Trillian IM ClientCerulean Studios "Moore's Law" states that computer processor speeds will continue doubling every eighteen months. Intel and AMD have for the most part been able to keep that statement true for the better part of two decades, but at the same time they keep introducing faster and faster processors, Microsoft introduces slower and slower memory-eating operating systems. Making things worse, many Windows users have to run three or four separate instant messaging programs in order to stay in touch with all their friends, relatives, and coworkers. Cerulean Studios' Trillian combines five different messaging services into a single client, solves that particular speed problem by cutting down on the number of programs running on top of Microsoft's kludgeware. Trillian can connect to the AIM, MSN Messenger, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, and IRC services at once using a single interface, and also has its own proprietary network that does not require a third party account like the other networks do. Trillian will let you login to each IM service with multuple accounts at the same time, something none of the other clients will do. Since everything is inside the same program there's no more memorizing seperate keyboard shortcuts for each service and the complexity of IRC is greatly reduced. The Trillian interface is also free of the advertising that has recently become all too familiar to AIM and ICQ users. And unlike the other IM programs, Trillian can be skinned using SkinXML. There are multiple skins available ranging from Microscopic to large system intensive skins like Giger. Trillian supports multiple profiles with password protection so every member of the family or everyone in an office using the same machine can keep their own settings and skins. Since Trillian keeps all its settings in a locally stored file (not in the Windows registry) it is highly portable and can be installed to a removable hard drive, Zip disk, or USB storage device and carried from machine to machine without losing any settings. Contacts lists are stored remotely on the Trillian server, a standard feature of all modern IM programs. Trillian also includes support for proxies. Corporate users can punch the firewall and still chat with their friends online. The ability to penetrate firewalls also allow for new mail notification and direct IM messaging support. Trillian's bare-bones service support does not, unfortunately, support the varying Webcam and audio conferencing/telephony features present in other clients like Yahoo! and PalTalk. Anyone wanting to go beyond purely text-based chat and standard file transfers will have to use one of the bloated "official" clients. A $25 commercial version of the program, Trillian Pro, does include plugins for adding news content and stock tickers like Yahoo! Messenger does, but that version still lacks multimedia support. PLUSES: Compatibility, portability, replaces four programs with one, reduces differences between IM networks. MINUSES: Only runs on Windows, no support for advanced features like Webcam or audio conferencing. Overall Ranking: (Four 1/2 out of Five) Download for Windows   PUBLISHER: Cerulean StudiosVERSION: .74LICENSE: Freeware WIN REQUIREMENTS: Win 9X, NT, 2K, or XP ALTERNATIVE TO: MSN Messenger OUTSIDE REVIEWS: ABC News, Download.com, IM Planet, TechTV, ZDNet ADDITIONAL INFO: Official Site Reviewed by James N. and Paul Rickard, September 2002.

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