5 Best Instant Messengers Compared & Analyzed

On Tuesday we asked for your favorite instant messaging applications, and over 550 comments later, we’ve culled it down to the most popular five. From web-based chat to desktop clients to tools that combine IM, email, and social networking, your nominations spanned a wide range of instant messaging applications. Let’s take a closer look at the five most voted-for apps, and face them off against each other in a final showdown to crown the ultimate favorite.

Digsby (Windows)

The youngest application by far to make the Hive Five, Digsby has taken the world by storm since we first mentioned it in February. Boasting integration with all of your IM networks as well as your email and social networking (Facebook and MySpace included), Digsby is converting new users left and right with their simple but appealing formula: IM + Email + Social Networking = Digsby. Currently a Windows only app, Digsby’s developers promise that Mac and Linux versions are in the oven-and that they’re constantly squashing bugs from the still-young Windows version.

Pidgin (Windows/Linux)

Formerly known as Gaim, this cross-platform, open source IM client has a huge following on both Windows and Linux platforms, estimating over 3 million users in 2007. Much like Firefox, Pidgin is open and extensible, meaning you can add your own improved functionality and tools to Pidgin by simply installing a plug-in (like one of these 10 must-have Pidgin plug-ins.)

Meebo (Web)

By far the most popular web-based chat application, Meebo boasts support for all popular chat networks, video and voice chat, and even an iPhone interface. Meebo’s main appeal is that it works wherever you are, no matter what operating system you’re using, as long as you’ve got a web browser and an internet connection. Can’t go wrong with that.

Adium (Mac OS X)

The overwhelming favorite chat app for OS X, Adium puts Apple’s default IM application, iChat, to shame. Like Pidgin, Adium is highly customizable, extensible with plug-ins, and works across all your favorite IM networks. In fact, Adium is kind of like a brother from a different mother to Pidgin; it got its brain from Pidgin’s daddy, libpurple, but its looks straight from the dangerous maiden that is OS X.

Trillian (Windows)

Once an overwhelming favorite for cross-network instant messaging, Trillian has lost a lot of users to newer apps like Digsby or fresher ones like Pidgin. That said, the long-awaited update to Trillian, Trillian Astra, is still in alpha, and those who have tried it continue to place all of their IM trust to Trillian. In the future, Trillian is also promising a Mac release along with an iPhone version, so it may have plenty of life in it yet.

Now let’s see if we can’t crown a favorite.

5种最好的即时通讯工具性能大PK

     周二我们提出问题，调查你最喜欢的即时通讯工具是什么，随后我们得到了超过550条评论，我们按顺序排列出其中最受欢迎的5种。从基于网页的聊天室到桌面上的客户端,再到那些结合即时通讯工具、电子邮件和社交网络于一身的工具，大家给出的提名覆盖范围极广。让我们仔细研究一下得票最多的五种即时通讯工具，让他们在这个起底大摊牌中来一场PK，优中选优，从而能够为最终的唯一优胜者加冕“最受欢迎”的称号。

Digsby（适用于windows界面）

     作为迄今为止在这五个候选工具中最新出现的一种，Digsby从它今年二月第一次被我们提到时起就开始给这个世界带来一场风暴。它的过人之处在于电子邮件、社交网络（包括Facebook和MySpace）以及全部即时通讯工具的整合设计，Digsby正在用他的简单却引人入胜的公式转变新用户的左右，这个公式即：即时通讯＋电子邮件＋社交网络＝Digsby。目前只有基于Windows界面的一款，不过Digsby的开发者承诺Mac和Linux版本也正在开发之中，而且他们也正在不断从尚显稚嫩的Windows版本里纠错，不断进行完善。

Pidgin (适用于Windows/Linux界面)

     前身是Gaim，这款跨平台，开放源代码的即时通讯工具拥有来自Windows和Linux两个平台的追随者，估计2007年用户已经超过3百万。就像“火狐”浏览器一样，Pidgin的公开性和可扩展性意味着你可以通过安装简单的外挂程式（比如10个必须拥有的Pidgin之一），来添加你自己的改良工具和功能。

Meebo (网站)

     迄今为止最受欢迎的基于页面的聊天工具，米博网站的过人之处在于它支持所有的聊天网络、视频和音频聊天，甚至还有跟iPhone的接口。米博网的最诱人的特点是无论你身在何处，，不论你使用何种操作系统，只要你有一个网页浏览器和一个网络接口就可以聊天了，绝对没错!

Adium (适用于Mac OS X)

     作为适用于OS X的聊天程序，Adium以其压倒性地受欢迎程度另苹果电脑默认的即时聊天工具iChat等汗颜。就像Pidgin一样，Adium具有高定制性和可扩展性，可以加装外挂程序，而且可以满足任何即时聊天程序。事实上，Adium就像是Pidgin同父异母的兄弟：它从Pidgin的父亲Libpurple处得到了它的头脑，但它看起来更随它的母亲，那个危险的少女：OS X

Trillian (适用于Windows界面)

    作为一款曾风靡一时的跨网络即时聊天工具，Trillian已经向新出现的Digsby和感觉焕然一新的Pidgin等工具流失了大量的用户。据说，用户翘首以盼的升级版本Trillian Astra的开发仍然处于起始阶段，而且那些曾经尝试过升级版本的人，仍然把他们的全部信任都寄托在旧版上。从远景来看，Trillian也承诺发行Mac版和iPhone版，因此也许他还有足够的生命力。

现在，让我们看看我们是否能够挑选出一个你最喜欢的即时通讯呢？