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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > iChat AV vs. AIM

iChat AV vs. AIM
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pbjudge
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Nov 18, 2003, 09:30 AM
 
I use iChat AV, though I don't have iSight (yet). I find it great. Recently I noticed that at the Apple OSX download sight, people are downloading AIM and I don't know why...

If iChat and AIM interface together, why would a Jaguar/Panther user want to install AIM?

Maybe a stupid question, but I am curious...

- PJ
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gorickey
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Nov 18, 2003, 09:35 AM
 
Ignorance?
     
Terri
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Nov 18, 2003, 09:40 AM
 
I wish it worked with ICQ numbers.
     
milhous
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Nov 18, 2003, 09:56 AM
 
can't have profiles in iChat.
F = ma
     
gorickey
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Nov 18, 2003, 09:59 AM
 
Originally posted by milhous:
can't have profiles in iChat.
I'll take a nicer UI over "features" like that any day...
     
milhous
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Nov 18, 2003, 10:46 AM
 
Originally posted by gorickey:
I'll take a nicer UI over "features" like that any day...
yeah, that's a shame.
F = ma
     
Turias
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Nov 18, 2003, 10:51 AM
 
<inserts requisite plug for upcoming Adium 2.0>
     
gorickey
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Nov 18, 2003, 10:57 AM
 
Originally posted by Turias:
<inserts requisite plug for upcoming Adium 2.0>
How "upcoming" is Adium 2.0?
     
Appleman
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Nov 18, 2003, 11:05 AM
 
Originally posted by Terri:
I wish it worked with ICQ numbers.
It does work with icq numbers actually.
See this features set of AIM, which actually works for iChat as well!
     
Webscreamer
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Nov 18, 2003, 12:29 PM
 
seems to me there are many more features in the Official AIM application. But Apple is getting there.... we really need profiles though
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typoon
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Nov 18, 2003, 12:59 PM
 
The other thing that iChat is missing is the ability to have other screennames. in AIM you can log off and just switch to another screenname if you need it. In iChat you would need to log out then change the name in the prefs then fire up iChat again. No need to do that in AIM. I have some for work and one for personal So when I need to be in both I fire up both iChat and AIM.
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wataru
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Nov 18, 2003, 01:16 PM
 
Originally posted by typoon:
The other thing that iChat is missing is the ability to have other screennames. in AIM you can log off and just switch to another screenname if you need it. In iChat you would need to log out then change the name in the prefs then fire up iChat again. No need to do that in AIM. I have some for work and one for personal So when I need to be in both I fire up both iChat and AIM.
You could always create a new user with its own iChat prefs, and switch using fast user switching
     
Too Artificial
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Nov 18, 2003, 02:52 PM
 
Originally posted by pbjudge:
I use iChat AV, though I don't have iSight (yet). I find it great. Recently I noticed that at the Apple OSX download sight, people are downloading AIM and I don't know why...

If iChat and AIM interface together, why would a Jaguar/Panther user want to install AIM?

Maybe a stupid question, but I am curious...

- PJ
I use iChatAV and the only real complaint I have is the way it handles groups. I like the AIM method better.
     
Hi I'm Ben
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Nov 18, 2003, 02:55 PM
 
I'm loving the daily alpha releases of Adium 2.

it rocks.
     
crazyjohnson
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Nov 18, 2003, 03:10 PM
 
They are integrating libgaim into the App. This is in the early stages. You have to edit the source a little to get libgaim working (don't try yet) - but doing so you can now get files and buddy icons.

Still check out the builds below (note: you will not be able to use libgaim)

http://adium.sourceforge.net/index.php?page=download

Originally posted by Hi I'm Ben:
I'm loving the daily alpha releases of Adium 2.

it rocks.
Change your world and you will change your mind.
     
teszeract
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Nov 18, 2003, 03:16 PM
 
Fire.app says you can use your @mac address. Does this mean you can talk to your ichat buddies with Fire. How?
     
De Luca
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Nov 18, 2003, 03:53 PM
 
1. iChat doesn't distinguish between a mobile user and a computer user.

