I use trillian (handles ICQ and MSN).... only when I want to voice I use MSN. Mostly, I hide from IMs. Chat rooms make me nervous.

AIM, I hate MSN. It's horribly put together. AIM is nice and simple.

?? I think ICQ is a pig. It usually takes between 14 to 17Mb while MSN is using about 3Mb and AIM is at about 2Mb.

Trillian uses 12Mb with all three running...

....-...InMem-KB...-...Total-KB
ICQ= 4,268 ...-... 68,532

MSN= 1,620 ...-... 50,376

that is sitting idel and not in use...

There is not that much of a difference in size, but ICQ does in fact hole a bit more resident...

The issue of BLOAT is the fact that ICQ is nothing more than a chat client with some added function, the same as MSN, except MSN digs it's heals deeply into your OS, which is where the bloat comes into play...

but hey, just my opinion and such...

Just responding to DavidK responding to my responding to ICQ being Bloated

lol

seriously... if MSN would leave my computer the hell alone, I wouldn't mind it in the least, but frankly, that is enough to put me off of it hands down. When I want something to shut down, I do expect it to shit down and not compain to me that it has to stay open because other parts of my OS are making use of it... What parts of my OS would that be considering I usre as heck did not tell them to use it, or to let it intergrate itself so deeply into them that it would refuse to unload.?. (yes I do know what parts) MSN not bloated? it is imbeded so deeply into your OS that 9 times out of ten if you remove it from your system you probably going to have one hell of a mess to keep cleaning up in your registry on a constant basis, and it will refuse to update. Not bloated? its a instant message program, yet it holds your system hostage and it isn't bloated?



ok, my bad...

it isn't bloated, the OS is retared and so much so it has to depend on an IM client to make sure it can stay up to date, and track what is installed on it and what hardware is installed on it, ect...

I do use it, though only through Trillian, and I wouldn't touch MSN 8 with a lead pipe for fear of catching something from it... Pretty wild that MS turns out MSN 8 and it attempts to take over control of my email from Outlook 2002... sheesh, talk about bloated !!

MSN messenger

I never did any of the updates to MSN and I haven't implemented any of its extra functions so maybe I'm missing out on some bloat... It doesn't ever complain about closing, in fact it just goes away without an annoying confirmation dialog like AIM (Yes, I'm SURE I wan't to close it!). As far as function goes I like the MSN interface the best. ICQ next and AIM last. But I don't do any of the cool stuff they're capable of, just have them on so I can get interrupted occaisionaly... keeps me awake...

Trillian is being pretty nice so far... seems like a great way to run multiple IM's.

don't update if it isn't being a pain !! serioulsy

Other than those things I would really like it above all others, it does have a nice interface, I like the tabs on the side for links of choice, the intergration into your webmail is nice also.

there is a new chat IM service and client, I've installed it on my other system and will have to take a look and get the url when I get up...

It's fast, full featured and you pick and choose what features you want active and it actually does what you ask/tell it to do

and free! with a skinning editor and fully skinable interface, does ICQ, AIM, MSN and its own network also...

Ever wondered of having no nick in ure msn ??? .. well it is possible ... Let me know if you want it ?? .... Ill post it in here .. only if i get 7 People to Say Yes, Loudly !! hehe