I’ve had ICQ and MSN. I prefer MSN, but I got bored using it because… I don’t really know. It just stopped. I got bored using it all day long. So anyway. If I would have to choose one, I would pick MSN. It’s clear and simple, easy to use and easy for the eyes. I didn’t have any buddies with long names or something like that.
One thing I really hated when I used it was that since everybody had it, my MSN address " somehow " spread over the internet and to my buddies buddies buddies and so on…
I’m a proud IRC addict. I have Skype and MSN because everyone has them, but I hate both. My instant messenger of choice? That would be either IRC with a good notify list, or some XMPP system like google talk.
I don’t have enough friends to bother downloading a client, but if I was going to use one I’ve heard loads of good about Adium. It’s for Mac and can chat with every other client imaginable. Plus, it has a cute little duck icon.
I use Xfire, Msn, Skype, Ymessenger.
Out of all of them I like Xfire the most, can talk while i’m playing games, i like the ‘beeping’ noises and it makes and it’s easy to join other game servers.
I prefer MSN. It’s the first thing I used and I kind of got used to it and all. I do have msn plus which is something I wouldn’t want to live without. For example it groups my conversations so it’s only one window. (I don’t have linux or something; I’ve heard that has something like that too)
For everyone who thinks the smileys are annoying, there is an option to turn them off.
From what I know I don’t like Aim. It has a lot of bleeping noises and too many colors for me. Although my roommate’s aim looks just like my messenger. But she has a special thing that contains more than just aim.
I also use skype, but I only use that to talk to my parents. Well, sometimes I talk to friends on there, but usually not. I don’t like the text messaging on skype though. All the moving smileys are so annoying. Generally I only use it to speak anyway.
I started with IRC (no kidding), and then got dragged onto MSN by my friends, I think it was on version 3 at that time. Then because of other friends (mostly online), I got to try most of the other ones.
MSN is good, although a little bit bloated, and damn proprietary (actually, using Pidgin, Miranda, etc. is a violation of the terms of use).
Skype, I’d say, is excellent, but I wish they did more work on the IM part.
Yahoo is very good too, probably one of my faves.
Google Talk is the less bloated one but still needs moar features.
AIM is a hardcore CPU hog, needs refining.
IRC is getting old, but still the easiest to implement (and I’m a programmer,so… :-p ). It kinda needs a refresh, but I heard rumors on people attempting to enhance it, I hope I’ll see results.
I decided to remove MSN and Gabber (a XMPP client, I used it for GoogleTalk and Live Journal talk) from my computer. So now I’m down to IRC and Skype, and I don’t even turn Skype on unless someone asks me to.
From where I stand, instant messengers are just a big waste of time. If I need to talk to someone, I prefer to do it either through actually talking (on the phone, in real life, on VoIP) or by mail I’m a big fan of old school mail systems, telegrams, and of course e-mail & pms. As for talking for the sake of talking, small talk, or when I need specific help, IRC is the best. Like Dok, I’m hoping for a new protocol to be developed with the same functionality of IRC, but for now, it’s been by far the greatest way of chatting and meeting people on the internet.
I use MSN. The first thing I ever used, I think, is Yahoo Messenger. Anyway, I prefer MSN. I never had problems with it and I never really have complaints against it. It’s never really disappointed me and I don’t know what more I could want from it. So… I choose MSN any day. Most of the people I know use YM though… and that’s a good thing… because then I can use YM for school stuff and things like that, while my MSN will still be reserved for ‘special’ people.