cons
Can't think of any. :)
Summary
Pidgin works great for somebody like me with friends in many different networks.
I love how I can integrate all those platforms in one single, user-friendly software. -
"Nice program"
Version: Pidgin 2.10.7
Pros
multi IM use and easy to set up
Cons
Have problems with ICQ and installing it to Pidgin
Results 1-2 of 2
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