Written for the Linux operating system, Gaim may be the best instant messaging program around. Originally written in a college dorm room to emulate AOL's Instant Messenger, it now works not only with the IM protocols championed by Microsoft and Yahoo! but also with older, lesser-known versions like ICQ, Jabber and Zephyr. At one point, AOL sent its lawyers after the IM client, but the programmers who wrote it say Gaim's future looks bright.
Like many pieces of software available on Linux, Gaim is free and maintained not by a for-profit company but a band of programmers working in their spare time. Unlike other such open source efforts, though, Gaim works better than any of the for-profit versions. AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo! should all look to it for tips. The interface resembles AOL's Instant Messenger, but it is far smoother and more fun than any of the major IM programs.
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