Blog of a Boston-based IT Consultant

Hey there.

This has nothing to do with PM or BA or IT, really. I just stumbled on an app that is cool, open source, and useful. I like to pass these things on. I especially like competition in the land of Open Source. You get some really cool ideas when people are doing something because they are excited about it and believe in it.

Digsby is a lot like Trillian, but after one day of using it I already like it much more. Not only does it work with more IM clients, but it has skins, looks cute, seems to work very well, and you can send email directly from the IM window. This is a feature I wouldn’t have thought of but am glad that someone did. It’s surprisingly useful.

It can also alert you to POP mail arrival. That’s pretty nice. The only thing I still need to tweak is the way new IMs come across. If I have a chat window with you running and I minimize it, messages that you send me show up on the screen in a little bubble. This isn’t always great for work settings. However, I am sure I can figure out how to turn that off.

I like it better than Twitter. It’s free. Give it a shot. You will need a Beta Code. Email them for one. If they wont hook you up, I will. They call me the candyman.

Below is a pretty shallow comparison. If you click it, you will actually be able to read it. Wordpress is a bit goofy to work with sometimes. Sorry.

There are a lot more features in each application, but these are the ones that matter to me, and a few that I have included just because people will be interested.I should also point out that I have used Trillian since its inception and rarely find a bug or have an issue. I have only been using Digsby for 10 hours or so. No bugs, yet. Go ahead and shoot me a note:

• AOL: jm02130 or bigjosh1974
• Yahoo: joshua_milane
• Google: joshuamilane

And if you have a BlackBerry or iPhone, I can absolutely recommend JiveTalk. It has caused me to almost avoid 763 accidents that never should have been possible, and actually get into one (very minor) accident that is entirely JiveTalk’s fault. It is an awesome IM client for your handheld. In fact, I installed the trial and actually paid to convert. It is the only BlackBerry app I have ever purchased. Give it a shot, too! Just don’t use it when you drive. It’s dumb.

Keep in mind, I am pretty fickle. I like Digsby today, but may wind up back with Trillian if I cannot solve some of the minor annoying issues I am having with Digsby. Regardless, it is a neat application and you should give it a run.

The killer handheld app, if they could get it right, is the free VOIP client. I’m not going to name the ones that are out there, because they either stink or cost money. When there is one worth telling you about, I will, for sure.

Best Regards,

Josh

UPDATE 022808 - Digsby is especially buggy with MSN and GTalk. I have not had issues, but a lot of people have been emailing me about it. So, remember… its a beta! Trillian is far more stable. as of today. I hope the Digsby folks clean up their product, because I want to recommend it very badly. Right now, I would have to tell people to stick with Trillian if they are happy with it.

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