Isn't AIM still free? It seems to me that if two or more people want to chat with each other, downloading and installing a free piece of software isn't that much of an inconvenience.
Yep, totally free. That's not my point though. It IS a hassle to install the software and set up accounts for both parties when they already have perfectly good MSN accounts.
Quote:
Originally posted by BeigeUser
Of course, some people would rather use the Instant messenger that came with their computer (MSN). But if that's your argument, you should stop using Macs. If you and all your friends wants Apple to start littering the Mac OS with Microsoft stuff, you might as well switch back to Windows.
So because I want my Mac to be compatible with the standard (in Australia anyway), I should stop using Macs? This elitist attitude is what PC users associate with us Mac users btw. Excluding users, is not helping the platform grow.
Quote:
Originally posted by Gene Clean
Except that, MSN Messenger does not come with their computer. You have to specifically go here to download it.
True, but Windows messenger does, and it's probably the reason why everyone uses MSN here in Aus.
True, but Windows messenger does, and it's probably the reason why everyone uses MSN here in Aus.
Yeah... but Windows Messenger is a crippled version of MSN Messenger. I'm not even sure it has video-capabilities. It didn't have them last time I used it anyway.
MSN is quite popular in Europe though. In some parts, people don't even know what AIM is. Who knows? Though you do have a point about MSN compatibility, and there should be some solution to this problem, MSN is not a *standard*. It's trying to be one, but not there yet.
BTW, KDE developers have reverse-engineered MSN and Yahoo video capabilities and now Kopette, the KDE instant messenger can have video and audio using MSN or Yahoo. It's one thing to consider.
Yep, it's really crippled. It does, however, use the same accounts, which is what I was trying to get at. Most people sign up to it when they get a new machine, and then update to the MSN version when they get prompted by messenger to do it (it usually happens when someone tries to use an MSN feature with them).
When I said "standard", I wasn't being literal. In Australia it may as well be considered the standard, since it must have 95%+ market share (wild guess with no proof, but I bet I'm right ). I think Europe and Australia are very similar in this respect.
I never installed AIM when it came out years ago as it was an AOL product (AOL has a bigger userbase percentage in the US for sure - after all it is *America* Online). I'd read a lot of badmouthing of AOL on the net before they even started doing business here.
I've tried out Kopete a long time when I was messing around with Linux and it seemed quite good (never tried video on it). Maybe I should give it another go. Thanks for the tip.
I personally use Gentoo and have done so for the last couple of years. Gentoo has a way about it though and it's not for everyone. The biggest difference between Gentoo and other distros is that Gentoo installs new programs on your computer by compiling them from source. This can take quite a while and the performance benefit is debatable. I actually use Gentoo because I've been using it for the past couple of years and my PC has sort of molded itself to me and become an effective tool so I'd rather not change it just yet. Gentoo also has awsome "package" mangement and support forums.
That being said... when I finally upgrade in another year or two, I'll probably go with a binary distribution such as Fedora Core. I do actually use Fedora Core on my server as a server OS because I wanted binary packages.
I suggest you try a couple and go with the one you like best. The obvious ones to try first are Fedora Core and Ubuntu (I'm partial to Fedora Core). From what I read on the internet though, many people prefer Ubuntu. I tried Ubuntu when it first came out and I wasn't impressed, the package management system was unfamiliar to me and I didn't really like it (yes I know, it's point and click). I also don't really like Gnome which is standard on Ubuntu. I think KDE is really head and shoulders above Gnome these days, and in some ways it's superior to OS X (see another thread in another forum about that one).
Doesn't matter which Linux distro you go with though, Linux isnt like OS X and you will likely have to use the command line sometimes or look up the answer to some configuration problem on an internet forum. Because of this I think it's best to go with a distro that has a large support community.
Fedora, Ubunutu, and Gentoo (in that order) are my recommendations. If you like Ubuntu and don't like Gnome... you could try Kubuntu as well.
