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WiscChat - Client Comparison

This document provides a listing of all the chat clients which have configuration instructions for connecting to your WiscChat account.

Important: While some of these clients offer advanced features (file transfer, whiteboard, voice over ip, etc), those features will only work when you are communicating with a user who is also using the same client as you.

The service teams recommend:

Client	Windows	OSX	Linux	Configuration	Program Info	Download	Add'l Info
Psi				Win | Mac	about	download	info
Coccinella				config	about	download	info
Pidgin				config	about	download	info
Adium				config	about	download	info
iChat (v4.x)				config	about	included with Mac OS X	info
Gajim				config	about	download	info

= recommended (all updates to service are tested)
= known to work
= probably works (buggy)
= not available

Note: Assume latest version.

Configuration Settings and Additional Information

Psi

• supports most features, including group chat administration
• supports all administrative features
• easy and robust groupchat administration
• chat histories can be viewed in Psi and are saved as plain text (can be viewed with a text editor/browser)
• supports vCard and conference room search functions

Coccinella

• innovative collaborative tools (whiteboard, voip, text2speech)
• supports all administrative features
• only one XMPP account enabled at one time
• custom status message in conference rooms
• incoming chats causes spotlight to open (mac)
• chat histories can be viewed in Coccinella or exported as plain text (can be viewed with a text editor/browser)
• supports vCard and conference room search functions

Pidgin

• supports non-XMPP networks
• limited conference room administration support
• no administrative features
• chat histories can be viewed in Pidgin and are saved as html (can be viewed with a browser)
• supports conference room search functions
• no vCard search functions
Protocol: XMPP
Screen name: netid or account_name
Domain: wisc.edu or domain.wisc.edu


Installation: Windows
Configuration: Windows & Linux

Adium

• supports non-XMPP networks
• limited conferencing features
• no administration features
• no vCard directory searching
• cannot update personal vCard (directory information)
• chat histories can only be viewed in Adium and cannot be exported

iChat v4.x and above

• chat histories can only be viewed in iChat and cannot be exported

Gajim

• intuitive, nice looking interface
• supports most administrative features
• supports conference rooms well
• Windows version does not have vCard capibility
• chat histories can only be viewed in Gajim and cannot be exported
• supports conference room search functions
• no vCard search functions