Package pidgin-2.10.7-1

Pidgin is a chat program which lets you log in to accounts on multiple chat networks simultaneously. Pidgin is a portable, multi-protocol instant messenger client descended from the former gaim project. Pidgin is compatible with the following chat networks out of the box: AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, Jabber/XMPP, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, Novell GroupWise Messenger, QQ, Lotus Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE, MXit, MySpaceIM, and Zephyr. It can support many more with plugins. Pidgin can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AIM, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time. Pidgin supports many features of the various networks, such as file transfer, away messages, and typing notification. It also goes beyond that and provides many unique features. A few popular features are Buddy Pounces, which give the ability to notify you, send a message, play a sound, or run a program when a specific buddy goes away, signs online, or returns from idle; and plugins, consisting of text replacement, a buddy ticker, extended message notification, iconify on away, spell checking, tabbed conversations, and more. [from http://pidgin.im/about/]

'pidgin' launches the GUI client, 'finch' launches the text-console client. finch may not receive all keyboard commands if your window manager (X11, Aqua, ...) intercepts certain control sequences or key modifiers. Might need run-time variable DISPLAY localhost:0 for pidgin for 10.4. Sound: for 10.4, I recommend installing 'sndplay' and setting the preferences to play sounds with Command 'sndplay'. For 10.5, 10.6 and beyond, I recommend using the built-in command-line sound player, 'afplay'.