2. iChat doesn't allow for mobile users to have nicknames

3. If a user has mobile IM forwarding, they appear "online" to iChat users, while AIM users get a little phone icon.

4. AIM buddy icons are bigger and can be animated GIFs (iChat cannot).

5. AIM allows for ICQ numbers (though still buggy)
     
[APi]TheMan
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Nov 18, 2003, 11:24 PM
 
Originally posted by Hi I'm Ben:
I'm loving the daily alpha releases of Adium 2.

it rocks.
Ditto.

People mention and "nice GUI" and "extra features" when arguing over AIM and iChat and I just laugh knowing that I have both with Adium.
"In Nomine Patris, Et Fili, Et Spiritus Sancti"

     
Jbroad572
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Nov 19, 2003, 12:32 AM
 
what is adium? What does it do?
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[APi]TheMan
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Nov 19, 2003, 02:33 AM
 
Originally posted by Jbroad572:
what is adium? What does it do?
Adium is a third party AIM client.

http://www.adiumx.com
"In Nomine Patris, Et Fili, Et Spiritus Sancti"

     
S|ntax
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Nov 19, 2003, 09:54 PM
 
the grouping feature is the only thing i really miss from ichat that every singly other client has.
     
Bluebomber21XX
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Nov 19, 2003, 10:28 PM
 
Originally posted by wataru:
You could always create a new user with its own iChat prefs, and switch using fast user switching
Or, you could just use AIM.

Once you kill the banners, it is every bit as fast, and WAYYYYYY more full-featured than iChat. If it has too many features, just don't use the ones you don't like.

Simple as that. By the way,

http://www.bluebomber.com/aimx
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http://www.bluebomber.com/
     
gorickey
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Nov 19, 2003, 10:46 PM
 
Originally posted by S|ntax:
the grouping feature is the only thing i really miss from ichat that every singly other client has.
How funny, that is the one thing I have tried to get rid of in Adium 2.0 since I downloaded it...oh well...

     
bborofka
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Nov 19, 2003, 11:08 PM
 
Does Adium, or any other AIM clone, support file transfers yet?
     
d4nth3m4n
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Nov 19, 2003, 11:31 PM
 
the best thing about ichat is that i dont have to remember everyones screennames, i can set the address book to do that for me. this is great! i have been caught telling the wrong person the wrong thing with aim, but now i know exactly who i am talking to, at a glance.

mmm.

why the hell cant i audio chat with windows people? what a pain in my *ss...
     
C-Bear
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Nov 20, 2003, 02:45 AM
 
Originally posted by pbjudge:
[B]Recently I noticed that at the Apple OSX download sight, people are downloading AIM and I don't know why...

If iChat and AIM interface together, why would a Jaguar/Panther user want to install AIM? [B]
Perhaps I'm confused, but if you're not an AOL or .Mac user, don't you need to download AIM and set it up in order to have an account for iChat to log in to?
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Nov 20, 2003, 12:43 PM
 
Originally posted by De Luca:
5. AIM allows for ICQ numbers (though still buggy)
iChat allows ICQ numbers too. But it is also very buggy. I have a PC using friend who is ICQ only, and when I chat with him via iChat (and his ICQ Lite) he sees all of my messages with html tags and such. It's a real mess, but do-able. I'm hoping Apple fixes this in upcoming releases.
     
mattyd
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Nov 20, 2003, 08:13 PM
 
Originally posted by C-Bear:
Perhaps I'm confused, but if you're not an AOL or .Mac user, don't you need to download AIM and set it up in order to have an account for iChat to log in to?
nah. you can register a screen name at aim.com
     
Superchicken
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Nov 20, 2003, 08:32 PM
 
Apple does need to stop doing things like voice and video in iChat and just for goodness sakes make the interface and features well thought out.

the top features I want to see in iChat 3.

Single Window Interface,
iTunes
iMovie
iPhoto
iDVD
iSync
iCal all single window
iChat... to many windows

trying to manage more than two windows when I'm working with Safari is not terribly fun.

MSN Compatibility
I know it doesn't matter much for americans, but MSN has a huge market share in Canada, and AOL has squat. I have 2 Canadians on my list of over 100 people in iChat.

Control of how others see your text
I do not like not be able to control how my text is shown to people in different clients.

ability to make buddy photos bigger
AIM budy icons are much bigger than iChat icons. I would like to see the ability to make these bigger in a coustom preff, at least big enough to be 100/100.

