AstroBoy Online Forums

Hey guys

I've been thinking of adding on AIM and Yahoo Messenger to go along with my MSN Messenger. I don't really want to but I kind of have to so I can talk to some people. The problem is that I don't know the best way to go about this.

For instance, every review of AIM Messenger that I see has warning of toolbars, adware and spyware which of course I don't want. I'm also worried about the Messenger services slowing down things on my computer.

Can anyone give any suggestions?

Thanks.

I suggest that you use GAIM: it is a free software (no adware, no spyware, etc) that allows to connect to most instant messengers out there, such as MSN, AOL, Yahoo, or less common such as Gadu-Gadu or Jabber.
Create your account the usual way using a browser (some accounts may be created using GAIM), then connect using GAIM. It can handle all the accounts together. For example, I have here 4 permanent accounts: 2 MSN accounts, 1 AOL and 1 Yahoo, all of them managed by GAIM.

Edit: About slowing down your computer, a decent instant messenger software won't slow down your computer

fafner wrote:I suggest that you use GAIM: it is a free software (no adware, no spyware, etc) that allows to connect to most instant messengers out there, such as MSN, AOL, Yahoo, or less common such as Gadu-Gadu or Jabber.
Create your account the usual way using a browser (some accounts may be created using GAIM), then connect using GAIM. It can handle all the accounts together. For example, I have here 4 permanent accounts: 2 MSN accounts, 1 AOL and 1 Yahoo, all of them managed by GAIM.

Edit: About slowing down your computer, a decent instant messenger software won't slow down your computer

That sounds great. I will look into this later.

I'm not sure what you meant by this here --

Create your account the usual way using a browser

One time I did try to download some software (not GAIM) that allowed you to connect to most instant messengers but I deleted it. I didn't understand what the point of it was. If you have to download the individual programs anyway (apparantly not all with GAIM as you mentioned there), than why download yet another program? How will that let me bypass adware issues if I would still have to download AIM, Yahoo, IRC etc.. in the first place?

Maybe you're supposed to download the individual messengers, than try to uninstall them along with the adware/toolbars/spyware and than just use your login name along with your password with services like GAIM?

Thank you for your help. It's much appreciated.

wildpegasus wrote:One time I did try to download some software (not GAIM) that allowed you to connect to most instant messengers but I deleted it. I didn't understand what the point of it was. If you have to download the individual programs anyway (apparantly not all with GAIM as you mentioned there), than why download yet another program? How will that let me bypass adware issues if I would still have to download AIM, Yahoo, IRC etc.. in the first place?

Maybe you're supposed to download the individual messengers, than try to uninstall them along with the adware/toolbars/spyware and than just use your login name along with your password with services like GAIM?

You don't have to download nor install another program, GAIM will act the same way as the regular softwares, without the potential troubles that they might have.

i d/l'd it and it don't werk....starts to connect but then shuts down

Spike wrote:i d/l'd it and it don't werk....starts to connect but then shuts down

Using GAIM with MSN?

Edit: Indeed, there are problems when the program is run under Windows. I am having a look...

Got it. It seems that the 1.5 version doesn't work anymore with MSN, Microsoft probably changed their protocol. Strangely, it still works on other systems than Windows
The new 2.0 beta version of GAIM works correctly: I just tested it and everything is working properly. You can download it here. Be sure to download the non-debug version (gaim-2.0.0beta4.exe), or you'll run into big troubles by having to install obscur libraries difficult to find (I did) Hopefully, the non-debug version installs painlessly after asking you whether you want to install said obscur libraries After that, you're all set

too bad i have windows and msn, mainly use msn only want it cos know ppl who use yahoo n icq and i can't be farqued usin them

I use a different GAIM like program called Trillian that you might want to look into as well. It has it's flaws, but I'm pretty happy with it overall, and very thankful to be away from constant advertisements & toolbars & all that hoopla.