I need help finding a new IM client, please.

December 8, 2005 10:33 AM

I need help finding a new IM client, please.

At work, the standard is to use Windows Messenger (version 5.1) because it has the capability to do SIP Communications Service (using TLS to connect). This functionality is not there (I can't see it) in the up-to-date version of Messenger from Microsoft (version 7.5).

But, I also need Messenger 7.5 because it has the new feature of being able connect to my .NET passport account using HTTP (because I can't connect to .NET Messenger from working using normal IM connections or through the HTTP proxy). This newest version of Messenger is the only one that I can find that will connect to MSN.

The proxy at work allows AIM connections, so any AIM client works fine (the standard AOL issued one, or Trillian, or whatever).

Here is the problem: I can't have both .NET Messenger 7.5 and Windows Messenger 5.1 on the computer at the same time. The new Messenger will not install if the old one is present. I cannot use Trillian for my IM needs because Trillian can't connect to .NET messenger over HTTP, and it cannot connect to the SIP Communications Service at all.

Is there any client out there that can do all three things: 1) Connect to AIM, 2) Connect to SIP Communications Service (using TLS), and 3) Connect to .NET Messenger using HTTP? If there is no such thing, then a client that has only the first two functions is fine, as I can probably install the newest version of MSN Messenger to do the third, and have two IM clients running.

posted by omair to computers & internet (9 comments total)

It won't install, or it won't run? Try installing the other Messenger on another computer and then just haul across the directory. I've managed to run MSN Messenger 7.0 of a thumb drive at my Uni library.
posted by tiamat at 10:36 AM on December 8, 2005

Why not use office communicator for SIP, and messenger for everything else?
posted by jon_kill at 10:38 AM on December 8, 2005

Gaim?
posted by loquax at 11:02 AM on December 8, 2005

maybe miranda?

(having to run 2 instances of msn-im sounds like im hell ;)
posted by suni at 11:15 AM on December 8, 2005

Doesn't Trillian connect and work with everything?
posted by xammerboy at 11:46 AM on December 8, 2005

I just found out that Trillian has a SIP plugin! That is enough to reduce my IM clients from three to two.
posted by omair at 12:50 PM on December 8, 2005

trillian and miranda have sip plugins, but don't be happy too early, they might be buggy/abandoned/incomplete
posted by suni at 1:40 PM on December 8, 2005

Gaim?
posted by loquax at 11:02 AM PST on December 8 [!]

loquax is right on - I use Gaim all the time, it's great.

Not 100% sure it does everything you need it to though - esp. SIP...
posted by sablazo at 1:49 PM on December 8, 2005

Note on Trillian - you need to purchase Pro to use plugins.
posted by djgh at 2:44 PM on December 8, 2005