Trillian (chat client)
Trillian is an instant messenging application for Windows that can connect to AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC and Jabber networks (the latter with Trillian Pro which allows for plug-ins).
It was created by Cerulean Studios, and originally available only as freeware, until on September 10, 2002, the first commercial version was released (Trillian Pro 1.0). Trillian's creators have promised to continue to support and maintain a free version of Trillian. However, Trillian remains a closed-source application.
The program was named after Trillian, a fictional character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
Plug-ins
Trillian is a closed source application, but the Pro version can be extended by plug-ins. Plug-ins by Cerulean Studios itself include a spelling checker, weather updater, e-mail checker, winamp song title scroller, stock exchange monitor, and RSS feedreader, as well as a plug-in for the Jabber network. Others have developed various plug-ins, such as a games plug-in which can be used to play chess and checkers, a protocol plug-in to send NetBIOS messages through Trillian, or an automatic translator for many European languages to and from English.
Plug-ins are available for free and are hosted at the main Trillian website, but will only work with the Pro version of Trillian.
Other multiprotocol clients
Examples of other multi-protocol instant messaging clients for Windows include Miranda IM (open source) and Jabber compatible clients (Which use a program called a transport on the server side). For Linux and other Unix-like operating systems they include Kopete (KDE). The Milkbone and Gaim clients works on both Windows and Unix-like operating systems.
Like Trillian both Gaim and Miranda IM support feature extensions via plug-ins. Miranda IM plugins, like Miranda IM itself, are free.
History
July 1, 2000
First Release, 0.50/0.51 of Trillian with IRC support.
August 11, 2000
The next version of Trillian (0.52/0.521) released with many more irc specific features.
November 29, 2000
Instant messaging arrives with AIM, ICQ and MSN in version 0.60. Many other features are also added.
December 23, 2000
Version 0.61 released. Includes Yahoo support.
January 28, 2001
Version 0.62 released.
March 23, 2001
Version 0.63 released.
June 04, 2001
Version 0.635 released.
June 20, 2001
Version 0.6351 released.
December 05, 2001
Version 0.70 released. File transfers have arrived!
December 18, 2001
Version 0.71 released. First major IM client to include Encrypted IM.
January 29-February 20, 2002
Version 0.72,0.721,0.722,0.723,0.724 and 0.725 released. Fixed some AIM Connection issues.
June 7, 2002
Version 0.73 released.
September 10, 2002
Version 0.74 released.
Trillian Pro version 1.0 released.
September 9, 2003
Trillian Pro version 2.0 released.
See also
External link
- Trillian's homepage (http://www.trillian.cc/)
- Cerulean Studio's homepage (http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/)
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