Trillian Instant Messaging client bringing ad hoc chat to Windows?

Created by Cyprien P. Lomas (The University of Queensland) on November 16, 2004

Students using laptop computers are becoming more common in our
networked classrooms. I carry my Mac laptop with me all the time,
using it to take notes and check references in conference
presentations. I confess that there are times when I am Instant
Messaging through 'iChat'.

While iChat allows me to connect to my buddies back home, perhaps its more powerful feature is its use of Rendezvous to browse the local subnet. Using Rendezvous, I can find and message every other iChat user in the room -even
if I don't know their 'handle'! This feature has proven to be a
great way to identify, meet and ultimately collaborate with othersin
the same classroom.

The biggest shortcoming to date has
been the lack of cross platform support. iChat users can find
other iChat users but lack of a Windows client effectively limited the
pool to Mac users (not a bad lot though :-)).

Windows
users may not have to wait too much longer. I was on iChat today
and was 'buzzed' by a PC user curious about where I had come
from. It turns out the PC user was using Trillian 3 Pro (beta)
and found me on the local subnet. A quick search confirms that Trillian 3 Pro supports chat over Rendezvous!

Given its value in creating ad-hoc connections, this is one of the best discoveries I have made in a while! I can hardly wait for collaboration possibilities!

Teaching and Learning

Cyprien's blog
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		Trillian Instant Messaging client bringing ad hoc chat to Windows? Created by Cyprien P. Lomas (The University of Queensland) on November 16, 2004 Students using laptop computers are becoming more common in our networked classrooms. I carry my Mac laptop with me all the time, using it to take notes and check references in conference presentations. I confess that there are times when I am Instant Messaging through 'iChat'. While iChat allows me to connect to my buddies back home, perhaps its more powerful feature is its use of Rendezvous to browse the local subnet. Using Rendezvous, I can find and message every other iChat user in the room -even if I don't know their 'handle'! This feature has proven to be a great way to identify, meet and ultimately collaborate with othersin the same classroom. The biggest shortcoming to date has been the lack of cross platform support. iChat users can find other iChat users but lack of a Windows client effectively limited the pool to Mac users (not a bad lot though :-)). Windows users may not have to wait too much longer. I was on iChat today and was 'buzzed' by a PC user curious about where I had come from. It turns out the PC user was using Trillian 3 Pro (beta) and found me on the local subnet. A quick search confirms that Trillian 3 Pro supports chat over Rendezvous! Given its value in creating ad-hoc connections, this is one of the best discoveries I have made in a while! I can hardly wait for collaboration possibilities! Teaching and Learning Cyprien's blog Login or register to post comments 10735 reads
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