Using ichat for msn, twitter, irc, icq etc – iChat can use jabber (xmpp). xmpp can use ‘transports’ to let you connect to other networks, like MSN, icq, irc, twitter, etc.

Using ichat for msn, twitter, irc, icq etc

This tutorial will show you how to get all your chat services in iChat.

• download PSI from here (you need it to set up your xmpp transports)
• install it and open it up. it will ask if you want to login, just cancel that
• goto General -> account setup
• hit ‘add’
• in the name field, add a name (a username that you want to register)
• hit ‘register new account’
• in ‘server’ put jabber.hot-chilli.net
• hit save – it will open a box for you to put in a username and password
• hit save – it fill out some details for you.
• take a note of the username it gives you
• right-click the account in the main psi window, and go to status-> online.
• it will ask you for some details, fill in what you like and hit save.
• goto preferences -> events and tick ‘auto auth contacts’ [if you don’t it will hurt later on]
• right-click on the account again and go to service discovery.
• goto msn service, add your auth details.
• psi will open a window telling you that the msn transport wants to modify your list [the users you see] auth it by clicking the auth button.
• you should now see all your msn contacts.
• repeat this for all the services you want.
• twitter is a good one too – you have to auth the app to twitter, but then all the tweets appear in your chat list =)

You now have all your chat services setup on the xmpp gateway.

Now to get all this into iChat.

• open iChat
• goto preferences -> accounts
• hit the + button in the bottom left
• account type: jabber
• account name: the name you took a note of earlier [username@jabber.hot-chilli.net]
• password: your password

login.

You should now not get a flurry of ‘someone wants to add you as a buddy’ which would be painful. If you get them then its cos you didn’t tick the ‘auto auth contacts’ earlier on.