I used to be a fan to miranda, ironic as it may i'm hardly on any chats as it is, i was just testing out miranda and it has tons of configurable options, and seems to be more advanced but it's downfall is that it's difficult and it's rather awkward to use. i remember playing with gaim (before pidgin) and found it way too simple for my tastes, and bulky. i've just tried out the latest version of pidgin and on first load it ask for a username/protocal i chose irc, right off the bat i was connected, and checking out irc channels, again, great test run. i might just might use pidgin/chatting more often!
I agree. I was also a Miranda user but it is a night mare to configure and set up. You have to ad an addon for every little thing. After you add all the addons you need you than have this overwhelming options menu. Pidgin was much more simple to set up but still had everything I was using in Miranda. All the addons came preinstalled.
On both windows as well as linux Ive used pidgin and noticed for the first time about Miranda 2 days ago. Figured Id try the portable (relative term try). The ONLY thing that made me want to try Miranda was one of the plugins (gamer.dll *gamer status). So, without plugging or discrediting either I'll say it depends on taste... Pidgin is dirt simple. Miranda has a TON of support in terms of plugins. Maybe if you guys have some pull you could get some of those plugin guys over there to make some for pidgin, because no matter what kind of beging or b*tching we do the pidgin guys sure wont do it. LOL
Miranda is a fine product, no doubt. And I'm glad the gang here has made it available for those who prefer it. I won't be one of them for one key (to me) reason; Miranda is a Win-only app and I use both WinXP and several Linux distros on different machines, as well as my portable requirements. With Pidgin, I can copy my account and other configuration files between machines and on my USB drives. The only current limitation is when I visit my daughter since she uses a Mac! It is also a familiar UI; I don't have to remember multiple UI's. That is also why I use KDE on Linux when possible.
So, enjoy the opportunity to have choices, and thank the crew here.
It all depends on what functions you actually need and depend upon. I've used Pidgin on and off since it was Gaim, both on windows and linux platforms.
I've also used Trillian since 0.7 - even paid for a licence for Pro
Right now, the only one I use is Miranda.
Trilli has the best looks.
Pidgin is dead simple to set up
Miranda works properly.
Unfortunately, both of the other two have.... issues with handling offline messages properly. Since many of my friends are in time zones as much as 9 hours adrift from mine, I get quite a lot of offline messages sometimes. With Miranda, I can be confident that I will actually receive them, it has never yet silently dropped them, or GPFed because there was one waiting, or refusing to connect because I had a friend invite waiting. I've seen all of these problems with Trillian, and several of them with Pidgin.
I guess it all depends on which client provides the functions that you need
Would be nice if Miranda was a little simpler, and cross platform though