ICQ vs Yahoo vs MSN vs Trillian

[misled_youth]

Take your pick!

Just want to find out which one is most popular and why.

Cheers!
________
Ocean View Condominiums Pattaya (http://pattayaluxurycondos.com)

[chenchow]

I guess it is perhaps the lock-in and network effects.

Depending on which one that someone picks up, which one people will stick to it. Guess you might add an alternative in AIM, guess that's for those studying in US, although I don't really use it.

For me, I am using ICQ and ReCom's IM heavily, as both allow offline message. As I am using computer labs all the time, I can log onto ICQ within like 5-10 seconds, from typing the URL. So, basically it is the convenience that matters to me.

[hungwei]

Prefer MSN because it's comes with features which allow you to send documents and pictures and even support webcam. Very useful when you don't want to go through e-mails just to send some attachments. Plus, the design of the chat window is quite nice too.

[pandaboy]

Yeah...i like msn too....
i remember i made a skin in the msn skin contest :P
but didnt win...sob sob
overall...its nice, and sending files is easy...just drag and drop...
but yahoo messenger is nice too....

[ElansarGelmir]

Hmm... dun really care which is better. Just started using MSN and Yahoo Msg, and found them to be my liking as well. I've been using ICQ since 14, and found it one of the best ways to keep in touch with those who are far away, especially from camps.

[luke]

for me, ICQ is only a place where I find random girls and flirt .. :lol: :lol: :lol: ..

anyway, all my friends are using MSN and only a few use Yahoo ...

[weechin]

4 me...i would prefer 2 use MSN.....it has webcam, audio....n it pretty giv us convenience...isn't it....icq....these days got many problems...like cannot send sms n alll that...

so i support MSN

[pandaboy]

ya....icq is getting worse and worse....
i cant send files out....sometimes can sometimes cannot...
messages cant go through.....ppl who go offline still appears online.....
make me resort to msn and yahoo...

[misled_youth]

Try Trillian lah... it's everything (MSN, ICQ, Yahoo, IRC) rolled in one.
________
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[pandaboy]

i dun think trillian is good la....
not so user friendly....
are u using it? any disadvantages?

[misled_youth]

Trillian

Pro:
- uses less system resources than having all IM's turned on at once
- everything in one neat package
- skinnable
- can send SMS via ICQ
- can Webcam/voice via Yahoo
- heaps of smileys

Con:
- Less features
- pro-version better than free version, but must "hunt for it".
- Erm... Cannot voice/webcam via ICQ/MSN
- Cannot play IM games

That's about it lah. It's IM with no frills.
________
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[ElansarGelmir]

ya....icq is getting worse and worse....
i cant send files out....sometimes can sometimes cannot...
messages cant go through.....ppl who go offline still appears online.....
make me resort to msn and yahoo...

Yeah, ICQ's features sux down the drain these days. But then, i don't use those features. Juz need to chat and keep in touch with my old mates... Anyway, i've just started exploing MSN and Yahoo msg. So I'm not really familiar with those features and stuffs. But one thing i like about ICQ is that you can switch the message mode so that when you send your message, the windows will auto-off, unlike Yahoo and MSN, where the windows will still be there. Flood my desktop only.

[pandaboy]

is webcam very popular nowadays? seemed like everyone is using it.... have any of u tried skyep?

www.skyep.com

it's a voice chatting program over the internet....they claimed that the sound quality is same as mobile phones.....I'd downloaded it..but never tried it..cos no one that i know uses it..hehe

[masterof_none]

panda, I think you meant : skype.com
http://www.skype.com

[theT]

i used to use MSN and AIM a lot when i live on campus. but now since I'm staying off campus ( and have no internet connection nor a phone line) I'm using AIM and Y!Messenger instead coz I can used it through my cellphone.

Things I like bout AIM is the away message option and the direct connection. As for Y!Messenger (as well as AIM) we can IM while in the invisible mode. Y!messenger also allow offline messages.

As for MSN, maybe nice layout.

Skype-only used it to call home. it's like making phone calls for 4 hours for free.

[budakkerek]

i always use YM, find it easy to manage plus close friends use YM also. I use ReCom IM too, coz it's easy to use, plus allows offline msg sending.

i started using icq in form 5, then when i enter univ, my malay friends introduced me to ym, then my bro started to use msn msg. i found out about trillian 2 yrs ago. tried 3.1 just a few days ago. even tried miranda. however, i still prefer the original msgers. i never liked trillian or miranda. they just don't feel right. so it's still ym(with univ friends), icq(hometown friends) and msn msg(some other friends).

[youngyew]

MSN is the most dominant among all IM clients. Yet again, Microsoft has caught up with the booming area of the Internet, like what it has done in Internet browsers and anti-spyware software. (but I doubt it would do the same to compete with google)

I think one of the main reasons got to be the same reason how IE dominated the market - integration to the windows. As most new computer users would not know about downloading ICQ or Yahoo Messenger from the net, they would start off with what's already in the computer, MSN messenger (or windows messenger) and stick to it since then.

For me, trillian is good but I agree to you all that it's "IM with no frill". hmm.. for me, I would rather open my MSN and YM (hardly use ICQ now) together than to make do with Trillian's vanilla feature. It's way too boring... :wink:

[Ning]

Used to use ICQ years ago when my friends hung around there. Almost using MSN exclusively now.
Since I don't chat with random people, it makes more sense for me to use a messenger where I can find most of my friends.

[leng_cyl]

I prefer to use MSN messenger as I like its design almost all of my friends are using it.

