Multi-IM Client; Also: GAIM problems.

Future Blues

So stupidly, when I heard that GAIM had become Pidgin I decided to hit up the GAIM homepage and update GAIM. Everything was working perfectly before I did this...

The first thing I downloaded was GAIM 2.0 beta something. Installed that over my previous installation of GAIM, and it worked for a while. Then I start my computer up one day, nothing has changed configuration-wise (hardware or software, router, etc.) and GAIM won't connect. So I uninstall, hit up the GAIM page, and download the "latest" stable client which appears to be 1.5.0. Install that, and try again. Still doesn't connect. None of my three accounts (jabber/gmail, AIM, yahoo) connect at all. GAIM 2.0 was telling me about some sort of "windows socket error 10xxx" which I googled, and got no good information. I went back to the GAIM page, opened up specific ports in the Windows SP2 firewall, tried turning off all my firewalls off altogether, restarting, reinstalling, etc. I even played with different versions of GTK runtime based on a note in that FAQ about connection problems with newer versions of the GTK runtime.

In any case, I don't have IM right now and it's really bugging me.

If anyone has any suggestions as to what I should do, and/or some other multi-IM client that is as hassle-free as GAIM (the only thing I couldn't do with GAIM was file transfers usually) for Windows, I'll be all over it.

twmjr

I haven't used it in awhile, but I've heard good things about it from people here -- http://www.miranda-im.org/ Miranda IM. Worth giving a shot if you think a new client would be easier than fixing gAIM

Mmmm... Cocks...

Yea, I ran GAIM constantly on my desktop but once I got my laptop for school GAIM would simple not connect.
I googled around and even had a thread on it with no solution. Right now I'm using trillian but I don't like it nearly as much.

misbehavin

Being on a Windows machine, I recommend Trillian. The free version does it all, so there is no cost, and the premium just gets you access to some extras (think of it like supporting the program, really), but isn't necessary.

Also, Trillian Astra looks amazing.

FrostyAlphaWolf

Miranda is supposedly a very high-power IM client. I personally have only used it a couple times, then gave up since there's just too much customizability with it (or maybe I was doing it wrong, who knows). I suggest it if you have some scripting experience, since you can do pretty much anything you want to customize it, but it takes manual scripting.

Trillian is a little better IMO, simpler to use and more user friendly.

Dioltas

In the meantime while you're figuring out a permanent solution, meebo.com should tide you over quite nicely.

tech_hunter

I use meebo.com when away from my home computer you can use all the chat programs that you mentioned in the OP all in one interface and they update quite frequently adding features and take recomendations.

t0ast!

What i'd do here is backup the existing install (for config files, log files, etc), blow away what you have and reinstall the latest 2.0b6 version (until 2.0 final comes out). I don't believe you should have installed 2.x on top of 1.5 (i didn't), but don't quote me on that.

I've had no problems with Gaim since i started using it and i highly recommend keeping with it. I'm a former (paid) Trillian user and simply will not go back. They took out proper file transfer support and IRC support (that used to work in older versions) simply does not work well anymore. Miranda might be good as well. I've only tried early versions and was unimpressed, but i hear it has gotten much better since.