Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

At this point would people recommend installing Pidgin or RTCOMM for general chat connectivity with different networks? From what I've read it seems that RTCOMM has better integration with the N8x0 and uses the same underlying library as Pidgin, but it also has a few more installation and operation quirks at the moment. I don't want to screw up any of my existing software just to be able to chat with someone on MSN or Yahoo.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

RTComm all the way. I've had it installed since the upgrade (beta 2) was released and haven't had any problems at all with either it connectivity, or any other tablet software; the integration is awesome and completly changed the way I use both the tablet and IM. (hated having to run pidgin, leave it sitting open in the background always taking space on the limited "task bar", etc....

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

well , with rtcomm you cant have yourself as "invisible" and you lose some functionality that pidgin provides... i would love for rtcomm to have all the abilities of pidgin , cause i would prefer to use it if i could use all the functions i do in pidgin

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I've been debating this myself, but I went with Pidgin as I use it on my other computers. I haven't tried RTCOMM yet, does the built in chat client let you merge contacts with multiple handles into the same one as Pidgin does? That's really my favorite feature.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

rtcomm is way better than Pidgin.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Actually there is an "Invisible" status option in RTCOMM right now, but it doesn't seem to really be an invisble mode. Instead it marks services like ICQ, MSN, etc to a DND status. Are others seeing this??

I prefer to use the new RTCOM, it really integrates nice for how I use IM. I just wish a couple bugs would get some attention. Namely:

https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2950

But it doesn't seem that other ICQ users are noticing this?

Invisible mode working well would be nice also, I'm not sure why it just switches things to DND.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Pidgin is way better than rtcomm.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Since you seem to need MSN and Yahoo connectivity, you are best to find out if RTComm has those protocols yet. I am not sure since I have never had a need for them but you might have to end up using a complex cludge through Gizmo's XXMP-MSN gateway or some other protocol gateway.

I like RTComm a lot. It seems quite reliable and integrates well into the tablet interface. It does what *I* need but might not for you easily.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Did I do something wrong when I tried RTCOMM? I went back to Pidgin because in RTCOMM, any time I typed an apostrophe, it would come out on the other end as "%apos" (or something like that) and totally confused the person I was IMing.

On the other hand, I love Pidgin ... and once I get a keyboard, I'll love it even more.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Hmmm, clear as mud so far, but thanks for the comments.:confused:

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Heh... you'd be fine with RTCOMM for chatting with MSN and Yahoo friends. (Unless you're a fan of invisible mode).

Pidgin allows for some more powerful options but it isn't really as integrated with os2008 as RTCOMM is. I have both installed but only find myself using the built in contacts/chat/internet call/etc any more.

So I'd say install them both and see what wins over time...

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Pidgin is big and bloaty and not very well integrated. Why run a separate application when you have one built-in that doesn't take up valuable task-bar space all the time?

rtcomm is bundled with OS2008.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I use both. I use pidgin for signing in invisibly and seeing if it is worth having msn open, sending and recieving files and mmultti line input.

I use rtcomm for normal chatting as it is fast.. ii wish amsn was fast.

@general

To be fair, they both have an applet. And i cannot turn off my rtcomm one without an account disable.
Pidgin's one is quite useless imo.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Yes, it does.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I switched to RTCOMM for some time but I have now switched back to pidgin. There are two features on pidgin that are missing in RTCOMM and that bugged me enough to switch back. Pidgin shows me when the other person is typing, RTCOMM does not (If it does, I have not found a way to enable it). Pidgin shows a little cellphone icon next to contacts when they log in over cellphone, RTCOMM does not. I tend to use both of these features quite a bit.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I personally like rtcomm with the latest update. As others have said, it integrates well with the OS and allows you to manage a central list of contacts. I like how I am able to contact the same person via IM, email, or phone (grandcentral) in one place. No separate Pidgin contact lists to maintain or anything like that.

That's my two cents.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

*shrugs* I like Pidgin because of its plugins. The ones I do use come in handy on the n800. Like auto correct which fixes common mispellings of words and you can have it setup to do whatever text replacements you want.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I prefer RTCOMM aswell, being able to have a central place to save emails and IM's is really big plus. I also found that pidgin would take up too much memory.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

You guys are hilarious. That got me laughing.

I mainly like RTComm for the simple fact that, when I used Pidgin, I always forgot to start Pidgin after a reboot or whatever, and RTComm, since it is always running in the background, just signs into all my accounts automatically when I connect to the 'Net.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I've run both as well and Pidgin definately has more options and customisation to it but for overall ease of use RTCOMM wins hands down. I too would always forgot to start Pidgin on a start-up or reboot, and ocassionaly it would just die/quit.

