# Recommend an Instant Messenger Client **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564 "2004-02-22T23:22:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/1 "2004-02-22T23:22:17Z")
Ok, so I need to get myself an IM client that will talk on the AIM network, and It has to have the following features: [ul] [li]Automatic logging of messages, ideally in plaintext[/li][li]Aliasing of usernames. I have over a hundred people in my list, and I don’t want to have to remember who “SpiffMaster347” is.[/li][li]Stability.[/li][li]Correct operation.[/li][/ul] Beyond that, it would ideally be free, but that’s not absolutely required. Also, it’s nice if it uses the default windows skin. You wouldn’t think that would be so hard to do, but I’ve been having trouble so far. I’m on Win XP, and have so far tried the AoL AIM client, Trillian (free) and Trillian Pro, and Gaim. Trillian was great, except that the free version doesn’t log messages, and the Pro version has a bug: some of my friends were always listed as “Away” by Trillian. I could even IM them while they were “Away,” but I’d never know if they were online. Gaim is really nice, except that it crashes too much. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Blueapple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blueapple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueapple)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/2 "2004-02-23T00:11:13Z")
[deadAIM](http://www.jdennis.net/) is wonderful. I’ve been using it for months and well worth the 5 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![SteelWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@SteelWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteelWolf)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/3 "2004-02-23T00:31:13Z")
I’ve got the free version of Trillian (0.74 patch F), and it does indeed log messages. Just right-click on a name in the Contact List and hit Show Log to see it. Also, you can go to the Trillian\users<username\>\logs\AIM directory. If you haven’t specified a username, it will be “default”. I’ve had the “Away” bug a few times (not since patch F) - “Global Disconnect” followed by “Global Reconnect” fixed it. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/4 "2004-02-23T00:59:51Z")
Awesome. It looks cool. What looks even better, though, is [AIMutation](http://sourceforge.net/projects/aimutation/), which I’ve found since then. It appears to do everything that DeadAIM does, but for $5 cheaper. Gotta love answering my own questions. Although I might never have found AIMutation if I hadn’t already gone searching for DeadAIM. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/5 "2004-02-23T03:00:37Z")
This thread is better suited for [**In My Humble Opinion**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=12). I’ll move it for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/6 "2004-02-23T03:16:28Z")
Do these progs get rid of the video ads? That’s the only reason I stopped using AIM. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/7 "2004-02-23T03:35:09Z")
**SteelWolf** , I guess it was a while ago that I used the free Trillian. At that time, It didn’t log messages, so I went for the Pro version. And I’ve been unable to fix the “Away” bug or even find any evidence of others having the problem. It only affects certain buddy names, and they are always set as offline for some reason. And, yes, **Moo the Magic Cow** , these get rid of advertisements. **Cajun Man** , sorry about that. I thought I was in IMHO when I posted it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/8 "2004-02-23T13:43:48Z")
Will Trillian let you broadcast an AIM profile yet? ---
**Author:** ![SteelWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@SteelWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteelWolf)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/9 "2004-02-23T14:36:11Z")
**dutchboy208** : Not sure. I don’t use profiles anyway. It does look like the option is present in the software, though. **iamthewalrus(:3=**: Ah, you mean others appear to you to be offline when they’re not. Yeah, that is weird - my problem was that I appeared offline to other people. If you only need AIM connectivity, there’s probably something better than Trillian for just that. I use it because I’m on AIM, ICQ, MSN and Yahoo IM, plus IRC from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-an-instant-messenger-client/230564/10 "2004-02-23T18:25:17Z")
Go with ICQ. I’ve been using it since its first version and I’ve never found an IM that even comes close to its functionality and user interface. It works exactly the way an IM SHOULD work. Go find yourself ver.2000b build#3286. This is generally considered the “premier” version ICQ. The latest version is, admittedly, bloated and the functionality is somewhat different.