This is about my favorite IM,Purple Pidgin.I had used GAIM messenger previously in Linux.As with most of the Linux Apps, it had lots of shortcomings,in spite of which we all loved and used it ..mainly because that was the best one available.
Then with the latest Ubuntu came Pidgin.The base install is clean and looks similar to GAIM,only that the interface looks more clean and attractive.Also with pidgin,I set up my google and yahoo accounts and hence was more useful to me than my GAIM,for which I didn't know how to setup up google account.
Why I am suddenly blogging about this software is because last week I was bored and had nothing to do.... and my bandwidth was pretty low.So I just opened up Pidgin and started checking out all options and configurations.I got curious with the plugin list which is quite interesting.There was a mention about more plugins available on the site.
After 2 am that day...I searched for pidgin plugins...got a few sites and went through the plugins...some where mind-blowing and some were the features that other IMs sport.I had also checked the Google Summer of Code page for Pidgin,there were some interesting plugins like Musictracker which puts currently playing music on status message.Soon I had found about 10 plugins and downloaded and installed each.
The main one I did was the best in the pack.It gives a script for my site.I can put up a chat window on any site,with the javascript.Then I have to configure my client with a new Account(all details from that site itself).I configured it and tried it soon...it was simply amazing...I really love it.Many of my pals have already tried it.Its here in this blog...please do try if I am online.
I also installed some more plugins from the Synaptic Package Manager.I didn't get a chance to try them though.Today I found all of them installed and I just went through the Plugins list..whoa..and I enabled a few.I will list the ones I liked and am using and describe a few.
Chat colours,autocomplete(really cool),Off the Record,Invisibility,Away Time Setter,Psychic Mode,Availabilty Probability,GUIfications,Hotkeys,New Smileys,Notifications,Music Messaging and Mouse Gestures.
Invisibility and Off the Record
The really cool features available in most IMs...now in Pidgin too
Psychic Mode
Whenever a user starts typing a new conversation...I get a funny message..saying "I feel a disturbance in the force..."so i can react before they do....helps startle my buddies...
Availability Probability
This I don't know how it works.It is supposed to give probability of being available for each contact.... :P
GUIfications
Cool pop ups and notifications when someone types or leaves or returns
Music Messaging
Allows people work on same score of music simultaneously..not much use to me..but cool
Mouse Gestures
Allows many operations by mouse gestures..cool
There are many more cool features about Pidgin and many more to come.Anyway pidgin has become more fun than gtalk.It just lacks in file transferring,voicemails and ability to remove status messages.
Pidgin Site
Also there is a command line version called Finch.Its really cool..do try it out.
Finch
3 comments:
Wow, some of these plugins sound awesome! Where can I download all of them?
Just a heads up, the Music Messaging plugin will work for pretty much nobody. It's only a half-completed program that requires some not-so-easy to get by software (gscore). I'm not sure why it's STILL in the plugins list at this point.
@DaVince
I have been out of touch with pidgin itself for sometime now. I will check out ur comment, and update my blog. Thanks for commenting and pointing out.
Post a Comment