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Pidgin (software)

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For the fictional alien race in Babylon 5, see Gaim (Babylon 5).
Gaim
Developer(s)Gaim developers
Stable release
1.5.0 / August 11, 2005
Repository
Operating systemCross-platform
TypeInstant messenger
LicenseGPL
Websitegaim.sf.net
Buddylist of Gaim 1.1.4 under KDE 3.4, Ubuntu Linux

Gaim is a multi-platform instant messenger that supports many commonly used instant messaging systems including:

Gaim is free software available under the GNU General Public License. The current version is Gaim 1.5.0 ("Who needs micro versions‽"), released August 11, 2005. The first beta release of Gaim 2.0 (Gaim-2.0.0beta2) was released on January 24, 2006.[1] but there have been more since.

Originally written by Mark Spencer for Unix-like operating systems, it now runs on a variety of platforms, including Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, SkyOS and Trolltech's PDA system, Qtopia. Mac OS X users can run it using the clunky X11 interface but the Gaim website recommends Mac users try Adium instead.

Recently, the Gaim developers have started to separate the core code—which handles things such as network connections and messaging—from the GUI code, which controls how these actions are presented to the user. After the code split is complete, it will be possible to write client programs using a developer's GUI library of choice. The core library produced by the split will be called libgaim; an in-development but stable version of this library is already in use in the Adium, Fire, and Proteus clients as well as the Meebo web-based application.

Features

  • Tabbed message windows for easy switching of conversations
  • Accounts option allows user to log on as many different accounts at once as desired
  • Transparency support via a plugin for conversation and buddy list windows (only under Microsoft Windows)
  • Aliasing nicknames by real name of user
  • Grouping different buddies that are really the same person into a "contact" [2]
  • Logging conversations and messages supported [3]
  • Buddy Pounce feature pops up notifications or plays a sound when a user changes status [4]
  • A video/VoIP system is currently under production and will be included in a future release.
  • Encrypted messaging using a plugin [5]

Plugins

Gaim supports plugins for RSA and GPG encryption, as well as Off-the-record messaging.

Derivatives

PhoneGaim is a software based on Gaim (and thus also available under the GPL) that uses the SIP protocol to be able to have voice communication over the Internet via VoIP.

Proteus and Adium are instant messaging clients for Mac OS X that support multiple protocols through the libgaim library.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gaim.
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