F***'n Windows Live Messenger!

[Stygian]

If there's anything annoying to a constant computer user such as myself, it is when idiot programmers try to go in and rummage around in my system. But I still want to be able to chat with friends. And since my Windows Live Messenger now seems to be acting up, giving me notifications that I can't send messages because I've exceeded the 'maximum number of messages per minute' - bullshit! - I am now somewhat frustrated. And then it messed up my installer so that I had to do a system reset.

If anyone has nothing better to do, I would very much like to find out any alternatives to this abomination of Microsoft's. I'm asking mostly because I do not have the time to sit down and sort this mess out myself, should my current efforts be of no use...

This is a frivolous little topic about what messengers we use, what we hate about them and the distributors, and for generally spewing bile about poorly made software.

(EDIT: worked to make the title more Work Safe)

[Damaris]

My suggestion is that you please amend your title - we don't allow swearing in post titles, even if it is misspelled.  Some people access this from areas where professionalism is required.

[Ryudo Lee]

Pidgin can be used for Windows Live Messenger, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, and a few others that I don't use.  The only downside, no webcam support.

[Tapewolf]

Pidgin can be used for Windows Live Messenger, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, and a few others that I don't use.  The only downside, no webcam support.

In my experience Pidgin and other libpurple based IM engines (like Adium) don't support sending binaries to AIM users.  This is a pain for bouncing test colourings and specifications back and forth to Ren, as I don't like using AOL's own client.
iChat on the mac does support this but is a horrible, broken piece of software.  So I end up using both at once - iChat to send files and Adium for the actual conversation.

Adium also has the disadvantage that it only works on the mac, but Pidgin works nicely enough on linux, AIM problem excepted.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... I'm gonna have to test that.

I think the issue is not AIM users, but via NAT on both ends. I have an AIM proxy here, I should probably see about setting that up and seeing if that assists. We should test sometime...

[Tapewolf]

I think the issue is not AIM users, but via NAT on both ends. I have an AIM proxy here, I should probably see about setting that up and seeing if that assists. We should test sometime...

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see why it should be different between binaries and text.  That and iChat works around it somehow.  It is quite happy to receive files, too - it just can't send them.
I assumed they hadn't yet managed to fully reverse-engineer the protocol.

EDIT:
Then again, if it's actually doing a direct peer-to-peer transfer rather than going through the AOL network (which I assumed it did), NAT might be a problem.  But it still doesn't explain why it works with the official clients.

[hapless]

(deleted)
I was wrong. (and yes, i realized that JUST after initial posting )

[Cogidubnus]

I tend to use Windows Live Messenger, because most of the people that I IM with use the same, although I have been known to use AIM every blue moon.

Back in the day, I used Trillian, which had AIM, IRC, Yahoo messenger, and windows live, but I haven't signed on with that in some time.

The only complaint I have is that occasionally Windows Live will hang up and never allow me to sign on, and tells me that it's a hosts file problem. It tends to go away by itself, but it's annoying when it happens.

[Tapewolf]

I tend to use Windows Live Messenger, because most of the people that I IM with use the same, although I have been known to use AIM every blue moon.

I have Microsoft allergies unfortunately.  I would take a lot of convincing to get an MSN account.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I have Microsoft allergies unfortunately.  I would take a lot of convincing to get an MSN account.

... hence why I'm using someone else's, and I don't check the emails. And I don't use Windows Messenger with it, either. Ever.

[bill]

i'm pretty sure you can get a Windows Live account with a non-Microsoft e-mail account these days

[Cogidubnus]

i'm pretty sure you can get a Windows Live account with a non-Microsoft e-mail account these days

Yeah, but it's still Windows Live Messenger. And Windows is still Microsoft.

However, I, for one, support our (admittedly rather old by now) evil overlords.

[rabid_fox]

I love Microsoft, their stuff works well for a casual user like me. Also - best customer service I've ever experiened. They're like a geeky hug, without the aniseedy smell of anti-dandruff shampoo.

[bill]

microsoft make the best mice and keyboards

[rabid_fox]

When I was out running today, a rat scuttled in front of me. Then later I saw an ugly girl in a t-shirt that read "Never stop dancing" and she wasn't dancing.

Ah days are great.

[RobbieThe1st]

Personally, I use Trillian 3.1 free. It works with MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ and IRC. It isn't open source though, but as of yet I haven't found a good replacement - I really like its simple theme and being able to drag/drop bits around. I tried Pidgin, mind, and couldn't get it setup with a theme anywhere near what I enjoy with Trillian.

[Suwako]

Personally, I use Trillian 3.1 free. It works with MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ and IRC. It isn't open source though, but as of yet I haven't found a good replacement - I really like its simple theme and being able to drag/drop bits around. I tried Pidgin, mind, and couldn't get it setup with a theme anywhere near what I enjoy with Trillian.

Pidgin is notably for the minimalist who cares more about performance and little about aesthetics. Trillian is far more wasteful, if you can call it that with resources, but does look at lot prettier and supports some more advanced functions that Pidgin doesn't. ( iow: livevideo chat, 'buzzers' everything a minimalist hates )

Oh gods, I should really watch my grammar.

tomorrow...