Tech4dummies

Pigdin is a multi-platform, multi-protocol, light weight, very fast Instant messaging application.Pigdin is formerly named as gaim.Pigdin has variants that work on linux, windows, Bsd, unix and solaris.Pigdin is a freeware application available under GNU Public license.pidgin suports the following protocols

AIM (AOL instant messenger)
Bonjour
Gadu-Gadu
Google Talk
Groupwise
ICQ
IRC
MSN
QQ
SILC
SIMPLE
Sametime
XMPP
Yahoo!
Zephyr

Pidgin almost covers the entire set of popular protocols which are presently used for instant messaging. Once you install pidgin you dont need seperate softwares for each protocol.The same gaim software can be used to connect to yahoo, AOL, GOOGLE , MSN, lotus notes sametime, and ICQ simultaneously. (i.e) you can connect to yahoo and as well as keep on messaging on google and join a channel in IRC.

The most important attribute of pidgin it is freely available open source software and is extendable. if You are computer geek and a programming expert ,you too can change the software the way you want.Pidgin is also available in the form of binaries(executables)

Compelling features of pidgin are

1. Very light weight tool and can be downloaded easily
2. Available in open source under GNU license.
3. Supports almost all the popular protocols
4. Good performance during loading and operating.
5. Very simple and elegant interface
6. Lot of Plug-ins and extensions are available today.
7. Theme support available , hundreds of themes are available today .
8. Can produce alerts and Play sounds when a buddy goes offline or online.
9. Lot of emoticons are supported (Emotional icons )
10. Tabbed message windows for conversation management
11. SPell checking facility in IM WINDOW.
12. Grouping buddies into a single contact.

Negatives of Pidgin are

Pidgin has used reverse engineering techniques to almost uncover all the protocols.So it is facing a lot of criticism from the most popular IM companies.For this reason the product has to change its name for almost two times. In future it may have to desupport some of the protocols to stop the criticism. Another negative of the pidgin is it stores the passwords in a simple text file in your system.

I have been using pidgin for a long time. It is stable , light weight, very fast , multi protocol IM . Dont believe my words try it out to see the difference from your eyes.