Adium ➹

Adium was a multi-protocol Mac OS X [IM] client based on the core Gaim library that supported a wide range of services (from Jabber to [MSN]) and included a number of nice features, such as an infinitely themable interface, Growl integration and… a green duck.

• It understood about Fast User Switching and would reply “I have switched logged in users. Someone else may be using the computer.” to your buddies, as well as setting you away.
• Growl support.
• Address Book integration – the killer feature.

• The duck could get on your nerves. I used to use the Milk icon and theme, but since there was no easy way to automatically update the buddy state icons upon each upgrade, I eventually gave up and just started using the “Visual Notifications” scheme (which put an end to the squawking)
• Changing [MSN] status/display name can be a chore.

• AdiumBook, a tool to help you update your Address Book with Adium details ([IM] contact, contact picture, etc.)
• Quicksilver, source, forum thread. This is so mind-boggingly useful I have to wonder why it’s not easier to find.