Jooce: Another Web Desktop
I'm not quite sure what to make of Jooce. It calls itself a web desktop that provides storage, IM consolidation, and email (though I don't see any email features). I'd really like to see more applications in the desktop or even something like a Zoho Office tie in before it calls itself a desktop. The one feature I do like is its AIM IM compatibility. Although AIM on a Mac seems relatively benign, AIM on Windows is (or was the last time I tried it) extremely intrusive (it installs all kinds of stuff aside from AIM) and difficult to manage. So, I never install AIM on a Windows PC anymore. Jooce lets me use AIM on a Windows desktop easily without installing any software. If for nothing else, I will probably keep my Jooce account active to be able to use AIM safely on a Windows box.
Hey Todd, Bryce here from
Hey Todd,
Bryce here from jooce.com. We're pleased you stumbled across jooce.
The version of jooce currently online is a very early beta version. Our programmers are working feverishly as we speak to create a new, more fully-rounded version -- due to be released in the coming weeks - and packed with more features.
We're talking tip of the iceberg - and hope you'll stick around to see what's lurking beneath the surface.
visit myjooce.com Forum for
visit myjooce.com
Forum for Joocers! (Jooce users)
Besides pidgin, another
Besides pidgin, another great and free product, I like gaim, multi-protocol instant messaging client compatible with AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), Yahoo, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, Jabber and Zephyr networks. Gaim users can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously.
What pidgin and gaim ? As far
What pidgin and gaim ? As far as I know gaim is dead and replaced by pidgin. It's a good free software though, but has its problems. Usually I prefer Trillian.
Forget Pidgin, AOL has its
Forget Pidgin, AOL has its own service for Web IM. Check it out at http://aimexpress.aim.com/. No one should use a web desktop just for a little IM service. That's silly.
BTW, if you have a Google account and use gChat already, they just added a feature a couple weeks ago that allows you to sign into your AIM account and chat from there. All your AIM buddies appear right in your Google Chat contact list. Easy as pie.
There's always Portable
There's always Portable Pidgin. Pidgin is a decent IM client (Adium on the Mac shares quite a bit of backend code if I remember correctly). You can install it on Windows to get AIM without the AOL ickyness.
If you can't install apps, you can even use the portable version (either extracted on the desktop or a USB sick)
http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/pidgin_portable