Using ichat for msn, twitter, irc, icq etc

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.

Update: there is a way to do this now without having to resort to using a jabber service.
You can download a plugin that will enable msn on your iChat / imessages

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.

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