Pidgin is a multi-protocol instant messaging client compatible with AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), Yahoo, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, Jabber and Zephyr networks.
Pidgin users can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AOL Instant Messenger, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time.
Pidgin supports many features of the various networks, such as file transfer (coming soon), away messages, typing notification, and MSN window closing notification.
Pidgin also goes beyond that and provides many unique features.
A few popular features are Buddy Pounces, which give the ability to notify you, send a message, play a sound, or run a program when a specific buddy goes away, signs online, or returns from idle; and plugins, consisting of text replacement, a buddy ticker, extended message notification, iconify on away, and more.
Note: Pidgin downloads an appropriate version of GTK+. GTK+ is now installed locally for Pidgin, and not system-wide, thus Pidgin will not interfere with other GTK+ apps on your system.
If you would like to have GTK+ included in the installer, you can download an offline installer that bundles everything except spell-checking dictionaries.

Requirements:
· GTK

What's New in This Release:
General:
· Our bundled libgadu should now build on HP-UX.
· Fix some instances of file transfers never completing
Pidgin:
· Sort by Status no longer causes buddies to move around when you click them.
· Fix embedding in the system tray on older GTK+ releases
· No longer require libstartup-notification for startup notification support. GTK+ has included support for years, so use it instead.
AIM:
· Fix a bug where some buddies from your buddy list might not show up. Affected non-English ICQ users the most.
· Send keepalives for all types of network connections. Will hopefully make chat rooms more reliable
MSN:
· Fix bug that prevented added buddies to your buddy list in certain circumstances
XMPP:
· Fix building on platforms with an older glib (inadvertantly broken in 2.7.10). Don't treat the on-join status storms as 'new arrivals'.
· Extend the /join command to support room JIDs, enabling you to join a room on any server.
· Add support for receiving a limited amount of hi...