Gaim and Kopete are the default IM clients in respectively Gnome and KDE. They are called multi-messengers or multi-protocol clients since they support all major IM protocols in one single app. Using them, you can have your MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Jabber and Gadu-Gadu friends all in one program!

The main reason for using multi-protocol clients is convenience. It’s easier to learn and manage one app than a couple of them. The only case where you should consider using a native client of a specific network is where you want to use the extra features like voice chat, image exchange and other alike. Multi-messengers are fine for simple chatting, but they also support for extra features of chosen protocols.

Both programs are available in most of the known distros, usually being the default IM clients of choice. They are both very user-friendly and powerful at the same time. Here are some more specific features of both apps.

Kopete

Kopete is a regular component of the K Desktop pEnvironment (KDE). It offers support for all common IM protocols. It has a powerful plugins system. We can use plugins to get extra functionality. Here are some of the most popular and unusual plugins:

Rys 1. Kopete works great in KDE

• Skype plugin – allows to use Skype from Kopete, just like another protocol
• Automatic substitution – substitutes the given phrases to other ones
• What am I listening to – informs friends about the currently played track
• History – history of the chats
• Netmeeting.
• Status on WWW – send the info about current user status to the selected server using HTML or XML
• Connection status – changes the status basing on the connection
• Encrypting – add an encryption layer to the program allowing to encrypt the messages
• Translator – enables tranlating words to different languages.

Kopete - as many other KDE apps – concentrates on the looks and functionality. It offers a nice first-run wizard as well as many advanced options including keybindings, skins (to make Kopete look like XChat or Gaim) and layout management (add/remove the buttons on the program window)

Links:

• Official Kopete website
• Can Kopete replace GAIM and XChat? – article from Newsforge (March 2004)
• How to Register a Jbber account in Kopete?

Gaim

Rys 2. Gaim prefers Gnome

Gaim is a multi-platform instant messenging client which as well as Kopete supports all the major IM networks. Gaim is part of the Gnome desktop and is the default messenger client in many distros like Ubuntu and Fedora Core. Gaim os one of the older projects but it is actively and intentively developed. The program is very stable and functional, but it still lacks a few features available in Kopete or Jabber clients like Tkabber.

Gaim aims at providing the best support for most of the popular protocols. It supports features like sending files to friends using MSN or ICQ networks. Still, if you need superior MSN support, ICQ or Jabber support, use native clients like aMSN, CenterICQ or Gajim instead.

Links:

• Official Gaim project website
• GAim review from PCMech.com (October 2004)