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Why iChat Sucks

Sorry to be a wet blanket on this one, but iChat sucks as an IM client. It’s good at video conferencing, but lousy as a day-to-day IM client for two simple reasons:
1. The stupid “Accept” button. Why-oh-why do I have to click on an “Accept” button every time someone IMs me? I could see maybe having a preference for this, or even requiring it for people not on my buddly list as a security precaution, but making me click on it every time? To make matters worse, when someone IMs me in iChat it opens a small window, which I have to click on, then I have to click the “Accept” button. Insanity I tell you.
2. The lack of tabs. When you IM a lot and have several simultanous conversations going at once iChat can quickly clutter up your desktop reminiscent of the days of the old AOL pop-ups (remember them?) or when you accidentally (ahem) click on a porn link. Other chat clients (like Adium) intelligently tab all your chat conversations in one window and inform you about each chat with icon changes.
I have pretty much switched to Adium full time because of these two most annoying issues in iChat although I still switch back to iChat for video conferencing and file transfers (which seems to break in Adium). What’s your chat client of choice these days? Please sound off in the comments below then IM me at PowerPage02.


Sorry to be a wet blanket on this one, but iChat sucks as an IM client. It’s good at video conferencing, but lousy as a day-to-day IM client for two simple reasons:
1. The stupid “Accept” button. Why-oh-why do I have to click on an “Accept” button every time someone IMs me? I could see maybe having a preference for this, or even requiring it for people not on my buddly list as a security precaution, but making me click on it every time? To make matters worse, when someone IMs me in iChat it opens a small window, which I have to click on, then I have to click the “Accept” button. Insanity I tell you.
2. The lack of tabs. When you IM a lot and have several simultanous conversations going at once iChat can quickly clutter up your desktop reminiscent of the days of the old AOL pop-ups (remember them?) or when you accidentally (ahem) click on a porn link. Other chat clients (like Adium) intelligently tab all your chat conversations in one window and inform you about each chat with icon changes.
I have pretty much switched to Adium full time because of these two most annoying issues in iChat although I still switch back to iChat for video conferencing and file transfers (which seems to break in Adium). What’s your chat client of choice these days? Please sound off in the comments below then IM me at PowerPage02.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.

2 replies on “Why iChat Sucks”

With jabber support iChat can access all the same networks that Adium and Proteus give you access to. I used to use Proteus to get that kind of access before iChat3 came along.
iChat also offers voice chatting, which is great. I use it as an intercom system in my home with my kids two floors away. I agree that the ACCEPT button is a pain. Not super intuitive, oddly enough. Took my Mum months to get that she had to click on it before chatting with me. lol
Tabbed conversations would be great. Voice chat support between iChat2 and iChat3 would be nice (C’mon, Apple). Voice chat support between AIM users and iChat users would be nice to have, too.
I LOVE Address Book integration. “New Chat with Person..” in the menu lets me talk to anybody not in my address book when the need arises.
My big complaint is that iChat menu status doesn’t automatically log me in when I boot up. You have to run the client which slows down boot up.

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