The idea of OrSiSo is to organize, keep track of and communicate with all your friends across all these networks. I certainly have been looking for a program which does just this.

As an instant-messaging client, OrSiSo doesn’t offer many options or frills, but does well as a chat client, especially with a combined buddy-list from all your networks. It’s worth noting that hyperlinks aren’t yet supported in the chat; I hope that this is fixed in a future release.

Pop-up alerts are per network, and are treated like pages which you can flip through if you wish. Hyperlinks work here, and updates can be paused if and when you’re busy.

Photo albums can be viewed from within the program; there’s no need to open a new browser window or tab. That’s definitely convenient.

The best and most unique features of OrSiSo are so-called the Social Craft and the Social Firewall. These settings let you organize your various “circles” of friends through drag-and-drop lists, and then customize which updates you see. In the example above, I’ve organized everyone into one of four circles, with the fourth circle reserved for persons from whom I don’t particularly care to hear from (I find myself regretting the mass-follow I did a couple months ago). You can filter received messages and updates by social circles just about anywhere in the program.

OrSiSo’s makers promise that their program will let you Organize, Simplify, and Socialize. I’ve found it easy to learn, use and is very well-rounded with features. Does it do the trick for you? Let us know in the comments.

For more cool Adobe Air applications, check out these posts:

• 8 Adobe AIR Apps that DON’T Suck
• 5 More Cool Adobe AIR Applications
• 8 Useful Adobe AIR Applications That Work In Linux
• 4 Adobe AIR ToDo List Apps For Managing Your Tasks

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• 5 Reasons Digsby’s A Must-Have IM Client (30)
• Trillian Astra – Is It the Best Instant Messaging Client Now? (16)
• Threadsy – Integrates Your Email and Social Networks (+Invites) (24)
• Stay Socially Connected Online With Yoono (18)
• Why I’m Digging Digsby (31)

Especially in a business environment, unsecured IM installations are creating backdoors for hack attacks. This threat has increased manifold because nearly all IM’s allow for exchange of files, images, songs and even peer to peer sharing of entire folders.

Spam, worms, Trojans and viruses are familiar email foes. They are no friends of instant messaging either. So how do we pick our friends from our foes? Perhaps by following what Benjamin Franklin said – Distrust and caution are the parents of security.

Also, by putting these 10 habits in place.

1. Don’t give out your identity

Every IM client asks you to create a screen name. A screen name usually refers to your email ID. Create a screen name which does not touch upon personal information or your real identity. For instance, my screen name is ‘Braniac’ and not ‘Saikat’. And NEVER provide any personal details including credit card numbers and social security number over the internet.

2. Don’t chat with people not on your contact list

Always vet your contact list with people whom you know something about. Talking with Mr. Anonymous at the other end of space may be fraught with risk. It is possible to discover your computer address (i.e. your IP) from an instant message and that usually is the first requirement for a remote hack attack.

Don’t believe everything you read and always verify any information or request for information.

3. Don’t click on spam links

This is what a spam link might look like –



This is probably what you will be bombarded with first. A link tempts you to click it just for the lark. A lot of these links take you to websites which can install spyware stealthily on your computer. For e.g. Viruses and worms with colorful names such as W32.Yalove or W32/Spybot-MQ are potential threats to Yahoo users.
Ignore them.

4. Don’t share files with your chat partner

An IM client like Yahoo allows P2P file sharing. Do not share unknown content even if the person is known. P2P files, like email attachments can carry viruses, Trojan horses, and worms. They are engineered to seed themselves to other members on your buddy list. Be especially cautious when someone sends you an .exe or a .zip file.

5. Don’t let potential hackers reach you

Yahoo has an Ignore user or Report as spam so that he can’t disturb you once again. GTalk has a Block user option. Using this option allows you to keep out the unwanted from repeatedly messaging you. The default security settings in chat software tend to be relatively lax. Thus making you open to attacks. Check the settings and preferences of your chat client to apply stricter permission controls.





