Windows live messenger

[MWassef]

the new windows live messenger has an installer that downloads needed files from the internet.
does anyone knows where these files are stored? 

[Rafel]

I use Pidgin now. It's free(GNU) and not bloated like Win Live MSN, have got a lot of languages and is very nice.

[szc]

Best of all, you can chat using so many protocols it's unbelievable. You can even chat with your friends on iChat.

@ Rafel - question... is that some general Windows Visual Style you're using on your PC, or Pidgin has skinning capabilities ?

Thanks in advance for your answer!

[Rafel]

It's my Win VS. I don't know, but i think Pidgin hasn't got skinning captabilities.
You are always welcome Sasha

[bob3160]

I've gotten used to Trillian:

Trillian™ is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. It provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings.

Trillian provides unique functionality such as contact message history, a powerful skinning language, tabbed messaging, global status changes (set all networks away at once), Instant Lookup (automatic Wikipedia integration), contact alerts, an advanced automation system to trigger events based on anything happening in the client, docking, hundreds of emoticons, emotisounds, shell extensions for file transfers, and systray notifications.

[szc]

It's my Win VS. I don't know, but i think Pidgin hasn't got skinning captabilities.
You are always welcome Sasha

Thanks for your answer Rafel, I appreciate your prompt respond.

I just found out that along with Pidgin, you can install GTK +/Win32 Theme Selector. Themes are pretty simple, most of them kind of Linux looking, but it's better than nothing. The only thing is, once you start GTK theme selector and pick your theme you want to use, you will have to completely shut down the Pidgin and restart it in order to see the change.

I love this little chat program, it's simple incredible how light it is, and how effective it is... it does everything it is supposed to do, and I have to say a lot better than many of those multi-protocol clients. Above all, it is not bloatware which is the case with most of chat clients of this kind.

And all those protocols it supports, simply wonderful!

[MWassef]

but these all-in-one "free" messenger do not have audio/video conversation capability.  :'(