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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US 
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Who uses what service? And why? What's the good, the bad, and the ugly?  |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
MSN Messenger is now integral with Windows. That would probably explain its widespread use among our membership. I use it only because it's a common denominator among us. I know of very few people who are still using AOL Instant Messenger, but I'm sure there are still many. Yahoo is another secondary choice used by some. ICQ seems to have fallen by the wayside into the realm of "second choice" as well. I personally prefer that service above any other, as it's a much better program. MSN seems to be the most widely used at this point in time... |
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SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
I like yahoo. Since I got my new computer I can use the im services that I couldn't before. aol is good too. but you have to remember, all of the im's except ICQ are fairly new to me lol. |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I yahoo too. |
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rosepetals25
since 2000-05-31
Posts 3076PA |
I use yahoo. I always have my whole 6 years online. I tried others and they are ok, but yahoo is the one I keep coming back too. The negative thing about yahoo, it has it shares of problems. Sometimes you can't log in, or it will shut down on you. It has been better recently (knock on wood) and when it does happen, its not very often. |
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bsquirrel
since 2000-01-03
Posts 7855 |
MSN -- Comes standard as "Windows Messenger" with Windows XP. Has nice emoticons and a some good features, but not very robust in file sharing. Also, crashes intermitently for no reason. ICQ -- Better in file sharing. Emoticons are pretty ugly. Annoying sound effects. Have to hit "Send" to send a message, so that can be annoying if you're not used to it. Yahoo -- Lots of bells and whistles, but I haven't seen anything that really distinguishes it from ICQ aside from some neat interfaces that are pretty to look at and fun to try once, but don't add that much. I.e. animated leaves falling as a background. Or an aquarium. Or a game where you both type in a video-game style window, and if you hit the right button, you can knock your buddy off the screen. AOL -- The best by far for file sharing. But also, pretty buggy and not very distinguishable from any other chat program. I use MSN, 'cause that's what I'm used to and that's what most of my contacts are on. Mike [This message has been edited by bsquirrel (01-20-2003 06:35 PM).] |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Drums work best for me.. Actually, I'll go where the crowd goes - I have 'em all!! I prefer ICQ for the 'look' of it - but it tends to drop people off and it's a program you have to download and if your computer crashes you have to do it all over again. Since I have XP, I do use MSN - I also like their chat room format. I rarely use Yahoo... |
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PoetryIsLife
since 2001-10-27
Posts 1763...in my boxers... |
I use AIM because I've used America Online since, like, five versions ago. It's what I'm used to, and I feel, the best of the bunch, though far from perfect. I also use MSN, because friends use it, and it's fairly decent. Some things I don't like, but it's better, then, ICQ, which I can't stand, and just recently deleted. I've never used other ones, including YahooMessenger. ~Titus "A life unexamined is not worth living." |
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697 |
I use ICQ mainly... because all my friends have it and I'm just used to how it is... I like Yahoo for the voice chat and the smilies, and MSN is dead last. I just don't like it at all for some reason! Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.--Jesus Christ |
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Miah Senior Member
since 2002-08-26
Posts 1062Pennsylvania |
I use them all. Icq is the most. You don't have to hit send though, if you do not want to, alt plus the s button will also send it. Personally, I liked trillium, it is one interface that supports ICQ MSN, and a bunch of other ones. Oh thank you Local Parasite I met to say Trillian as well. sorry could not remember the exact name.  [This message has been edited by Miah (01-20-2003 08:59 PM).] |
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Local Parasite
since 2001-11-05
Posts 2527Transylconia, Winnipeg |
I use Trillian. It's got all the best aspects of AIM and MSN, and it lets you use contacts from all the 4 major messenger services (YIM/AIM/ICQ/MSN). And in some ways (other than being a single program that works like multiple programs), it even tops MSN and AIM with its features... I absolutely love it. I'd say everyone should have Trillian but that's just advice, because even if you stick with your old program, it's the same to me. Runner up would have to be MSN, just because it's the most practical and I can remember actually using all of its features, as opposed to ICQ and AIM... "Faith" means the will to avoid knowing what is true. |