Please note: I listed Gentoo last on account of it's nuts and bolts nature that many users are uncomfortable with. If you're into that kind of thing - Gentoo is the way to go
Pr0n! that's right. First I can't stand not being able to play certain Windows encoded movies. Then there's the pr0n Blogs with lots of pictures, they seem to drag down my Mac where as my pr0n loving PC zips threw the boobies like they were pure liquid silicone.
Hmmm, fellow pr0n viewer are we? Thank you for the linky but I've known about VLC since it's incarnation. Unfortunately it doesn't quite cope with most online WMV streams. I assume it has something to do with Windows Media 10. Anyway, Windows will stay in my arsenal as my Game/Pr0n OS until such a time when Apple will appreciate perverts more or Microsoft implodes into a blackhole and the pr0n industry will be forced to cater to the likes of me. I hope for the latter.
Why, what did you have in mind? Do like to play dress up and flaunt yourself in front of your iSite. Are you wondering if you were to get a Windows PC you'll have a larger audience for your blow up sheep doll routine? Yes, pretty much everything does video now.
I don't believe so, no. IIRC, MSN uses their own proprietary protocol developed in-house. But it gets you the basic chat function with MSN users at the very least.
Edit: Relic, he meant "Do the above methods for getting iChat to work with the MSN system also allow for video conferencing?"
I don't believe so, no. IIRC, MSN uses their own proprietary protocol developed in-house. But it gets you the basic chat function with MSN users at the very least.
conferencing?"
I'd guess Adium or Fire make a better job of it though.
Comments
Originally posted by BeigeUser
Isn't AIM still free? It seems to me that if two or more people want to chat with each other, downloading and installing a free piece of software isn't that much of an inconvenience.
Yep, totally free. That's not my point though. It IS a hassle to install the software and set up accounts for both parties when they already have perfectly good MSN accounts.
Originally posted by BeigeUser
Of course, some people would rather use the Instant messenger that came with their computer (MSN). But if that's your argument, you should stop using Macs. If you and all your friends wants Apple to start littering the Mac OS with Microsoft stuff, you might as well switch back to Windows.
So because I want my Mac to be compatible with the standard (in Australia anyway), I should stop using Macs? This elitist attitude is what PC users associate with us Mac users btw. Excluding users, is not helping the platform grow.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
Except that, MSN Messenger does not come with their computer. You have to specifically go here to download it.
True, but Windows messenger does, and it's probably the reason why everyone uses MSN here in Aus.
Originally posted by dojobi
True, but Windows messenger does, and it's probably the reason why everyone uses MSN here in Aus.
Yeah... but Windows Messenger is a crippled version of MSN Messenger. I'm not even sure it has video-capabilities. It didn't have them last time I used it anyway.
MSN is quite popular in Europe though. In some parts, people don't even know what AIM is. Who knows? Though you do have a point about MSN compatibility, and there should be some solution to this problem, MSN is not a *standard*. It's trying to be one, but not there yet.
BTW, KDE developers have reverse-engineered MSN and Yahoo video capabilities and now Kopette, the KDE instant messenger can have video and audio using MSN or Yahoo. It's one thing to consider.
When I said "standard", I wasn't being literal. In Australia it may as well be considered the standard, since it must have 95%+ market share (wild guess with no proof, but I bet I'm right
I never installed AIM when it came out years ago as it was an AOL product (AOL has a bigger userbase percentage in the US for sure - after all it is *America* Online). I'd read a lot of badmouthing of AOL on the net before they even started doing business here.
I've tried out Kopete a long time when I was messing around with Linux and it seemed quite good (never tried video on it). Maybe I should give it another go. Thanks for the tip.
Originally posted by AsLan^
This is exactly how I do it
What distro do you recomment.
Originally posted by Placebo
Just install Adium, and have fun talking to people using any of a dozen-odd chat protocols.
Adium is a great text based client. I used it all the time actually. Unfortunately, it's got no video chat. They do say it's coming though.
Originally posted by Placebo
What distro do you recomment.