Used to use ICQ when I started to use computer since the end of the year of 2001, that time almost all of my friend use ICQ too, but then all shift to msn, as ICQ is too lousy...
~always have to wait long time to send a message
~have to click the button to send a message (maybe got other way but I don't know)
~always being flirted by those strangers
~always made my computer hang

[kucingbiru]

Prefer MSN because it's comes with features which allow you to send documents and pictures and even support webcam. Very useful when you don't want to go through e-mails just to send some attachments. Plus, the design of the chat window is quite nice too.

eer, i guess most messenger clients have that feature.

MSN is my last choice, that is, i will only use it for the sake of my friends who dont have anything but MSN.

MSN
Pros:
1) its msg archive can be kept as long as u want.
2) you dont need hotmail account. you can use any email as long as u register that email with MSN passport.

Cons:
1) no offline msg support. u have to use email instead.
2) before u sign in, u can't be automatically invisible. (useful if u just wanna see who's online and dont wanna be bothered.) instead u have to change it after logging on.
3)people can easily change their nicks. it's annoying & confusing. if u have 100 contacts, u'll have to mouse-over every contact to see who that person really is, provided u remember his/her email address. otherwise, u're screwed.
4)file transfer: you can't resume if u got cut off while transfering. can't transfer a folder.
5) message archive isnt encrypted.
6) it doesnt store your previously used status/nickname.
7) if u have ur password saved in it, it's really hard to disable that feature. so if ur friend u dont trust use ur computer, watch out.

Yahoo:
Pros:
1) supports offline messaging.
2) cuter emoticons thn MSN. :P
3) u can Buzz people to get their attention. quite useful.
4) invisible option before signing in.
5) stealth mode - you can appear offline to selected users.

Cons:
1) file transfer: you can't resume if u got cut off while transfering. can't transfer a folder.
2) u might get chain-messages once in a while. well, dont just blame YM for making it easy to do it, blame ur dumb friends for believing those crap.

AOL:
Pros:
1) you can save as many away message as you want.
2) awesome file transfer feature. you can resume. you can transfer a folder without having to zip/rar it.
3) you can have a very long profile that people can easily view, without having to use a web browser. so u can share ur thoughts etc. try it. u'll know what i'm talking about.
4) it will play sound when receiving a message even though the window is active. it can be useful when you're not paying attention to your monitor.
5) there's a feature that allows u to share pictures, that will be opened in ur chat window. well, i havent tried it yet. i always see my roomate doing that though.

Cons:
1) i just hate their emoticons. so lame.
2) i donno how to save message history.
3) the ads when you sign on is pretty annoying. i'm still not sure how to disable it.
4) doesnt look as cool as msn or YM.

those are just my opinions. so far, my choice is YM. but i feel like getting to know AOL better. i just need more AOL contacts/buddies (i only have 2 so far).

[luke]

3)people can easily change their nicks. it's annoying & confusing. if u have 100 contacts, u'll have to mouse-over every contact to see who that person really is, provided u remember his/her email address. otherwise, u're screwed.
blame your friends who use arbitrary MSN nicknames. My friends and I always keep a part of our nicknames when changing nicknames. For example: mine looks like "L=u+k^e { bla bla )" ... when I change my nickname, I only modify the "bla bla" part ...

[pandaboy]

3)people can easily change their nicks. it's annoying & confusing. if u have 100 contacts, u'll have to mouse-over every contact to see who that person really is, provided u remember his/her email address. otherwise, u're screwed.
blame your friends who use arbitrary MSN nicknames. My friends and I always keep a part of our nicknames when changing nicknames. For example: mine looks like "L=u+k^e { bla bla )" ... when I change my nickname, I only modify the "bla bla" part ...

Just download MSN Plus and rename your list la :)

[kucingbiru]

3)people can easily change their nicks. it's annoying & confusing. if u have 100 contacts, u'll have to mouse-over every contact to see who that person really is, provided u remember his/her email address. otherwise, u're screwed.
blame your friends who use arbitrary MSN nicknames. My friends and I always keep a part of our nicknames when changing nicknames. For example: mine looks like "L=u+k^e { bla bla )" ... when I change my nickname, I only modify the "bla bla" part ...

Just download MSN Plus and rename your list la :)

MSN plus? where can i get it?

[pandaboy]

3)people can easily change their nicks. it's annoying & confusing. if u have 100 contacts, u'll have to mouse-over every contact to see who that person really is, provided u remember his/her email address. otherwise, u're screwed.
blame your friends who use arbitrary MSN nicknames. My friends and I always keep a part of our nicknames when changing nicknames. For example: mine looks like "L=u+k^e { bla bla )" ... when I change my nickname, I only modify the "bla bla" part ...

Just download MSN Plus and rename your list la :)

MSN plus? where can i get it?

Here:

http://www.msgplus.net/

Be careful when you install it. Don't install other than the software itself.

[theT]

AOL:
...
Cons:
1) i just hate their emoticons. so lame.
2) i donno how to save message history.
3) the ads when you sign on is pretty annoying. i'm still not sure how to disable it.
4) doesnt look as cool as msn or YM.


to disable the ad:
Click -> My AIM on toolbar menu
Click -> Edit Option -> Edit Preferences
Choose -> Sign/Off from Category
Unclick -> Show AIM.com window at sign on

I'm bias when it comes to AIM. I like it coz it's simple, and old school. And of coz the direct connection let us to share pictures easily; don't have to wait as long as YM or MSN to load.