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.
Bound to happen..
by
psamuels
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Now that the GTK+ Windows port has started to mature, this sort of thing is inevitable. The biggest obstacle to portability in ANSI C these days is usually your GUI layer. The rest of your portability problems - well, that's why we also have glib for Windows..
-- "How can you claim that you are anti-crack, while still writing a window manager?" — Metacity README
This is truly great. I also have used gaim for the past few years and have been increasingly dissatisfied with the Windows alternatives. Previosly I have had to content myself with Gaim running remotely through Cygwin and ssh.
At long last I will be able to use blaim (blowfish encrypted AIM) in windows. That is if I can figure out the compile options;-).
Hopefully the development will stay active on this front.
As far as Win32 IM solutions go, this is better than Trillian...how? The answer: "It's open source!" isn't valid. While it may become better in time, right now Trillian is the flat out king of Win32 IM solutions in terms of versatility and usability.
I don't doubt that it's a fantastic (and it may very well be the best) IM solution on the Linux platform.
Maybe in time, this will be important news to Win32 users, but right now it's just another program that isn't as good as others already available.
Voice Over IP support
by
Adnans
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
Does anyone know if GAIM is going to support Voice Over IP? IMHO that's the killer app for any IM platform.
-adnans
-- "In short: just say NO TO DRUGS, and maybe you won't end up like the Hurd people." --Linus Torvalds
Great stuff..
by
unorthod0x
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
I switched to gaim a long while ago (when I switched my primary workstation to run Linux), after having tried out many other alternatives it seemed like the only one that worked! Of course it doesn't work perfectly, often I'll have people online but not showing up as being so, the lack of file transfer through most conduits is annoying (but, in all honesty, welcome:), real-time multi-user chat just plain ain't there. My adoption of gaim despite all of the above is testament to the fact that there is an acute niche for this kind of software.. Having a Windows version is welcome news; for the rare moments where I have to boot in to Windows it'll be handy not to have to lose touch with everyone.
Re:So long, GAIM
by
garcia
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
actually I was hoping that the Windows alternative would kinda force AOL to adopt the GAIM software as its own instead of the shit it uses now.
I don't think GAIM for Windows is a good idea
by
overbored
·
· Score: 1, Interesting
Hey, I've been reading Slashdot for a long time, and this is my first post.
First off, I am not one who sticks to standard software just because they are popular, made by Microsoft/AOL Time Warner, etc. Neither do I use alternative software for that reason alone. I use whatever is most useful to me, and in this sense, I was never able to understand why people like programs like GAIM, Mozilla, Emacs, etc. on Windows.
I never really liked any of the multi-platform clients. I remember using GAIM briefly two years ago; I liked its logging and buddy pounce features. It sure kicked the crap out of AIM for Linux. Now I use AIM 4.8 with AIM+ (AIM+ users: don't upgrade to 5.0). AIM+ can make windows transparent, remove ads, etc., but I really find the logging and cloning features to be most useful.
I downloaded GAIM for Windows yesterday, and I removed it today. It looks hideous (though I could care less), it's clumsy to use, it formats incorrectly (both IMs and profiles), the tabbed windows are useless (thanks to XP's window grouping), you can't Talk, you can't Play Games, you can't use the Add-Ins for AIM, you can't Get Files, you can't look up directory info (and yes, I use all these AIM features regularly), it does a god-awful job of "intelligently" merging contacts (and worse, these changes permanently alter your buddy list stored on AIM servers; I had to re-edit the buddy lists manually)...the list goes on.
And this is all just concerning its handling of AIM. Need I go on about its drawbacks on the other platforms? I think this one-night affair is best forgotten.
I have similar complaints against Trillian, Jabber, EveryBuddy, etc. (all of which I have used very, very patiently, on multiple occasions over the years). Now I know that GAIM is open-source, and if I wanted to, I can change it however I please, potentially making it the most kick-ass client ever. But I *don't* want to, and if the authors of GAIM couldn't make it any better than it is right now, then I sure as hell can't.
