Live-On-Line meetings will take place in a variety of venues. Below are notes that may be helpful in determining what software works for the venue.
Notes on Multichat Clients
Multichat clients allow the use of multiple chat networks, sometimes at the same time, but generally have poor support for starting chatrooms, joining chatrooms, voice or video. Sometimes the company running the chat network changes things and the mutlichat client will break, temporarily unable to access the chat network, and needs to be upgraded to comply with the new chat network protocols.
(please put name of program, which networks it can interface with, what platforms it's available on, and a URL for more information. Please note if it is unable to start chats, or accept chat invitations).
- Trillian (runs AIM, ICQ, IRC, MSN and YIM)
- Miranda-IM (runs AIM, ICQ, IRC, MSN and Jabber)
- Fire for Mac OS X (runs AIM, ICQ, irc, MSN, Yahoo and Jabber)
AIM Chats
AOL's AIM is probably one of the more popular instant messenging venues, and most people probably have the ability to join AIM chats, so expect that this will be one of the more popular types of chat. Note that there are many AIM clone clients that allow you to participate in the AIM network, but some may not be compatible with chatrooms. Test your software before the scheduled online meeting, to be sure you can join chatrooms. Presenters should test their AIM-clone clients to be sure they make chatrooms that are compatible with users under various AIM clients, but at least they must be compatible with the official AIM client. The official AIM client now supports video and voice chat.
AIM clones
- iChat for Mac OS X - seems to be nearly 100% compatible with AOL's AIM, mostly because AOL has helped Apple work on this client. Comes bundled with most OS X platform software. Latest versions support AIM voice and video chat.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR AOL USERS: if you are on AOL, you may very well *need to download the AIM program* to participate in the chat. Download the program, turn the AIM feature in your AOL program off, and run the AIM program as a separate program on your computer using your normal AOL login information to use the same screen name, and you will have the ability to chat in big groups with all us non-aol yokels :) And, unlike AOL chats, tons of people wont get your email address and send you spam! :)
