A newer version of Pidgin is available.
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Features
- Editor's Rating:
- Average User Rating:
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Downloads:
537,574
- Requirements:
Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP
- Limitations:
No limitations
- Date Added:
February 29, 2008
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Previous Versions:
Publisher's description of Pidgin 2.4
From Pidgin:Pidin (formerly known as Gaim) is a multi-protocol instant messaging client for Linux, BSD, MacOS X, and Windows. It is compatible with AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and Zephyr networks. Pidgin users can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AOL Instant Messenger, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time.
It also goes beyond that and provides many unique features. A few popular features are Buddy Pounces, which give the ability to notify you, send a message, play a sound, or run a program when a specific buddy goes away, signs online, or returns from idle; and plugins, consisting of text replacement, a buddy ticker, extended message notification, and iconify on away.
Version 2.4 adds theme conversation name colors, fixes having multiple alias edit areas in the infopane, allows per-contact conversation logging, and moves typing notifications to the conversation area.
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Editor's review of Pidgin 2.4
5.0 stars
- "Gaim becomes Pidgin"
Your mother uses AOL Instant Messenger. Your spouse prefers MSN. Your office insists on Yahoo. What are you going to do? You could run all those chat clients at once, or you could use Gaim, now renamed Pidgin. Like Trillian, Fire, and other third-party IM clients, this open-source messaging application lets you access multiple IM networks from one window, including Google Talk and MySpaceIM as well as lesser-known protocols such as Jabber and Gadu-Gadu.
Pidgin's biggest change is the redesigned interface. The Buddy List can be viewed in Basic or Advanced mode, and the most important features, including the Plug-in List, have been graduated from the Preferences window into their own panes. Twenty-two plug-ins come prepackaged as Pidgin repositions itself as a highly extensible chat client.
The IM features are unimpeachable: smileys (you can find tons of emoticons on the developer's site), file transfers, and multiperson chats. The Buddy Pounce feature lets you automatically perform certain actions (play a sound, execute a command, open an IM window) when a contact signs on or off. Pidgin also gets lots of intangibles right: logging and time-stamping, for instance, are well-executed and easy to access. However, it lacks IP telephony and video conferencing, and there are still some bugs--most notably in the Help menu. Still, Pidgin remains a highly recommended text-only messaging app.
Most popular Chat downloads
- 61,142 downloads 1. Windows Live Messenger
- 32,743 downloads 2. Trillian
- 27,683 downloads 3. Yahoo Messenger
- 18,827 downloads 4. MSN Messenger (Windows 98/Me)
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User reviews of Pidgin 2.4
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 180 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 9 user reviewsSee all 9 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Pidgin 2.4
"Good but needs a little more improvement."
Pros: I've used this program since GAIM and I loved it since the interface is very fast, clean, you can customize and hide or show user details. You can also choose how you want to be idled, how you want to log your history, and use tabbed IM windows. This program also lets you create temporary away messages that can be deleted easily after use. There is no mess, there are many options, and the sounds are very smooth. This program hardly uses 1/3 of the RAM AIM 6 would use.
I haven't gotten any crashes randomly either. It has an option that lets you mute the IM sounds quickly instead of having to mute everything one at the time in AIM classic and AIM 6. And this is a free product, it's worth the try!
Cons: This program does have a few problems. The first thing is, Pidgin updates constantly with new fixes, yet there always seems to be a problem with the program and there was never a time where it could be stable in one version. Also, buddy icons that are shown on your buddy list of all your buddies are downloaded into a folder in the Documents and Settings folder. It tends to clutter with multiples of the same icons. The history viewer doesn't have the option that quickly lets you remove a conversation you don't want.
There is no video or sound chat, and the direct IM connection isn't obvious. It takes a while to connect, and it doesn't show you the status (how many kb's or mb's you've already sent) of your picture file that you are sending. You also can't copy pictures and paste it onto the IM window which would be great since it's very convenient. You also can't use Direct IM to send other files (such as music, word files, etc.)
Has some strange crashes sometimes, such as when I was using Direct IM, it froze my buddy list and I had to start the program over again. My buddy icon also doesn't seem to stay on. I'd have to keep putting my buddy icon up when it mysteriously disappears.
And please correct me if I'm wrong or if there is something wrong with my computer, but the online time of my buddies on Pidgin are all 3 hours more than the actual online time. I haven't been able to figure out the problem yet.
Overall, I still say it's a great product especially for free.
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Version: Pidgin 2.4
"Installed v2.4 and it seems to be working perfectly on WinXP Professional"
Pros: Somehow magically the software gathered contacts automatically from each of the four accounts I registered.
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Version: Pidgin 2.4
Pros: This chat covers alomost all chat clients that people generally use. Has small memory print especialy if you use multiple chats. It also provides all the usual chat features under one window!!
All in all a GREAT chat S/W
Cons: May take some time to setup the first time. But the online help will solve that problem!
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Pidgin 2.4
Pros: I use this chat client instead of downloading AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Myspace IM, and Windows Live Messenger. Although it doesn't have the special features, like in all the other chat clients, I love using Pidgin. It even has a email notification that actually notifies me right when I receive it. :)
Cons: The colors are a bit dull. They should do skins or something, because gray is just too plain. Other than that, greatest chat client ever!
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Version: Pidgin 2.4
Pros: I think it is very good for s/w for satisying all your IM needs
- See all 9 user reviews Write review
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