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Duncan Member Ascendant
since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455 |
MSN and occasionally Yahoo and AIM. |
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skyshine
since 2002-02-07
Posts 3058Beneath the northern stars |
I use AOL, because when my family and I got our new computer that was the only one they would let me download. "Everyone uses AOL, no one uses anything else, so this is what we are getting." Uh huh, sure. It's a decent program, but it boots people way too often, for no reason at all. Also MSN messenger since that is what came with the computer. That one is pretty good, I don't think I have been booted from that when using it. Wish I still had Yahoo, cause I liked that one the best, because that was the messenger that allowed you to get offline messages.  ~Elizabeth Howl at the stars, whisper when you're sleeping, I'll be there to hold you, I'll be there to stop the chills and all the weeping. [This message has been edited by skyshine (01-20-2003 10:40 PM).] |
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quietlydying
since 2001-06-10
Posts 935the wonderful land of oz |
i remember the days when i used icq. i even had a five or six digit number. waaaay back in the nineties. ::cough:: then it was yahoo, followed by aim. now i use msn and i can't stand the rest. meh. too much 'people' for me. /jen/ 'Christianity is the complete negation of common sense and sound reason.' |
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Larry C
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286United States |
Well I have no idea about ICQ. But I primarily use IM though I have AOL & Yahoo. I use it because I have the most number of friends and family. I don't profess to be much of a Microsoft fan. If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again. |
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WinterWren Senior Member
since 2002-12-01
Posts 1044...Coming to |
I have MSN messenger because some of my friends have that, AND I have yahoo messenger because some of my friends are on THAT! I like Yahoo better it has more cool features. WinterWren |
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anonymousfemale Member Elite
since 2000-02-02
Posts 2797Limbo |
MSN because it's always there and I can block people.  I'm sure I could learn on Yahoo but I honestly can't be bothered. Don't steal - the Government hates competition. |
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Marshalzu
since 2001-02-15
Posts 2681Lurking |
IRC - I'm sorry but nothing fails to come close especially in the trillian format, but I prefer the very basic mIRC version 6.3 www.mirc.com. There is a function for private messaging and for large chat rooms (channels) this makes it easy to chat with large groups of people and one person at the same time. As well as this there is the option for three/four modes of people Operator (@) Half Op (/ (not always available)) Voice (+) and non voiced. Operator's and half operators can moderate the channel, kicking or banning people for a certain length of time if they don't abide by channel rules.Voiced people can speak whenever and non-voiced only when the channel is open. I guess the only problem with irc is that you need to find a decent server, I gave up on dalnet as soon as people started spreading dodgy links, so I stick to a gaming network and the private network that my alliance owns. Err if you want more info mIRC Andrew My Violent Bedtime Stories [This message has been edited by Marshalzu (01-21-2003 05:32 AM).] |
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Marshalzu
since 2001-02-15
Posts 2681Lurking |
Oh i forgot to mention I'm available under the nick Haarken in #newdawn on irc.netgamers.org 6667 |
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inkedgoddess Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-19
Posts 7392Ohio |
youre kind of cute, howd i miss you? |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I use MSN because, as was said above, it came with the package. Prior to getting an upgraded computer, e-mail was the only format that I had access to for getting/receiving what was then deemed [in my brain] "instant messages". Have I looked elsewhere? Nope, still using "what works"...when it breaks [or when the company goes down the tubes], perhaps there will be something better that pops up. I do remember a few years ago when IM was first being used in offices. As quickly as the program was installed, it was deleted. I can only guess at the reasoning...  |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
I've tried ICQ and Yahoo, but found I'm not comfortable with the live chat programs in general, so I've tucked them away and don't use them. They made me too frantic, lol.  |
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Cerenity Member Elite
since 2000-02-16
Posts 2637Escondido-California |
