Cross-platform IM Clients?

Factual Questions
1

Could go in IMHO, could go in GQ, but as I’m hoping there’s a factual answer, here it is:

We’ve got a project that is scattered in 4 different locations, and using 4 different networks. For assorted reasons, at one location, people aren’t allowed to have any sort of client program on their machines that allows IM capability. Which means we can’t, say, tell everyone they have to sign up for AOL Instant Messenger and download that.

The people on the project have a variety of personal email addresses, which we’re already using for some needs (e.g. Google calendar, which doesn’t care what your email address is). But we’d like to have a common platform, if at all possible, where we’re all IM-able.

Yahoo Messenger and Gmail both have web-based clients (which I’ve tried and used successfully). As far as I know, they don’t talk to each other (Gmail can talk to AOL instant messenger clients). Everyone presumably has Windows Messenger but that’s restricted also, for folks who are at the one location (otherwise it’d be perfect).

So - does anyone know of any web-based IM tools that communicate between all of the various popular tools?

I suspect the solution, such as it is, will be to tell everyone to create an account on the same platform (gmail or yahoo or other?) and use that. But I figured I’d ask around first.

If we take the one location out of the picture, would Windows Messenger work? I’ve never used that personally.

2

Meeboallows you to sign on to various IM clients at once and is web based,

3

Try meebo.com. It’s a web based client, that can be used for AIM, Yahoo, MSN, MySpace, Goolgle Talk, Jabber and ICQ.

ETA: Simulpost!

4

You probably mean MSN Live Messenger, which is not the same thing (anymore) as Windows Messenger. I’m not even sure that Windows Messenger is supported by Microsoft at this point, but I’m happy to be proved wrong if that’s not the case.

MSN Live Messenger also has a web client, FWIW.

[ETA:] Never mind. Apparently question answered.

5

Hummm, thanks for the info, I know folks who need this…

6

There’s also Trillian.

7

Trillian’s web client is about to go beta, and isn’t currently available.

8

Thanks, all - I’ll check into meebo. Cerowyn, yes, I probably do mean MSN Live Messenger - I just vaguely remembered the tool, and it being part of Windows, so didn’t bother to look up the correct name. Which would explain why my googling didn’t turn up anything coherent :p. I’ll check into the web-based version of that also.

9

I would look into Pidgin(formerly Gaim)

10

Also http://www.miranda-im.org/ which is what I use for Gtalk/aim/icq/msn/yahoo.

11

Apex Rogers and jormundgondir:

The entire point of the OP is that it must be web-based. Neither Pidgin nor Miranda would work because they both must be installed.

12

Campfire might suit your needs. There are other project collaboration products at that site too. I’ve not used them myself but have seen them recommended in quite a few places.