All-in-One Instant Messengers

Do you like instant messaging? Well you've got options. AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, ICQ, and countless others. If you've got more than one account, you'll need to run one program for each account, slowing your computer way down.

Or do you?

Turns out there are several programs available for download that combine all these accounts into one program, handling most if not all of their cool features.

Windows
Trillian
Supports: AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo! and IRC.
Good: Handles all the most popular services, provides encrypted chat sessions, customizable by cool skins, plug-in options for cool extra features
Bad: Only for Windows, doesn't handle the more obscure services natively, direct connect sessions are shaky
Cost: Trillium Basic is free, Trillium Pro is $25. Basic is limited by certain features offered.

Mac OS X
Adium
Supports: AIM, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, LiveJournal, Lotus Sametime, .Mac, MSN, Novell GroupWise, QQ, Yahoo!, Zephyr
Good: Handles nearly every service you can imagine, provides encrypted chat sessions, colorful and intuitive, tabbed chatting in one window
Bad: Only for Mac OS X, direct connections are shaky
Cost: Totally free

Windows/Mac OS X/Linux
Gaim
Supports: AIM, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Jabber, ICQ, IRC, MSN, Novell GroupWise, OpenNap, Silc, Yahoo!, Zephyr
Good: Works on every OS, supports plenty of services
Bad: Not entirely native to Windows, encryption only available through additional program (OTR), direct connections shakiest with this one

One service has yet to be supported, but deserves honorable mention, is Skype. This service allows you to video chat and make phone calls anywhere in the world for free. Its as great as it sounds, as easy as it gets and it's free. Plus Lech Wałęsa has an account. Don't let Lech show you up.