I do wish we could send/receive files on RTCOMM via IM, I understand that aMSN has this option but seems abit beta/buggy still.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

RTCOMM has a completely atrocious UI with huge icons for each person, so that only a few people are shown at the screen. So, Pidgin it is, at least until Nokia sorts out the UI.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

This is a bug exclusive to the Speed Contacts applet (introduced with the first avatar support), and it hardly damn the entirety of rtcomm's UI. Besides, does Pidgin even have a desktop applet? Last time I used it it was a separate window for the contacts list, and contacts list + OK desktop applet is always better than just a contacts list. . . .

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Sweet jeebus, this thread sounds like the old word processor wars. Word, Word Perfect, or whatever, and the adherents of each were fanatic and religious (oh, that's redundant, isn't it?). There is a reason there is more than one app. Personally, I like GAIM, but I don't give a rat's @ss what anyone else uses. A life would be a beneficial acquisition.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

No, no, I mean the RTCOMM's own UI. It does not make a good use of the screen estate by using huge icons and fonts, and does not memorize the group of people you have been viewing the last time, always starting with "All". With this kind of UI, you will always want to watch the "Online" group, but it does not get memorized :(

Anyway, I think RTCOMM authors better look at QIP (S60, WinMobile) or a similar IM program to see how things can be laid out on a small screen.

It does not, but so does RTCOMM, effectively: it does not let me add more than 2 (TWO!) contacts to damn desktop applet.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

RTCOMM drained my battery like crazy.. mabe it's better now ( i installed it when it first was available). Pidgin actually integrates very well in my opinion: You only have a tray icon (just like rtcomm) and there is even a plug in that allows to use the led to indicate new messages...

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Uh, not here. . . .

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

i can't find rtcomm. is there another name fot it?

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Would you care to post a screenshot then? Maybe I have overlooked some setting?

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Have you tried View -> List instead of View -> Pictures in the Contacts app?

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Google "rtcomm maemo" for more info.

It is the IM/VOIP app built into OS2008 (comes with the n810 and is a free upgrade for the n800) ... there is nothing new to install unless you want to play with newer test versions.

It *was* available for OS2007 as a beta version but now that they have put out a new beta version for OS2008, they don't seem to provide a link to the old version.

In any case, if you haven't already, OS2008 is worth the upgrade and it will be there automagically when you are done. Just remember the backup your settings first.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Hmmm ... if I picked the Online list last in "View Contacts", it seems to remember it for me. If not for you, then you can always sort your "All" list by "presence, first name" and have effectively the same thing.

In speed contacts. the number you can pick depends on the size you the window you give it. Resizing the window so that it takes up the entire top to bottom real estate allows 5 contacts. Admittedly not that many but significantly more than 2.

It sure would be nice if you could have it live update to show only online contacts ... I'll have to submit an RFE bug if there isn't one already.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

I don't think you can use all protocals (MSN, AIM, Yahoo) though unless you enter red pill and install the beta rtcomm update though.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Thanks! This helped! =) The Chat app still looks the same though: there is no such option in it.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Looks like I have been using Chat app rather than Contacts. The Contacts app is actually a bit better: it allows only showing the names. No idea why there are TWO IM apps in RTCOMM though. Neither of them comes up when you click on the status bar presence icon: this is what Pidgin does and it is very intuitive.

No, 5 isn't significantly more than 2 by any measure :)

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

2/5 * 100 = 250%

You should probably work on figuring out how things work before you spew your vitriol around. :)

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

i tried the RTCOM beta again (after trying it out when it was initially released) and i switched back to pidgin the same evening.

-five contacts on the desktop app are nowhere near enough for me. im hoping in the future you can have smaller contacts and fit ten to fifteen in the space that five take up now.
-when you select a contact it brings up a hideous screen to select between chat, email, voip, etc... handy for some, not for me (and did i mention it was hideous? they could at least make it so you didnt have to scroll it downward for any reason)
-i dont know why, but its not making any noise when i receive a new message any more. it used to in the old version, likely a temp bug if there isnt something wrong with my setup (all four noise checkboxes checked, audio turned up to max when troubleshooting -no dice)
-no 'other user is typing' notification
-i wish i could get rid of the smiley icon and make my input box larger like i can in pidgin. multi-line or long sentences get very cramped in that little entry box.

for all my complaints, its a nice app. i wish pidgin had desktop integration (speed contacts, basically), but otherwise i find it far superior.
you can have them both going at the same time without any problems, give them both a shot and see which you prefer.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

General, you might consider a chill pill. Vitriol might be a little bit strong. As for the numbers, 2 and 5 are both way short of 10. It depends on how you look at it, and maybe on your religion. I would suggest less religion and more tolerance.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

It'd also be nice if the default view for chatting with a contact could be changed. It is a bit of nuisance to have to toggle that left sidebar off every time I open a chat with someone.

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

say 30 contacts

2/30 = 6.66%

5/30 = 16.66%

still a long way from even 50%

Re: Pidgin or RTCOMM?
 

Wait a minute. 2/5*100=250? What kind of math is that? Could you show your work?