I personally use Gentoo and have done so for the last couple of years. Gentoo has a way about it though and it's not for everyone. The biggest difference between Gentoo and other distros is that Gentoo installs new programs on your computer by compiling them from source. This can take quite a while and the performance benefit is debatable. I actually use Gentoo because I've been using it for the past couple of years and my PC has sort of molded itself to me and become an effective tool so I'd rather not change it just yet. Gentoo also has awsome "package" mangement and support forums.
That being said... when I finally upgrade in another year or two, I'll probably go with a binary distribution such as Fedora Core. I do actually use Fedora Core on my server as a server OS because I wanted binary packages.
I suggest you try a couple and go with the one you like best. The obvious ones to try first are Fedora Core and Ubuntu (I'm partial to Fedora Core). From what I read on the internet though, many people prefer Ubuntu. I tried Ubuntu when it first came out and I wasn't impressed, the package management system was unfamiliar to me and I didn't really like it (yes I know, it's point and click). I also don't really like Gnome which is standard on Ubuntu. I think KDE is really head and shoulders above Gnome these days, and in some ways it's superior to OS X (see another thread in another forum about that one).
Doesn't matter which Linux distro you go with though, Linux isnt like OS X and you will likely have to use the command line sometimes or look up the answer to some configuration problem on an internet forum. Because of this I think it's best to go with a distro that has a large support community.
Fedora, Ubunutu, and Gentoo (in that order) are my recommendations. If you like Ubuntu and don't like Gnome... you could try Kubuntu as well.
Please note: I listed Gentoo last on account of it's nuts and bolts nature that many users are uncomfortable with. If you're into that kind of thing - Gentoo is the way to go
lol
iMac 20" G5
Not as easy as it should be, but doable, and all from the Mac end, no needing anyone else to do anything special.
Just sayin'.
Pr0n! that's right. First I can't stand not being able to play certain Windows encoded movies. Then there's the pr0n Blogs with lots of pictures, they seem to drag down my Mac where as my pr0n loving PC zips threw the boobies like they were pure liquid silicone.
Originally posted by PBG4 Dude
^^ Get VLC ^^
Hmmm, fellow pr0n viewer are we? Thank you for the linky but I've known about VLC since it's incarnation. Unfortunately it doesn't quite cope with most online WMV streams. I assume it has something to do with Windows Media 10. Anyway, Windows will stay in my arsenal as my Game/Pr0n OS until such a time when Apple will appreciate perverts more or Microsoft implodes into a blackhole and the pr0n industry will be forced to cater to the likes of me. I hope for the latter.
Originally posted by Elixir
2. the web browsing problem i can understand. sometimes i dont get why myspace loads so slow (this comes from my gf. she's a mac user to)
if someone could explain or fix that problem it would be appreciated.
MySpace is slow because 5 million 14 year olds are constantly posting fake user images and whining about how awful their lives are.
The best fix is use something else. LiveJournal is fast in Firefox.
Originally posted by Blackcat
MySpace is slow because 5 million 14 year olds are constantly posting fake user images and whining about how awful their lives are.
The best fix is use something else. LiveJournal is fast in Firefox.
Maybe they're should be more online predators to weed them out.
(Wow, even I found that in bad taste.)
Originally posted by Kickaha
Not exactly 'click a checkbox' easy, but you *can* use iChat with MSN.
Not as easy as it should be, but doable, and all from the Mac end, no needing anyone else to do anything special.
Just sayin'.
Does it do video though?
Originally posted by Blackcat
Does it do video though?
Why, what did you have in mind? Do like to play dress up and flaunt yourself in front of your iSite. Are you wondering if you were to get a Windows PC you'll have a larger audience for your blow up sheep doll routine? Yes, pretty much everything does video now.
Edit: Relic, he meant "Do the above methods for getting iChat to work with the MSN system also allow for video conferencing?"
Originally posted by Kickaha
I don't believe so, no. IIRC, MSN uses their own proprietary protocol developed in-house. But it gets you the basic chat function with MSN users at the very least.
conferencing?"
I'd guess Adium or Fire make a better job of it though.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4698072.stm