setting new records for dork-ness

at one of my jobs we're not supposed to install any messenger-type applications on our computers like MSN, Yahoo, GoogleTalk, etc. at the other job they pretty much encourage it because it means less useless traffic on the email server.

so in the recommendation of one workplace, i came across a neat-o little multi-protocol messenger client called Miranda. essentially, it lets you log into anything and everything - MSN, Yahoo, ICQ (does anyone actually use that any more?), AIM, GoogleTalk and other Jabber networks, IRC... the list goes on. the really cool thing about it is that it doesn't actually require you to install it. you can download the zip file, unzip it to a folder somewhere on your desktop, USB drive or even a floppy disk for that matter and start using it right away. it's all free too, (though they will ask for a donation to help fund the project) and open source so you can download the source code and bugger it all you want.

there are literally hundreds of plugins to choose from which makes the product extremely dynamic and customizable though personally i like the streamlined, smiley-free default version. and for people who's computers run super slow - it uses barely any system resources at all. just a small fraction of running any one of those individual programs use gets occupied by Miranda IM making it perfect for people like me who have a billion things open (MS Visual Studio, MS Query Analyzer, MS Excel, Outlook... damn, does Microsoft make every memory-hog application) and can't waste the resources on crappy ad-laced IM software.

download it and play around with it. it won't even screw up your current IM applications.