Hi Ron, I have both ICQ and AOL, but do not use either(~.~) I just wanted to say hi, so very nice to see your face, hope all is well and I need to hang around more this place has really grown!!!!! Love, Cerenity [This message has been edited by Cerenity (01-21-2003 09:18 AM).] |
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brian madden Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374ireland |
i use MSN and I hate it  it has this nasty habit of disconnecting when I am in the middle of typing sentences or at important parts in a conversation. Ok its quick and handy, but it really annoys me sometimes. But is there anything better out there? I tried ICQ, which while it never boots you it is slow enough. watched from the wings as the scenes were replayed we saw ourselves now as we never have seen" ian curtis |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
At the moment I use AIM exclusively. All my friends are on that messenger and it has a lot of good file sharing features and other little tidbits I like. ICQ has it's good points (messenging while not online) but other than that it's slow and add riddled and not very intuitive. I'm not a big fan. MSN seemed alright from the little I used it, but I can't really say. Same with Mac OS X's iChat, it's basically just a new skin to AIM, so no big deal there... I've heard great things about GAIM, a free program that seems an awful lot like Trillian. "A hard, cold wisom is required for goodness to accomplish good. Goodness without wisdom always accomplishes evil" - Robert Heinlein |
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Jaime
Registered
MemberPosts 250 |
I only use AIM because having too much junk around annoys me. I also don't like people having that much access to me. I only use my aim to talk and use my webcam so... unless you want more.. mine is fine. - Jaime Shiva went on break now look at how much it's gonna take to make this place a space where we can breathe. |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
I can completely identify with Kit's response. LOL I have 'em... and they're never used unless WhtDove sees me online and says howdy. *G* |
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NewEnglandlazurlu Member Rara Avis
since 2002-01-04
Posts 7470A Mountain Paradise |
I use AIM ... started using it years ago when my first child went off to college. My last child is still in college and we use it all the time. Saves tremendous amounts on the phone bills. My hubby just got it at work and we IM each other if I can't reach him and don't feel like leaving a voice mail message. I only use it with family members and a couple close friends. It can be very invasive and a little scary. Thank goodness for built in blocks. Marti |
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Pip Member
since 2001-09-14
Posts 59 |
Nine years of chat programs. I think I'm getting old. I have ICQ, but don't use it much anymore because everyone stays invisible and never comes out to chat. I have Yahoo! and use it to talk with a few people, but I usually don't use it because I don't talk to that many people on it so I forget to turn it on alot. I have MSN because I have a hotmail account. It's just a good coincidence that everyone else uses it. I like to use AIM because all of my local friends use it. I remember back in the day when all y'all used to use it, too. But nobody could hide, so you didn't like it or something. LOL I don't like being invisible. I'm either here, or I'm not. And, I don't really have any booting problems except with MSN. Go figure. |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
So Ron...did all this help? Are you planning to join us on an IM program soon? |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
There were two reasons for the question, Sharon, one of which has been definitively answered, I think. Our current software provides a field in the Profile for a Member's ICQ number. As many of you know, I'm currently rewriting our software from the ground up and, of course, I know that ICQ is no longer the king of the hill it once was. Profiles in the new software will need fields for each of the major IM contenders, so I needed to know who those might be. The definitive answer seems to be ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, and MSN. Members who want to do so will be able to more easily share their IM contact information with the new software. The second reason for the question was to get a "feel" for the current IM technology. Our new software is going to include MUCH more than just interactive forums, though those will always be central to our Community. But a community needs more than just one building with a lot of different rooms. We need more buildings, some with very different purposes. I have considered the possibility of adding either IM or Chat, and wanted to get a feel for how people are using those tools. I didn't really get a definitive answer on that one. Not sure there is one? FWIW, I'll be asking a lot of seemingly stupid questions like this over the next few months. In fact, I think I'm ready to post the next one tonight … |
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