This post is a few months old. A newer version reviewing even more IM clients can be found by clicking this link.
What is the best IM (Instant Messaging) Client for Ubuntu? Let's find out!
(L-R: Pidgin, aMSN, Galaxium, Emesene Crazy, Empathy) Pidgin is the default messaging client for Ubuntu and comes pre-installed.
One of Pidgins strongest selling points is its support for a multitude of various different IM protocols - a selection of which are: MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Gtalk and even IRC! Uniquely, with Pidgin you can log in to multiple accounts simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AIM, flirting with contacts on Yahoo! - all whilst nattering away to your MSN buddies - all at the same time.
Pidgin supports the usual IM features such as file transfer, customised status/nick names, away messages and typing notification.
'Simple' and 'Clean' are two words i would use to describe Pidgin's interface. It blends seamlessly with Gnome and GTK themes and it's minimal look is appealing in light of of many other IM Clients that shovel every possible button into their already crowded interfaces. The 'main' window is a simple affair, displaying your online contacts, their status and display picture. You can set your display picture and status via the panel at the bottom.
(Main Window, Message Window and Plugins list)
One thing I don't like about Pidgin is that there is no obvious way to set your 'nickname'. Sifting through menu after menu you'll find it's tucked away in 'Account Settings'. Whilst not a deal breaker, it's a bug bear nonetheless. Although Pidgin boasts many of the 'basic' IM functionality you would expect, it does lack in places. For example Pidgin doesn't support Webcam sending or recieving, file sending over selected protocols (such as MSN) or voice chat. Given it has to support a lot of different platforms this is understandable but still a minus given other multi-protocol IM clients do.
Pidgin does support plug-ins however, which helps greatly add ot it's feature set with all manner of superfluous additions such as 'psychic notification', 'conversation logger' and 'window tremble'.
Installation: Pidgin comes pre-installed in Ubuntu, but you can always find it in Add/Remove if you've since un-installed it.
The Good: Supports multi-protocol chatting at the same time! Nice!
The Bad: Although it's interface looks simple, trying to find options for basic features is long-winded and menu-filled.
aMSN
Billed as a MSN Messenger "clone", anyone used to Microsoft's proprietary messenger will feel right at home!
Although only supporting the MSN network - meaning you need a Microsoft Passport account - it packs in the features thick and fast!
- Offline Messaging
- Voice Clips
- Display pictures
- Custom emoticons
- Webcam support
- Sign in to more than one account at once
- File transfers
The biggest issue with aMSN is it's interface. It's cluttered, not very well designed and just ugly. It doesn't integrate very nicely in a Gnome desktop, either.
Installation: Find it in Add/Remove with 'amsn'.
The Good: Great range of features
The Bad: Clunky, resource hungry and ugly interface.
Galaxium Messenger
Galaxium is a new multi-protocol messenger that right from the get go looks very, very swish! It's still currently in development, but is stable enough to use daily.
Galaxium currently supports MSN, Facebook IM, gTalk, Jabber and IRC. With support for Yahoo, AIM/ICQ, GaduGadu coming in future releases.
Okay, down the good stuff: What features does it bring to the table? All the usual stuff like contact list management, display picture, custom statuses, nicknames etc, but also: -
- Webcam Sending/Receiving
- Play MSN Games
- Supports Adium themes
- Plug-ins
- File Transfer
- Take 'webcam snap' for display picture
- Group chat
(Main window and Conversation window)
The support for Adium themes is great for customising it's look to something both well designed and usable.
Installation:
Download the .deb for your Ubuntu version from the PPA below.
Be sure to also add the PPA to your system sources to stay up-to-date!
The Good: Webcam Support; Gorgeous, intuitive interface
The Bad: Still in development; some features half-implemented (e.g.: 'now playing' status); is a mono application
Emesene 1.5
Emesene 1.5 is a more recent and up-to-date community supported version of Emesene (the official Ubuntu repo version is frozen at version 1.0).
Like aMSN, Emesene is a MSN only client.
Features include:
- Better File transfer than Emesene 1.0
- Custom Emoticons/Messaging Layout
- webcam sending and receiving
- compatible with latest window live messenger
- ubuntu notifications support
To install Emesene 1.5, add the following PPA. Emesene 1.5 is updated weekly.
The Good: Ideal MSN replacement for new users; great feature set; easy to use
The Bad: File transfers still slow; webcam support temperamental
Empathy
Empathy is the default messaging client for Gnome. Evidently still in the early stages of existence; it resembles a very basic Pidgin.
(Main Window and Conversation Window)
Currently supports all the protocols that Pidgin does, but has barely any of it's own features to talk about unless you count being able to IM as one!
Installation: Find it in Add/Remove
The Good: Great if you want something simple, light and basic.
The Bad: Not able to select a display picture; can't send files; basic
18 comments:
man joey why you don't hide your and others mail adress?
Your site is so boring, nobody uses this crap of ubuntu...
you look so dumb an stupid on that picture hanging the camera... you look so like an idiot!...
From your own:
I'm a 20 year old dude currently living in the rural awesomeness of Devon, UK. (so you're a little kiddo, )
I am a writer, tech 'nerd', freelance Journalist, short film maker and part of an electropop group. (OMG, sure but all as an amateur you must specify, I don't think you went to University or have any studies...)
I develop a few bits and bobs from time to time - mainly for Linux. I am also a serial blogger - mainly on my Tech/Linux related site d0od.co.uk. (because you don't jave anything else to do in your life...)