6. Don’t Neglect Encryption

Most IM clients lack encryption features. That essentially means that your messages can be tracked and read by eavesdropping hackers using technologies like packet sniffers or similar ones. Passwords are also a security loophole with hardly any client using strong password encryption.

The subject of encryption and strong password protection would require another post by itself. So I hand you over to Tim’s excellent post on How To Secure & Encrypt Your Instant Messaging Chats. Here at MakeUseOf.com we have a lot of posts tagged as ‘passwords’. Why not take a look at ways to set strong passwords.

7. Don’t use an older version of IM – Update

IM client companies spend a lot of effort behind doors to prevent backdoor threats. Newer versions come with bug fixes and enhanced security. For instance, the latest version of Yahoo IM is better integrated with anti-virus solutions like Norton Internet Security and Norton Anti-Virus.

So, always update your IM client as soon as one becomes available. If the chat client does not automatically prompt for an upgrade, go to the website and check your version number with the latest available. You can note the version of your particular client by clicking on Help – About…

8. Don’t download third party plug-ins from unverified sources

A lot of third party plug-ins are available for download which enhance the chatting experience. It is safer and advisable to always download from the IM client websites themselves or from verified sources.

9. Don’t forget to log-out completely

It is an oft repeated habit to click on the [X] button and exit. But this action does not close our IM client completely. Most often, they continue to run in the system tray leaving it ‘open’ for a third person to access it. IMs also have a nasty habit of broadcasting your online presence even if left to run as a background task. Especially in public computers be mindful of logging out and exiting completely. Also, never click on any Remember My Password checkbox during log-in as an added safeguard.



For Yahoo Users: Before you get up, delete your Yahoo Messenger profile. It is located by default at C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\Profiles.

10. Don’t forget the value of a good browser, a good firewall and an even better anti-virus

Sometimes we will click a link; sometimes we will download a file. All the precautions in the world will not be able to protect us if we don’t have a secure browser, a good firewall and an anti-virus updated with the latest virus signatures. These three not only protect us from IM attacks but they are the must-haves for any system. Check out our recommendations for security programs in our article about Essential Security Downloads. Or check the MakeUseOf Polls to find out what’s more popular among MakeUseOf readers.

Chatting as against emailing is a real time activity. It is in that sense more social than any other form of web communication. The danger is that chatting can lull us into a false sense of security. Just a few fundamental forethoughts help us to turn that false sense into a more conscious sense of security.

Have you been hacked? Perhaps, you share the concern for a rigorous defense against hackers? Let us know what safety measures you personally use…

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• How To Secure & Encrypt Your Instant Messaging Chats (19)
• 8 Ways To Enhance Your Instant Messenger (11)
• Why I’m Digging Digsby (31)
• Turn Your IM Program Into A Productivity Tool Using Imified (23)
• Translation For MSN: Auto Translates Messages While Chatting (17)

Today, I’m going to put in my own plug for Digsby, an application I use every day, by showing you six things Digsby can do that will save you time, energy, and RAM space.

Digsby has come to replace my use of several other applications – no longer do I need a Gmail window, Twitter window, Facebook window, and IM window open all at the same time. Instead, I just use Digsby!

Here are five features that make Digsby the only application you’ll want to always be open, besides just being the best multi-IM client out there:

Email Checking

Got a POP or IMAP email? Of course you do. That means you can use your email with Digsby. Setting up Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo with Digsby is incredibly easy; others are a little harder, but still entirely possible.

Once you set it up (under “Digsby” and then “My Accounts”), Digsby lets you check, read, and respond to your email without ever leaving your IM window. Mark emails as read, write them, or just head over to your Inbox to check them out- all using Digsby. I used to always have a Gmail window open to make sure I never missed critical email – now all I need is Digsby.

