I'm going to put my geek hat on for a few minutes and explain a computer program that almost everyone should be using. This is nothing new, I started using the program back in 2001, and I think it was around for a few years before that. I know many people who use this slick piece of software, but I have been surprised lately at how many of my friends have never even heard of it. While at work or at home, this is the tool you should be using for communicating with friends. I'll try and explain it here without using any technical jargon.
You can think of Pidgin (formerly known as Gaim) as like the Firefox of instant messaging. Most internet addicts realize how much more efficient web browsing can be when they ditch Internet Explorer for Mozilla Firefox. The same goes for the free and open source Pidgin, instead of using Trillian or some other proprietary program. Is is simple to install and use, but still is feature-rich and full of optional plugins (similar to Firefox extensions) for those who like to tinker and customize their software programs to get the most out of them.
Here is the heart of why Pidgin is so great: You can sign on with multiple screen names, and on different instant messenger services, all at the same time and from the same program. I will try and explain this with my own instant messaging experience. Most of my friends use AOL Instant Messenger, better known as AIM. It was one of the first widely-used instant messaging programs available (For those few of you who might care, I started using the first widespread instant messaging client, a program called ICQ, back in 1998). Everybody I work with uses the dreaded MSN Messenger all day. Several of my more rebellious acquaintances insist on using Yahoo! Messenger for some oddball reason. Most recently, the post-college, corporate drones try and sneak on Google Talk to get a quick bit of information about their friends' evening or weekend plans.
So what am I supposed to do? I would rather not run all those programs at the same time. I think four buddy lists would take up most of my screen and slow things down too much. Being logged onto GMail all day also seems like it would get tiresome and in the way. Therefore, I use Pidgin for everything, all at the same time. With Pidgin, I log in with my six or seven screen names and all of my buddies on every service appear in one, clean and neat buddy list. I can flawlessly instant message my friends with very little concern as to which screen name or service I am using for each conversation. My buddies don't even know or realize that I am using something different; I appear on their buddy lists and converse with them the exact same way.
Pidgin functions quite simply and has all the basic features that most of the others do (away messages, profiles, buddy icons, etc.) and then some. Even if you have only one screen name, it is still better than using those other slow and bloated programs. Do they still bother you with ad banners? Using GTalk through Pidgin is really sweet, all of your GMail Contacts automatically appear on your buddy list whenever they check their e-mail. You don't even need to add their screen names, they just show up automagically so you can instant message them whenever they sign on. There are many other instant messaging services out there that Pidgin supports that I don't use, the latest being Lotus Sametime for you Fortune 500 employees.
So there you have it, a great program that you should all at least give a chance. I mean, it is free and very easy to install or uninstall, so what do you have to lose? Pidgin is not perfect or really unique anymore. But it is a heck of a lot more mature than it was when I first started using it, back when it was the only one of its kind. Now there are many similar programs out there, but Pidgin is still the most user-friendly and overall best in my opinion. My biggest wish is that they would support Skype, so I could instant message my friends who live abroad and are infatuated with the Skype service. Also, while there are some great plugins already available, I would like to see a more comprehensive selection for the extreme power users. But all in all it is a great product that is still being developed, so only more good things should come. If I have convinced you, click on the banner below to learn more or to download it yourself. See you online!
No comments:
Post a Comment