Which instant messager do you use?

[korn469]

I was just wondering which im programs people use. I was thinking about back in the day when everybody seemed to have icq, and now I can't think of anybody I know who still uses it. So post the programs you use in this thread.

[korn469]

I use in order of frequency

Msn
Myspace
Yahoo
Aim
Google Talk

[Dinner]

I normally just use MSN but I also have myspace and google talk.

[Asher]

Google Talk
MSN

[MRT144]

Just AIM.

i think a more interesting question is "why"

for me, its what all my friends used to begin with so thats become the standard that i use.

i now have the ability to use any of those with agilemobile messenger on my pda though

[Sikander]

I hate these sort of programs and don't use any of them. I find email a lot more useful than having some resident crap always squealing when you are online, and delivering tiny chunks of ugly leet-text.

[Jon Miller]

Currently only Aim and Google Talk. I also have/had accounts with MSN and Yahoo. It is still easy for me to log into yahoo.. I don't think I have any friends there but my sister (who uses AIM mostly right now).

Jon Miller

[Combat Ingrid]

1. in-game chat
2. e-mail
3. telephone
4. skype

[Ari Rahikkala]

Gaim and irssi, though I'm considering replacing Gaim with BitlBee..

[Saras]

MSN. Plan on getting skype for secure voice communications.

[Mercator]

MSN...

I suppose Google Talk also counts, since I use the chat-thingy in Gmail sometimes. But my computer is too old for Google Talk. I also have Skype installed, but haven't used it in months.

Originally posted by Sikander
I hate these sort of programs and don't use any of them. I find email a lot more useful than having some resident crap always squealing when you are online, and delivering tiny chunks of ugly leet-text.

It just depends on who you talk to.

I only really started using it less than 2 years ago (and before that I thought of them much the same as you do). I rarely talk to more than one person at a time and only the few people on my contacts list can see me/talk to me. I always sign in to MSN as being "offline" first, so I can see who's online before anyone sees me. When I don't want to be disturbed, I turn it off. When I only want to be disturbed by one person I set my status to "busy" or "away" so no-one else will bother me.
And unlike most other people, I tend to write long pieces of text every time I say something rather than short, single lines (MSN's maximum message length is rather annoying). And no leet-text either, thank you very much.

I basically only use it to talk to my girlfriend.

In other words, it's as intrusive or useful as you want it to be.

You can probably compare it to mobile phones. There are people who have theirs on 24/7 (and those using it 24/7). There are those who only have it switched on when they're actually calling someone or expecting a call... And then there's me, who doesn't have a mobile phone.

[Adagio]

I use MSN and Google Talk, though I've only got know one person who uses Google Talk (rarely), and he also uses Messenger

[SlowwHand]

MSN and ICQ.

[Tattila the Hun]

Forgot "Banana-phone" and "None".

I'd go with "None".

[LordShiva]

This poll is invalid - no banana, and no Trillian