Finch is a powerful text user interface instant messaging client based on libpurple, and it comes included in the Pidgin source, the popular GNOME IM client. Finch supports various protocols, including AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo and IRC.

Finch is a text/console-based, modular instant messaging client capable of using AIM/ICQ, Yahoo!, MSN, IRC, Jabber, Napster, Zephyr, Gadu-Gadu, Bonjour, Groupwise, Sametime, SILC, and SIMPLE all at once. Terminal acts as the GUI for the finch... And you might fell in love with it only if you are comfortable with the bash terminal also...

Pidgin, the popular IM client once known as GAIM, has flown out of the coop today with a new release. Pidgin 2.4.0 is the first update in about three months, but it brings a number of features to the client as well as libpurple and Finch.

Pidgin is a multi-featured instant messaging desktop client that is very popular among Linux users. It supports a wide range of chat networks like Yahoo!, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, and IRC. You can even send and receive SMS (Text Messages) for free via Pidgin. So if it can do all these, does it support everybody's favorite micro-blogging platform Twitter?--Yes it does.

Most of the Linux users use pidgin as a universal instant messenger client. Popular distributions such as Ubuntu will install pidgin by default. CenterIM ( aka cim) is a multi protocol text mode instant messaging client similar to pidgin. Let us see how it can be installed on Ubuntu.

Pidgin (used to be Gaim) is a slick graphical IM client that let's you connect to AIM, ICQ, Jabber (Yay!), MSN, Yahoo, and even IRC, all at once! Amaze your friends as you're able to chat with anyone of your buddies, at any time, using any protocol! Features: plugins, file transfer, logging.

Pidgin, the Linux- and Windows-compatible, multi-network IM client built on libpurple, the open source library that started life as "gAIM," an AIM client for Linux users.

I do, anyway, because my IM client, Pidgin, works with almost every IM client in creation, and it makes chatting with anyone, anywhere, mindlessly simple. The newest version sports limited voice and video support as well.

Pidgin is a great GTK2-based instant messenger application that supports a bevy of protocols, including ICQ, Yahoo!, MSN, Jabber, and AIM. It's a terrific app in its own right, but when you add some of these power tools, Pidgin is even better.