Having just rediscovered Instant Messaging, and hearing oh-so-much about Microsoft’s big plans for Windows XP with built-in Messenger (MSN + Netmeeting), I am curious about what’s been going on with Instant Messanging (and Video in particular) on the Mac.

A while ago there were lots of IM programs for the Mac.  Which one do you use.  What would you like it to do?  Do you use IM at all, or do you care?

So far, it seems AOL is the only MacOS X IM client, and it doesn’t have video.  I’ve recently experiented with a few others on OS 9.1, but am I wrong in thinking that Mac users have just as much of a burning desire to communicate?

Anxious to hear about it.

I read a post earlier today. either on here or macminute or maccentral. About how Yahoo Messenger is going to launch IM with video, but not for mac right off the bat. What else is new? 1 frame per sec, but hey, it’s a start of something.

I’d personally love it!!!

Now I need to win that webcam!!!!

Keep posting, scottk.  At this pace you will have 1,736 entries into the drawing by the time Monday rolls around. 

Seriously though, I see the interest for video support in an IM client, but I personally am not looking for it.  Some certainly will.

As for IM clients on Mac OS X, Fire support Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, ICQ, MSN, Jabber, and IRC.  One client, one interface, all those systems.  The developer seems to have made peace with AOL on this too, so the client works with AIM.  It also uses about 1/20th of the system resources that AIM uses.  Definitely check it out. 

Bryan, I want you to know I called off sick to work today. I gave my boss your name and organization and explained why I can’t be there. They said you are in a lot of trouble.

Seriously, no, I am not looking for it either. But if Yahoo offered a download with the free software and all I had to have was the webcam—ahem! Bryan? Help me here!—then I’d give it a try. Personally, I have both AIM and Yahoo IM and I find Yahoo to be totally unreliable. I hardly use it. AIM has it’s problems, but it’s at least consistent.

I think that Apple couldn’t go wrong in making their own program. iTunes, iDVD, iDisk (ok, that isn’t a program). But what could they call it?

I got it!!!!! Do I dare say? They could steal the concept.

iM

Huh? get it? iM? I like it!!

Ha!  I love it.

iM.  That’s nothing short of brilliant. 

And I was wondering who that person screaming in the phone was…

So when Apple tries to patent the name, we storm Cupertino and take credit and the profit, right? I almost invented IM the first time with my VIC-20. I’m not about to lose out again.

Oh, and don’t worry about my boss. He hasn’t been in the Mafia for long.

Do you use IM at all, or do you care?

                  No and No

-g