Twitter

After spending forever looking for the perfect Twitter client, I’ll tell you this- it’s not Digsby. But what Digsby is perfect for is reading Tweets. It’s a great way to stay on top of your replies and direct messages, as well as write tweets quickly. Digsby’s not the solution for power Twitter users, but it’s a great way to stay on top of all the Tweeting you do on a daily basis.

Facebookery

Just for the record, I love the new Facebook layout. But that’s beside the point. Using Digsby, you can do just about anything you would on Facebook, from right within the Digsby interface. You’ll be alerted when you have a new message, wall post, alert or notification. One click in Digsby, and you can see all the things waiting for you on Facebook. One more, and you’re sent right to a Facebook window within the Digsby application. Update your status easily, answer your wall posts, and stay on top of your social networking, all from within Digsby.

One of Digsby’s newest features is the addition of Facebook Chat. Now, you can chat with all your online Facebook friends from within Digsby. I love the idea of Facebook Chat (being able to connect in real-time with your friends on Facebook, which I have more of than IM buddies), more than I like the execution on the Facebook site itself. Digsby does a great job of using your friends list, and integrating it into its fantastic IM client to make chatting with your Facebook friends better and easier.

Socializing

Digsby’s options for social networking go far beyond Facebook. You can use Digsby to check your LinkedIn or MySpace account, and receive notifications, send messages, and interact with your network right from within Digsby. Each account gets an icon in your Windows system tray, and one click brings up a pop-up window letting you manage your social networks just as you would in a browser.

Got a new message? Digsby tells you about it, then lets you respond to it all without leaving the Digsby interface. It’s simple to use, not a memory hog, and an awesome way to manage multiple online identities from one place.

The Little Things

My favorite thing about Digsby is that its team pays such close attention to the little things: the small features that you never noticed before, but can’t live without once you start using Digsby.

My personal favorite is the pop-up notification box: when you get an IM, a pop-up comes up. Not exactly revolutionary, but what IS awesome is that you can respond from within the popup. No switching back and forth between IM windows and other applications – just type in the popup, and it goes away once it has been idle for a few seconds.

There are tons of features like this within Digsby: mass-changing of your status and away message, easy hiding and showing of the application, and endless customization of how it looks. I spent a while getting my Digsby to look exactly how I want it to, and big props to Digsby for giving you so many options.

What’s your IM client of choice? Why?

Photo: BigBlue

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Stay Socially Connected Online With Yoono (18)
• Get Updates From All Your Social Networks With OrSiSo (4)
• Turn Your IM Program Into A Productivity Tool Using Imified (23)
• Threadsy – Integrates Your Email and Social Networks (+Invites) (24)
• Update all your Social Status Messages with Ping.fm (14)

Here are some of the top tips and tricks that you can use to get more out of Instant messaging.

Set up an Answering Machine

Need an answering machine for your IM network to automatically respond to messages when you are offline? Well you can hack out a bot and have it running, monitoring the incoming messages and replying appropriately or you can simply sign into your account and set response messages.

Answer.im allows you to do just that. You are not even required to register. Log in with the IM credentials of the account you want set up answering for, set the status that will be shown to the users and then type the autoresponse text that will be sent back to the users in case someone happens to ping you while you are offline.

Use a multiprotocol client

These days everything needs to be talking to everything else. You have plants tweeting you when they need to be watered, you can update Twitter using an number of ways, then why not have a single client for all your IM needs?

You shouldn’t be running Yahoo Messenger and GTalk separately and then switching between windows when all kinds of notifications are flashing on your screen. Try something like pidgin. It might lack the occasional feature or two (like voice calls) but it more than makes up for it with tabbed interfaces, a rich set of plugins, customizations, availability for Windows, Linux and Mac and of course the price -> “free”.

Ditch desktop clients altogether

Using a netbook? Or don’t have permissions to install your favorite IM clients? Look towards the web and you won’t be disappointed. There are plenty of choices to help you get that joke across to your buddies even if that nasty admin has all sorts of ‘permission thingys’ going on!

