Gaim and Trillian: Making Multi-Protocol Instant Messaging Possible Trillian: The Skinnable, Interoperable IM Client Adam Stone
As if instant messaging was not intrusive enough.
All right, so some people just cannot live without a real-time link to friends and co-workers. Then there are the die-hard IM fans, for whom one messaging client is just not enough. How can I devote myself to AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM) when someone out there might be trying to reach me via the Yahoo! version? Please, they cry. Interrupt me more.
Never fear. With the growing popularity of instant messaging, a number of vendors have stepped up to the plate with products that can handle chatter from multiple IM services at one time. Today we'll take a quick look at two, Gaim and Trillian, to give a sense of what's possible.
Trillian
Trillian is a skinnable, interoperable IM client that offers support for five major networks, including AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, and IRC. The basic version of Trillian is free, while a more fully customizable professional 2.0 edition is available for $25. The company claims over 10 million downloads to date. Easy to download and quick to configure, Trillian quickly organizes existing "buddies" alphabetically in a single view, marking each with a different-colored "dot" according to its service.
One nice feature in Trillian is the ease with which a new buddy, and even a new service, can be added. If a buddy arrives using a service to which you do not subscribe, Trillian walks you through the creation of a new account with that service. There is no need to find a download on the web and no need to learn a new program, and the whole process only takes about five minutes.
The program has some comfortable management tools, too. Users can make windows transparent or have them remain "always on top." New windows can be set to arrive directly on the desktop or can be hidden until the user is ready to view them. And of course there are dozens of emoticons available to liven up any cyber-conversation.
Additional features in both versions include SecureIM support via AIM and ICQ using Blowfish 128 bit encryption and Diffie-Hellman key exchange, file transfer support, encrypted IRC DCC chats and file transfers, basic scripting support with IRC, HTTP Connect and full SOCKS 4/5 proxy support, and more. Users of the Pro version can also plug in Jabber support, news, weather, stock quotes, as well as other helpful extras.
Trillian help is available to paid members in the form of regular updates and priority email-based assistance.