So, either I'm missing something huge here (and I sure hope I am, because I like AIM/OSCAR just about as much as the next guy), or the rebellious vocal minority has once again confounded "keeping an open mind" with "blind devotion to the alternatives." Until GAIM catches up, I'm sticking to AIM+.
Slashdot Mirror
Now that the GTK+ Windows port has started to mature, this sort of thing is inevitable. The biggest obstacle to portability in ANSI C these days is usually your GUI layer. The rest of your portability problems - well, that's why we also have glib for Windows..
"How can you claim that you are anti-crack, while still writing a window manager?" — Metacity README
This is truly great. I also have used gaim for the past few years and have been increasingly dissatisfied with the Windows alternatives. Previosly I have had to content myself with Gaim running remotely through Cygwin and ssh.
;-).
At long last I will be able to use blaim (blowfish encrypted AIM) in windows. That is if I can figure out the compile options
Hopefully the development will stay active on this front.
As far as Win32 IM solutions go, this is better than Trillian...how? The answer: "It's open source!" isn't valid. While it may become better in time, right now Trillian is the flat out king of Win32 IM solutions in terms of versatility and usability. I don't doubt that it's a fantastic (and it may very well be the best) IM solution on the Linux platform. Maybe in time, this will be important news to Win32 users, but right now it's just another program that isn't as good as others already available.
Does anyone know if GAIM is going to support Voice Over IP? IMHO that's the killer app for any IM platform.
-adnans
"In short: just say NO TO DRUGS, and maybe you won't end up like the Hurd people." --Linus Torvalds
I switched to gaim a long while ago (when I switched my primary workstation to run Linux), after having tried out many other alternatives it seemed like the only one that worked! Of course it doesn't work perfectly, often I'll have people online but not showing up as being so, the lack of file transfer through most conduits is annoying (but, in all honesty, welcome :), real-time multi-user chat just plain ain't there. My adoption of gaim despite all of the above is testament to the fact that there is an acute niche for this kind of software.. Having a Windows version is welcome news; for the rare moments where I have to boot in to Windows it'll be handy not to have to lose touch with everyone.
actually I was hoping that the Windows alternative would kinda force AOL to adopt the GAIM software as its own instead of the shit it uses now.
Hey, I've been reading Slashdot for a long time, and this is my first post.
First off, I am not one who sticks to standard software just because they are popular, made by Microsoft/AOL Time Warner, etc. Neither do I use alternative software for that reason alone. I use whatever is most useful to me, and in this sense, I was never able to understand why people like programs like GAIM, Mozilla, Emacs, etc. on Windows.
I never really liked any of the multi-platform clients. I remember using GAIM briefly two years ago; I liked its logging and buddy pounce features. It sure kicked the crap out of AIM for Linux. Now I use AIM 4.8 with AIM+ (AIM+ users: don't upgrade to 5.0). AIM+ can make windows transparent, remove ads, etc., but I really find the logging and cloning features to be most useful.
I downloaded GAIM for Windows yesterday, and I removed it today. It looks hideous (though I could care less), it's clumsy to use, it formats incorrectly (both IMs and profiles), the tabbed windows are useless (thanks to XP's window grouping), you can't Talk, you can't Play Games, you can't use the Add-Ins for AIM, you can't Get Files, you can't look up directory info (and yes, I use all these AIM features regularly), it does a god-awful job of "intelligently" merging contacts (and worse, these changes permanently alter your buddy list stored on AIM servers; I had to re-edit the buddy lists manually)...the list goes on.
And this is all just concerning its handling of AIM. Need I go on about its drawbacks on the other platforms? I think this one-night affair is best forgotten.
I have similar complaints against Trillian, Jabber, EveryBuddy, etc. (all of which I have used very, very patiently, on multiple occasions over the years). Now I know that GAIM is open-source, and if I wanted to, I can change it however I please, potentially making it the most kick-ass client ever. But I *don't* want to, and if the authors of GAIM couldn't make it any better than it is right now, then I sure as hell can't.
So, either I'm missing something huge here (and I sure hope I am, because I like AIM/OSCAR just about as much as the next guy), or the rebellious vocal minority has once again confounded "keeping an open mind" with "blind devotion to the alternatives." Until GAIM catches up, I'm sticking to AIM+.