Check out Meebo, ebuddy or imo.im. Each has its pros and cons and David recently did an amazing article on just that.

Encrypt your chat

There are good people like you (yes, I really meant YOU) and then there are bad people. Bad people like to spy on other people, perhaps steal some personal information that can then be used for all kinds of weird stuff.

While the occasional Hi there! types of conversations are fine, there are times when you want to protect your chat and history from prying eyes. Why not encrypt and secure your chat? You can encrypt your chat using both web based clients and desktop clients.

As for encrypting the chat log, you just need to find the location of log files and encrypt them on your computer using something like Truecrypt or just move it to a private directory if you are using ubuntu with ecryptfs.

Recover forgotten passwords

It often happens that you remember a password if you keep entering it often. If you instead set your client to auto-login and remember the password, chances are soon you will forget the password. If that has happened to you, you can recover such remembered passwords that appear as asterisk on the screen. Check out messenpass and other softwares that help you do so.

Create IM hyperlinks

IM hyperlinks allow people to quickly send you a message when they click on the link. All you have to do is format the “href” attribute of the <a> tag according to the IM network you want to add the link for. Check out this article for details.

Read RSS feeds

Try out ZapTXT (ZapTXT on MakeUseOf) and IMfeeds (IMfeeds on MakeUseOf) which allow you to get RSS updates within your chat client.

Use imified

Yeah, we bloggers have the habit of saving the best for last. Imified is without a doubt going to be the best buddy in your buddy list! Imified allows you to access web services, manage to do lists, ping domains and much more all from within your IM client. Mark did a great article on this fabulous tool.

Do you know of anything else you can do with instant messaging?  If you have any good ideas, let us know in the comments.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Instant Messenger Hacks: 10 Security Tips to Protect Yourself (6)
• How To Secure & Encrypt Your Instant Messaging Chats (19)
• Why I’m Digging Digsby (31)
• Turn Your IM Program Into A Productivity Tool Using Imified (23)
• Translation For MSN: Auto Translates Messages While Chatting (17)

MeBeam – Online Video Conferencing

Quick and simple way to setup informal video conference calls. Using Mebeam you can instantly setup video conferences with up to 18 people simultaneously. The cool thing about it you don’t have to register or install any kind of software, just create the conference room and share it with others. The only requirement is a working headset.

ooVoo – Video Conferencing on your PC

ooVoo is a free video chat program that lets you chat with up-to 6 people at the same time. Basically, it’s a video messaging program with powerful video chat capabilities. At the moment it’s only available to Windows users, but they promise to release Mac client soon. Check out ooVoo video demo.

Rondee – Phone Conference Calls

Schedule phone conference calls and invite as many friends as you want. Calls can be scheduled both from the web or phone. You can think of it as a virtual meeting space where you can invite and conference with a group of people using any US phone. To join your conference room, participant only needs to dial Rondee access number (619-276-6333) and enters his/her access code.

For complete features list go to Rondee: Phone Conference Calls

Foonz – Free Group Calls

Quite similar to the above Rondee, but you also get the option to send group voice messages and organize contacts into groups (i.e. family, freinds, work etc.). You get a separate number for each group. Again, works with any phone, both mobile or landline. Read more @ Foonz : Free Group Calls.

TalkShoe – Live Talk Shows and Conference Calls

Online community where users can host, participate, or just listen to live interactive talk shows and discussions. You can schedule live multi-person conference talks and invite interested people to join as participants or listeners. The below image shows the whole idea.

Thinkature – Real-time Collaboration Dashboard

Thinkature is an easy-to-use online brainstorming dashboard with conference support. Here you can create mindmaps, draw and discuss ideas with your teammates in real-time. You can invite as many people as you want. Here is the screenshot.

You can check out Thinkature video screencast here. Interested in other brainstorming applications? See our round up on Top Brainstorming Applications.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

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