aMSN
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| Developer(s) | aMSN Development Team |
|---|---|
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | Multi-platform |
| Type | Instant Messaging client |
| License | GPL |
| Website | http://www.amsn-project.net/ |
aMSN is an MSN Messenger clone licensed under the GPL. Its main objective is to assist users who are new to the Linux operating system keep in contact with those who use the Microsoft program which is available only on Windows and Macintosh. To achieve this objective, aMSN attempts to emulate the look and feel of MSN Messenger, and supports many of its features.
aMSN has features not present in MSN Messenger. Users can set alarms, are able to see others who have removed them from their contact list, and are able to open many profiles at once. It is also very customizable, with extensions and themes available at the main site. aMSN also allows functions not available in the Macintosh version of MSN Messenger, such as webcam support, and the "nudge" feature.
aMSN is available for any system that supports Tcl/Tk 8.4 or higher. This includes Microsoft Windows, Macintosh and any UNIX variant including Linux.
Criticism
Many users claim that aMSN looks "uglier" than its counterparts under Linux environments. Developers say, on their defense, that the whole interface is fully customizable, allowing users to download themes and modify the general aspect freely. Even though, customization does not mean beauty: the software depends on the Tk graphics toolkit, which does not have the same refinements as other more modern toolkits like Gtk+ or Qt. For instance, Tk doesn't support antialiased fonts - something that the themes and skins can't correct. It is hoped that the next version of aMSN would be developed in Tcl/Gtk+, so the messenger's interface would not hurt the eyes so badly as it does now (check the screenshot on the right).
See also
External links
