Posted by
ryuzaki0
on from the keep-on-IMing-in-the-free-world dept.
sidesh0w writes "Today the folks from Gaim released an alpha version of their Instant Messenger client for Win32." Gaim is the only IM client I've ever used; I still don't like IM, but Gaim is one sweet program.
Yes, GAIM is great for Linux but on Windows, I use Trillian Supports all the protocols as well as IRC.
One of the cool things is if both people use Trillian, they can communicate using SecureIM which encrypts their conversations.
Re:Compare and contrast
by
numark
·
· Score: 2, Informative
It's not necessarily...it's just an alternative instant messenging program.
For open source to really succeed, we need to have more than one application in the same area. This is so the average Joe who, say, doesn't like Jabber, has an alternative and is more likely to choose and stay with open source. Before now, if you didn't like Jabber for AIM, the only alternative was to use AOL's closed-source client. Now, if you don't like Jabber, you still have an open-source alternative. That's what it's all about.
-- Want Slashdot headlines on your site? Try SlashHead
Re:Compare and contrast
by
uchian
·
· Score: 4, Informative
Gaim is client side, rather than server side. The main advantage of this is that AOL, etc. cannot block GAIM from accessing their networks, whilst it is fairly simple for them to notice that a jabber server is acting as a gateway and to block that.
IM in companies: a bad idea
by
kipsate
·
· Score: 4, Informative
[ Slightly off-topic ]
I'm somewhat sceptic to Instant Messaging in companies. I've seen it fail at our company, where they insisted to try it out.
I see it like this: if you have a message for someone and you don't need an instant reply, e-mail is perfect. If you want to send code snippets, or need to transfer information that is somewhat complicated, use e-mail. It enables you to write down everything in a structured way and the receiver can archive the message for later retrieval.
If you want an instant reply, because you need to discuss something, USE THE PHONE. It is much faster than typing, no matter how fast you type. It is much more convenient, you can exchange information really quickly. Especially in combination of a tool like VNC, which enables you to see eachothers screen and take over mouse and keyboard remotely.
In our case there was another unfortunate side-effect of IMing. Within weeks, the IT guys were chatting for hours per day with the girls in the office. Some of them often had three chat sessions open simultaneously. Productivity dropped significantly.
IM silently died.
-- My karma ran over your dogma
Depends on the situation.
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 1, Informative
When I'm dealing with several issues at once, it's much easier for me to work with several IM windows open, so I can see the thread of conversation and not miss things than it is to stay on the phone constnantly in the office and write notes.
Some of us are not at our desk by the phone all day, but ARE at our desk frequently. Instant messaging helps with this as well.
If your staff stops working as soon as they have a distraction like IM.. you have both communication problems in the company and morale issues with your workers. Are they not allowed to talk normally?
I'd say it didn't work out for you, but I guarantee it works out for others.
VNC is not a viable alternative for office messaging. Maybe it's an alternative for mr IT guy to fix some computer on the next floor, but it's hardly relevant here.
Unless it's different than the unix version, it *comes* with all the protocol plugins.
Re:So long, GAIM
by
L.Schierer
·
· Score: 2, Informative
BTDN. AOL tried to block libfaim, the library gaim uses for OSCAR(aim/icq) support last year in May and June. Each block attempt worked for a day or so at most. By the time they gave up, some winaim users were having trouble connecting because Gaim was mimicing winaim so closely packet-wise the server was having false positives. So we aren't really worried that AOL would have better luck this time around.
Re:Great Stuff
by
L.Schierer
·
· Score: 2, Informative
you might also want to look at gaim-e at http://gaim-e.sf.net it uses gpg, not blowfish, but irrc it has been more maintained.
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One of the cool things is if both people use Trillian, they can communicate using SecureIM which encrypts their conversations.
It's not necessarily...it's just an alternative instant messenging program.
For open source to really succeed, we need to have more than one application in the same area. This is so the average Joe who, say, doesn't like Jabber, has an alternative and is more likely to choose and stay with open source. Before now, if you didn't like Jabber for AIM, the only alternative was to use AOL's closed-source client. Now, if you don't like Jabber, you still have an open-source alternative. That's what it's all about.
Want Slashdot headlines on your site? Try SlashHead
Gaim is client side, rather than server side. The main advantage of this is that AOL, etc. cannot block GAIM from accessing their networks, whilst it is fairly simple for them to notice that a jabber server is acting as a gateway and to block that.
[ Slightly off-topic ]
I'm somewhat sceptic to Instant Messaging in companies. I've seen it fail at our company, where they insisted to try it out.
I see it like this: if you have a message for someone and you don't need an instant reply, e-mail is perfect. If you want to send code snippets, or need to transfer information that is somewhat complicated, use e-mail. It enables you to write down everything in a structured way and the receiver can archive the message for later retrieval.
If you want an instant reply, because you need to discuss something, USE THE PHONE. It is much faster than typing, no matter how fast you type. It is much more convenient, you can exchange information really quickly. Especially in combination of a tool like VNC, which enables you to see eachothers screen and take over mouse and keyboard remotely.
In our case there was another unfortunate side-effect of IMing. Within weeks, the IT guys were chatting for hours per day with the girls in the office. Some of them often had three chat sessions open simultaneously. Productivity dropped significantly.
IM silently died.
My karma ran over your dogma
When I'm dealing with several issues at once, it's much easier for me to work with several IM windows open, so I can see the thread of conversation and not miss things than it is to stay on the phone constnantly in the office and write notes.
Some of us are not at our desk by the phone all day, but ARE at our desk frequently. Instant messaging helps with this as well.
If your staff stops working as soon as they have a distraction like IM.. you have both communication problems in the company and morale issues with your workers. Are they not allowed to talk normally?
I'd say it didn't work out for you, but I guarantee it works out for others.
VNC is not a viable alternative for office messaging. Maybe it's an alternative for mr IT guy to fix some computer on the next floor, but it's hardly relevant here.
Gabber (http://gabber.sourceforge.net/) can speak SSL and can encrypt messages using GPG.
Since it's Jabber based, it can also do MSN, AIM, ICQ, IRC and lots more at the same time...
Give it a go...
Unless it's different than the unix version, it *comes* with all the protocol plugins.
BTDN. AOL tried to block libfaim, the library gaim uses for OSCAR(aim/icq) support last year in May and June. Each block attempt worked for a day or so at most. By the time they gave up, some winaim users were having trouble connecting because Gaim was mimicing winaim so closely packet-wise the server was having false positives. So we aren't really worried that AOL would have better luck this time around.
you might also want to look at gaim-e at http://gaim-e.sf.net it uses gpg, not blowfish, but irrc it has been more maintained.