A few Joey-El facts: -
I am Vegan. (so you are the most stupid person on earth, following stupid rules, that some idiot made and all the others idiots thinks it's the best to follow all these non-sence 100% bullshit)
I love Lego. (of course you are a Kiddo)
I wear shorts pretty much *always*.(no comment, but kiddos uses to do that)
I use Ubuntu, OS X, Windows 7 & OpenSolaris. (because you have nothing else to do in your life)
you look like the kind of guy obsessive, frenetic, compulsive, repulsive, you think you want to rule the world, but in fact you are just a Kiddo... nothing more, come on and get a life...
all your profile made me laugh to death, hahahaha!...
@ anon - i don't have to justify my existence on a blog in the middle of nowhere, but there's a slight irony in you ripping the shiz out of someone on the internet whilst telling them to get a life... hmm.
Also, i was at University for 2 years but was expelled last year. I was studying Journalism and Public Relations. After being expelled i did some (paid) freelance work for several UK publications and websites in addition to being employed in developing online marketing strategies for two online businesses.
Veganism is about as far from "non-sence" as you can get, it's a personal choice and has nothing to do with this site.
If using and developing on various OS's is a result of having 'nothing else to do in [my] life' than rather that then slinking around the internet ripping people i don't know to bits.
FIN!
A while back i stumbled over your blog and thought: Oh well, just another ubuntu blog (i uses ubuntu myself). But when i stumbled over your blog once more, now just before Ubuntu 9.04 was released, i read your post on Jaunty and realized you actually knew what you are doing! ;-)
I just don't get it! What kind of jerks is actually read a blog, chect the profile of the writer, and COMMENT each and every sentence!!? And anonymous, what the heck is the point!? oh man....
I mean, what's the big deal if you're a vegetarian, wears shorts 365 and uses 4 OS's, you can make a good blog about Ubuntu anyway! And if someone don't use or like Ubuntu, why even bother to comment it!? I just don't get the deal...
I just want to say, keep ut the good work, i will at least follow your blog! ;-)
HelgeB
Thanks for your review, Mr Joey. It's really helpful to me, who is just too lazy to install other IMs :P
But can you edit the pic so that your e-mail and your friends' e-mail won't be shown there? Just for privacy concern though. ^^
@ animaster
Thanks for the concern, but i checked with those it shows and their fine. Likewise, my e-mail is easy to find elsewhere so there's no point hiding it here.
Galaxium is going to be one to watch for the future for sure. In fact I might even say its better than emesene on many levels. It was still young when I first saw it and it has come along since then. Its nice to see it hasnt died.
I just installed Jaunty on the laptop, I'm impressed so far. Webcam isnt working for me on galaxium or emesene but I'm using x64 so maybe thats why. I dunno.
If I was not a gamer and I had a choice of XP/Vista/Jaunty, I can say I'd be seriously considering Jaunty now, its come a long way. This is way better than ubuntu 8 like a billion times.
BUT Jaunty has a new rival.... Win7. I cannot express how awesome Win7 is. Like a billion times better than any other OS eve, for me at least.
I went through the "OMG I LOVE WINDOWS 7" phase when trying the beta several months back. It is the best Windows release there has ever been, but in retrospect most of what makes it great should have been there in the first place.
It's a bit pathetic and semi-ironic that Microsoft is lauded for Windows 7 because it's stable/resourceful/works. The new taskbar was a long time coming, and a nod to the KDE team wouldn't be amiss, either.
Yeah it is a little ironic aint it. Finally there is a real serious contender for Windows on the block in the form of Jaunty for 'mainstream' users. Thats the first release I'd happily call mainstream ready. And Win7 comes along and changes things up a notch. Yeah it Does remind me of KDE somewhat, although its done better. Having said that, I havent tried KDE4 since its first release when its was buggy as hell.
As someone who is somewhat restricted to windows I am over the moon at the quality of Win7. It couldnt of come at a better time. I liked Vista but this makes Vista look lame.
Pıdgın ıs pretty suffıcıent for me so far
Dude that great but!
you missed the Kmess2
it's perfect but don't support cam and mic yet
Pidgin sends AND receives files over MSN protocol just fine. You're probably using damn old version.
To all morons talking and praising winblows 7: GO FUCK YOURSELF! because you're being off-topic. I wouldn't use that 'OS' no matter how good it would be, even if it would be the only one. I would rather give up being a geek and quit using the pc.
Are there any IM clients for ubuntu that will accept an incoming remote assistance request from a windows MSN client? Any of the above ones from your article?
Actually I found another client that does support remote desktop sharing and a lot of other cool features.. its called Yuuguu
http://www.yuuguu.com/home
How'd you install Galaxium??
i keep having problems like
after i install by sudo apt-get install galaxium-svn, i can see the login window and my contact list, but i can't chat!
and when I right click, only a little square pops up. I think it's a 5*25
Actually, I can't stand Windows 7. I'm not quite sure what it is about it, but I think it's probably the fact that it seems overloaded and that it gets in my way all the time. "Aero Peek", which shows a picture of the window you're pointing at in the taskbar, was particularly annoying.
I used Windows XP for years but am seriously considering a switch to ubuntu. I have been using and customising it in the past few days and have been enjoying it a lot.
Finally, I'd really like to thank Joey for this wonderful blog. I'll add it to my RSS feeds straight away :-)
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