Free Chat Programs / Instant Messengers

MSN Messenger With MSN Messenger you can chat online via text, voice or even video conversation - in real time - with your friends, family or colleagues. It's faster than e-mail, a great choice for conversations and the perfect alternative when you can't be there in person. http://messenger.msn.com/

Google Talk Google Talk enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free–anytime, anywhere in the world. http://www.google.com/talk/

Yahoo! Messenger Very similar features to the MSN Messenger such as talking to friends over the internet, sending files and even share live video from your webcam. http://messenger.yahoo.com/

Trillion A fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. It provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings. http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/

AOL Instant Messenger The internet's first chat program and it's still going strong. Chat with friends in real-time, play games, share files and photos plus many more excellent features. http://www.aim.com/

ICQ Another instant messenger program used for chatting, file sharing and much more. http://www.icq.com/

Gaim Gaim is a multi-protocol instant messaging client for Linux, BSD, MacOS X, and Windows. It is compatible with AIM and ICQ (Oscar protocol), MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, SILC, GroupWise Messenger, and Zephyr networks. http://gaim.sourceforge.net/