I'll be straight-forward with you guys. I have AIM which is the best. Both MSN and ICQ have been proven unsecure and I have heard far to many tales of their systems being hacked.

<font color="lightblue">Yes, they`re insecure as is any program which initiates an IP-IP connection, which every chat client needs do.
So, basically NONE is perfectly secure; AIM no more than MSN.

I have AIM, YIM, MSN, and ICQ (IDs all in my profile if anyone wants `em...), and I prefer MSN for one simple reason: When I switch between MSN and Trillian and from computer to computer, I keep my buddies... ICQ and AIM do NOT have server based buddy lists, MSN and YIM both do. So basically, MSN and YIM are the same whereever you go; but AIM and ICQ you have to re-add your buddies on every terminal you end up on, and everytime you uninstall/reinstall the program; or switch to/from Trillian (or anything similar). </font>

[ 07-14-2002, 05:29 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

Just get Trillian and you can use them all.

Using that one as well... Don't have many AIM names on my list, though. Most people prefer ICQ and MSN. ;)

<font color="lightblue">Yes, they`re insecure as is any program which initiates an IP-IP connection, which every chat client needs do.
So, basically NONE is perfectly secure; AIM no more than MSN.

I have AIM, YIM, MSN, and ICQ (IDs all in my profile if anyone wants `em...), and I prefer MSN for one simple reason: When I switch between MSN and Trillian and from computer to computer, I keep my buddies... ICQ and AIM do NOT have server based buddy lists, MSN and YIM both do. So basically, MSN and YIM are the same whereever you go; but AIM and ICQ you have to re-add your buddies on every terminal you end up on, and everytime you uninstall/reinstall the program; or switch to/from Trillian (or anything similar). </font></font>[/QUOTE]That's not entirely true about AOL anymore. When AOL 7.0 came out, they enabled customers to save their buddy list on the main server. Whenever I go from one computer to another now, I have my buddy lists already set up. This is also true for AOL 8.0. They have added a few new features that are looking pretty decent. In AIM, it will tell you when the other person is typing now (so you can get an idea if they are locked up or something). There are themes (skins) that look kinda cool. Still just trying it out, but I think it will go over pretty good.

I have AIM because I have AOL.

What kinda cpu do you have Lady B "cyrix"? Strange but i think you have AMD or Pentium then that should not be any prob as i can see it! :D
Do you get any "error" message or something when you trie MSN?

I have/had AOL, but didn't like it much, so downloaded AIM. It works much better by itself. You can use the external AIM program to help keep AOL online too (for those people that keep getting kicked off due to inactivity). MSN is pretty good, but I hate that they have that built into XP, making you online all the time. Haven't tried Yahoo. I do have ICQ, but don't know anyone on there, so don't use it that much. AIM works best for me. I used to use POWWOW when that was running, but it's been dead for several years now.