Let's Chat

It seems everyone I know prefers different internet chatting programs. I started out back in the day with ICQ, but then switched to AOL IM in high school, which I still use to this day with the majority of my friends. For some strange reason, American Online doesn't seem as popular with my non-American friends, which means I also use gmail chat and MSN Messenger from time to time. Now add internet video/audio chat to the mix, and things get even more complicated. My family started using MSN messenger to be able to webcam chat with my brother and his baby. The Mac version of MSN messenger doesn't support audio or video. Supposedly iChat and AOLIM should work together for video and audio, but I have had little success. Yahoo messenger lets people share webcam feeds, but there is no audio. What is the answer to this zany labyrinthine mess of instant messenging confusion? I say, Skype.

Skype is as simple a program as any other IM application. It has both video and audio. There is a mac and PC version. (officially there is no video in the mac version, but it is coming soon, and I am currently using an unofficial beta which has working video). It is popular internationally. Of particular interest to me, you can use Skype to call real-world telephones (free within the US, very very cheap for international calls).

Now I'm not usually keen on advertising on my blog, but I'm doing so here in hope that we can someday end this IM confusion and all settle on a single program. It'd make life so much easier. My skype name is Tangerinemilk. Give me a call or IM sometime.