I am a technology guy, the “TechnologyMan” afterall, but even so, I entered the IM (Instant Messaging) and SMS (mobile text messaging) worlds kicking and screaming. Yeah, you could say I resisted, and held out as long as I possibly could. Even though I LOVE all things technology, I am not typically an early adopter like many of my peers. It’s great to try these new technologies or at least learn about and understand what they are all about, but to fully embrace every new gadget and service that comes out, who has time for that?! I have enough trouble keeping up between my various email inboxes and voicemail boxes to have to add yet 2 new messaging technologies to distract me.
But recently the boss wanted everyone to get on MSN instant messaging to test how it integrates with our Microsoft Exchange and Sharepoint environments. The cool part is it integrates pretty well, provided I sign in with my work email address. But of course, the down side is that darn MSN client… full of advertising and nonsense.
But recently I was introduced to a chat program called “Pidgin”. It supports a number of online messaging services, including MSN and GMail, the two I care most about. So I can now use a single program to chat across multiple IM accounts! And best of all, NO ADS!!! And oh yeah, Pidgin is free. Check it out at http://pidgin.im/.
I have been helping others with their computer since I was a kid but professionally since 1997. Formerly employed as a network administrator for a company with 1500 employees and 40 offices nationwide, today my focus is helping small businesses and home users make better use of technology. When not exploring the internet or fiddling with my own computer, I also enjoy tennis, hiking, soccer, boating, camping, playing with my dog, and of course, spending time with my family.
