Instant Messaging

MSN Messenger. The scorn of the internet. I know people who use their computer, just to go on MSN messenger or Live Messenger as they call it now. I hate it, but unfortunately everyone uses it and if I want to communicate with them, thats where I have to be and WHOOP-DE-FUCKING-DO, Microsoft have been ever so kind as to release a version for Mac and Windows, but not Linux.

Miranda-IM
It’s OK though. If I had the choice of the bag of shite Microsoft messenger and a simple GUIed messenger, with but a few features missing, you can tell from my tone which one I’d pick. Enter Miranda-IM. Another windows only program, but boy, it makes you feel happy.

Simplicity
Some people don’t seem to understand that simplicity is the key. I don’t want an application that is all eye candy and takes forever to load. Windows Vista, apparently has tones of effects between windows, needs a whole 512mb of RAM to run. Personally I think that it would slow down productivity rather than increase it. Windows Live Messenger takes up a sluggish 50mb of RAM. Miranda takes a sweet 1mb.

Linux
GAIM. It kind of, rolls off the tongue. You don’t need to step back to see the interface, and the way it works and produces results is fantastic. It also works in Windows and Linux.

And, for all you command line freaks, theres even something for you. Bitlbee. You don’t even need to install anything except an IRC client (if you’re a windows fanboy). Just use the IRC in the terminal and connect to a Bitlbee server. Fantastic.

Stop living in the past. Stop being Microsoft’s bitch. Get a multiple protocol messenger. Make the world a happier place.

Blog off!

General bordom and late hours have decided that I’m having a blog whether I like it or not. Let’s have a little back story shall we. Well, about 3 months ago, I was doing stuff in windows. Bam. No access to my FAT32 formatted partition. Well that wasn’t nice was it. So I hunted around for a bit and dug out an old Hoary Hedgehog CD, did a fresh install of Ubuntu, updated to Breezy, and since then it’s kind of stuck. It’s not like I was using it as a kind of replacement for Windows. It simply derived from a hatred of Windows leading up to that one boiling point where enough was enough. So here I am on Ubuntu, just one whole upgrade to Edgy later.

Its been more than an upgrade for me, it’s been a whole journey. While it may bore other people, I thrive in this kind of community; I can simply sit back and watch the people of the community debate. What excites me the most is that even the project leaders are part of an open community and will communicate with whomever steps up and talks. Windows users, just imagine if you saw Bill Gates on a mailing list that you read? Thats what it feels like.

The learning process represents a journey as well. I’ve basically had to learn from scratch, relearning everything I thought I knew. Sure it’s useful to know how to open the System menu in Windows with one keystroke, but what’s really exciting is getting down and understanding the importance of the programming and compiling. Dependencies and Binaries! God I’m such a geek.

Anyway, Tom, out.
Peace.