Group Mannagement
have a column like in iTunes, show all groups, or you could select it, have it be like albums under browsing.
     
Cipher13
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Nov 20, 2003, 10:51 PM
 
Adium rocks.
     
piovere
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Nov 21, 2003, 12:25 PM
 
Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
[B]the best thing about ichat is that i dont have to remember everyones screennames, i can set the address book to do that for me. this is great! i have been caught telling the wrong person the wrong thing with aim, but now i know exactly who i am talking to, at a glance.
when i tried this it gave me an error, and the buddy in question dissapeared from my iChat list. did appear in my address book, though...
     
squish
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Nov 21, 2003, 03:43 PM
 
last I tried Adium, it didn't let me view my friends' away messages without first sending them a message. Is that still the case? Also, does it support file transfers yet?

If it can do those two things, I will use it right now.

Now, AIM is slow as all hell and the IM windows are huge. Other than that, it's really good.

iChat on the other hand is very fast, but doesn't support groups (it doesn't separate users into their respective groups in the list that's the damn purpose of the categories!) that's why I won't use it.
     
mark9939
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Nov 21, 2003, 07:48 PM
 
Originally posted by squish:
last I tried Adium, it didn't let me view my friends' away messages without first sending them a message. Is that still the case? Also, does it support file transfers yet?.
No, it still doesn't let you do either one. I think I'll write an email to the developers asking about that (the away message thing). But Adium 2 is my God.

-M
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EmAn
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Nov 22, 2003, 12:44 PM
 
AIM is 100 times better than iChat right now.
     
anti-sleep
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Nov 22, 2003, 01:43 PM
 
Does AIM still hog resources as much as it used to in 10.1?
     
def H H H
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Nov 22, 2003, 01:45 PM
 
One thing I hate is when PC people direct connect with you without asking and you can't stop them either. iChat lets them automatically connect.
     
Mark E
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Nov 22, 2003, 02:41 PM
 
file transfer and away message viewing are probably the 2 most-wanted features in adium.. check the adium messageboard for tons of threads about whether they'll be included.

adium is a great program though, it's my AIM client of choice.

-Mark

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Stradlater
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Nov 22, 2003, 03:06 PM
 
Originally posted by mark9939:
No, it still doesn't let you do either one. I think I'll write an email to the developers asking about that (the away message thing). But Adium 2 is my God.

-M
You can view away messages, you just need to compile it yourself after editing one line of source, or download the buggy OSCAR plug-in.

Both things are coming soon with much better support, just wait for development to pick up, I'm sure they'll appear in the daily binaries soon enough.
     
CharlesS
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Nov 22, 2003, 03:20 PM
 
Originally posted by Superchic[k]en:
the top features I want to see in iChat 3.

Single Window Interface,
Ick!

That would be awful.

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Mark E
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Nov 22, 2003, 06:20 PM
 
Originally posted by CharlesS:
Ick!

That would be awful.
not really.. if you download adium you can try it for yourself, that feature is in the current versions.

i don't like it, personally, but the option is there.

in case of accidental ingestion, consult a mortician.
     
Agasthya
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Nov 22, 2003, 06:50 PM
 
Originally posted by gorickey:
How "upcoming" is Adium 2.0?
Expect a beta in 3 or 4 months (kind of optimistic).

Libgaim isn't done. The one they have in there right now is a pre-release copy of libgaim.

The Adium 2 with libgaim has numerous problems and I would suggest that people stay away from editing the source to add libgaim functionality to their Adium 2 (it does say "DO NOT USE" for a reason ).

Adam and the crew are working hard and something should be ready for public consumption in 3 or 4 months.

And yes, it will have file transfers (in fact, it can already receive transfers but both parties need to be firewall free and there is no GUI for it yet - it updates in the console) and it will have all the bells and whistles that AIM has (with the exception of anything A/V).
     
SOLIDAge
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Nov 22, 2003, 06:54 PM
 
write me a script that does auto accept files with iChat and i'll be golden with it.
     
Superchicken
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Nov 22, 2003, 07:54 PM
 
Ever use Proteus? Trust me it sounds weird but if you're having 5 convos on a 12 inch LCD... it's wonder bar!
     
   
 
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