I love Adium, it's one of the best IM apps out there hands down. I love its customizability and multi-protocol support. However with Leopard's iChat, I've actually been using iChat much much more than Adium, I'm not sure if I'll stay on iChat but the features of iChat outweigh my need to be on MSN right now.

Reply

If only iChat had MSN support, then I could consider using iChat. But unless you live in the US, iChat is rarely a viable option since most people living outisde the US appear to use MSN (or another chat network other tham AIM). AIM does not seem to be that popular anywhere but the US.

I am glad Adium is finally adding Video Chat Capabilities. Right now there are few options for Mac users who want to use MSN video Chat. MSN Messgenger for the Mac does not support video chat. Mercury Messeneger is one of the few chat clients which do.

Right now I try to convince my friends to use Skype...

Reply

No offense guys, but give it a rest. Pidgin has attempted implementation of this for years and there's still no audio or video. They also said they are attempting it, not that it will be a feature in 2.0....

Reply

i wouldnt convince people to move to skype just yet, esp given its not compatible with Leopards firewall!

Reply

I think TokBox is probably as good as mac/pc/linux cross platform video chatting is ever gonna get. You should really check it out. It is web-based, requiring no client.

Reply

On a slight tangent, does anyone know if Leopard iChat supports audio/video with Google Chat, as was rumoured?

Reply

I love the attempt of Adium for a IM client. It is by far the best multi-protocol instant messenger for the Mac. iChat is still, personally, a better app just because it is really clean and simple. Sure it lacks (although most of them have been added in the new iChat) some features.

For someone who doesn't use something other than AIM, I see no point in switching (and I've tried). iChat is a pretty good app, and has video and audio chats, not to mention iChat Theater.

Reply

I believe that Yahoo Messenger for the Mac also supports video and audio chatting. I haven't used it, but it's yet another video chatting option.

http://messenger.yahoo.com/mac.php

Reply

also, cerulean studios (developers of trillian) have been working on their new version 4.0 which is currently codenamed astra. they have a native mac os client in its early alpha stages and in the next few builds us alpha testers are expecting to see a/v chat implemented on the windows side of things and i'm sure that the osx build from what i am reading is rapidly catching up with its windows counterpart.

the way astra was built was there is 2 separate pieces of code. there is the "IMCore" which is the way the program works and then there is the UI which has been adapted for windows, native osx (cocoa i believe), flash, and iPhone. this means that all the functionality is there with the osx build, but it just needs to get the UI adapted as the IMCore features are stabilized.

Reply

If the only reason you are using Adium is for MSN support, there's no need:

http://allforces.com/2005/05/06/ichat-to-msn-through-jabber/

I'm using MSN through iChat right now, and it works fine. Obviously this is text only, but if that's all you need from your MSN friends, you can stick with iChat.

Reply

I just wanted to make a note that iChat in Leopard does now allow video chatting with PC AIM users using the latest version and you can also use iChat Theater.

Reply

Actually I was really hoping for Apple to finally implement Yahoo and/or MSN compatibility in Leopard's iChat...! But again, nope...too bad, since I really like iChats simplicity and even though Adium is a great app I always somehow preferred iChat over other solutions...

Yes, you can use most other services in iChat via Jabber, I know...but that means that you have to set up a new IM account in Jabber, then add all your contacts again...and what i find most annoying is that you can't use several of your own accounts in one window or contact list respectively...! So I have one window for my iChat contacts and another one for the others via Jabber...not the most elegant solution...

Reply

So, when can we decide that all of this is a stupid waste of resources and just settle on a single, standard chat/video/audio protocol? Just lock AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google into a room and don't let them out until it's sorted.

I know it's relative, but right now the few people I do know who use MSN are the "pain-in-the-ass people who make me jump through hoops" (and of course I'm that way to others, but still).

Reply

Just to boost what Matt said: This blog post is misleading. You can AV chat with Windows AIM users using iChat.

Reply

i only know 3 people with Macs and about 30 with PCs, so i am continually frustrated at not being able to IM with video to Yahoo & MSN friends. [especially in poorer countries, when people can only use internet cafes!]
this is something that should've been done (by Apple) years ago.

Reply

In reply to #8: Unfortunately Yahoo for Mac's page is misleading. Seeing the webcam makes you believe you can do video chat but that is all it is. A webcam video while you type chat. No audio whatsoever.

Reply

Just to clarify a point, Adium and Pidgin (formerly GAIM) both use the same core. The guy who develops Adium designed the Mac interface and ported the Linux code to run on OSX. He's also a major contributor to the GAIM engine code base. GAIM announced that they would be working on adding video functions a couple of years ago, but never got anywhere. It looks like Adium guy is taking the reins on this one. The nice thing is that his efforts, if fruitful, will be seen on OSX, Linux, Windows, and a number of other supported OSen.

-MoboDojo

Reply

#8- Yahoo Messenger for the Mac has done video for the past couple of years but still NO AUDIO!

Reply