What is the best messenger program for XP in your opinions?

[pr-man 1]

[clutch 1]

I like Trillian for any Windows OS myself.

 

www.trillian.cc

[pimpin_228 0]

mirc

[Klark 0]

Trillian ...hands down, the best you can get. Ecspecially now, since they finally got AOL to work....or atleast until AOL starts crying again about people using Trillian instead of the standard AIM interface.

[thymios 0]

I'm fine with MSN Messenger, although MS has added some annoying features to it since the debut of XP(like running by itself when you read your e-mail for instance, or not being able to close the program when hotmail or Outlook is open).

ICQ is also ok, has nice txt messaging.

[tuxx 0]

Trillian

[jtourville 0]

Yeah, MSN is really only a good option if you intend to have it running all the time. It drove me nuts constantly opening when I would just want to check my email. And despite turning that option off in outlook express, it would still open every time.

[Klark 0]

I don't remember what I did to stop that problem. But somehow I got MSN to stop starting up when I launched Outlook.

 

On a buddies computer, I just removed it with msconfig, but it still started up when you launched Outlook...So that wasn't the fix.

 

Anyway...

 

Klark

[clutch 1]

In Outlook, go to Tools>Options>Other and deselect the Instant Messaging checkbox. That will keep it from launching when Outlook launches. You can also disable MSN messenger from launching by editing the Group Policy of the machine (or domain if using AD). If you do so, then make SURE to uncheck that box in Outlook, or Outlook will wait for MSN messenger to time out (about 20 seconds) before actually opening when you launch it.

[Alien 1]

Quote:

In Outlook, go to Tools>Options>Other.....

Dunno what version of OE you're using dude, but it's not the same 1 as me - there is no Other section under Tools > Options in mine.

...about 30 seconds later...

D'oh! I just realised that you meant Outlook, as in the full blown whatsit that comes with Office, not OE. Oh well.

[clutch 1]

From reading the other posts here, it seems like you were the only one that thought of Outlook Express, since Thymios and Klark stated "Outlook". There might be a similar method to this for OE though, so if it's an issue just check the Technet KB (that's where I found this fix).

[Klark 0]

Doh! My bad...Outlook Express.

 

By the way, in OE, its Tools > Options > General. Uncheck the "Automatically log on to Windows Messenger"

[Alien 1]

Klark - LOL - I always have that turned off, but yet earlier today it tried logging in automatically when I opened OE. I've only just done a complete reinstall [due to a very weird prob that I'm sure nobody's interested in], & I made sure that both the option in OE to log in & the option in MSN/WM itself for running @ startup were turned off, but yet earlier today it still logged itself in when I opened OE. I've noticed this usually happens after a fresh install & also after updates to MSN - & it doesn't seem to make any difference how many times I double check that the options are set the way I want them, it still does it from time to time.

 

When it is in the mood to do this I simply leave Zone Alarm set to ask me before it gives MSN access to the net & when it asks me I just say no.

[thymios 0]

Ok now i know the power of trillian!Very nice prog. thanks for letting me know...

BTW Klark, i know the option in Outlook express but the point is that it open the damn MSN messenger anyway, even if it doesn't log on to it!!!

[clutch 1]

If you do what APK suggests here:

 

http://www.ntcompatible.com/vb/showthread.php?threadid=18303&highlight=messenger

 

then it will no longer launch at all. Just a thought.

[MaxQc 0]

trillian rulezzzzzz

 

hehe

[pr-man 1]

two things I dont liek about trillian. no chat mode that I can find and im only a member of ICQ LOL