June 16, 2008 12:53 PM PDT

Digsby promises IM performance fixes

by Stephen Shankland
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Digsby said Monday that the next version of its multi-network instant-messaging software will be better. That's none too soon for those of us desperate for a better multi-protocol IM program.

I'm a very active IM user, and I've been trying Digsby as the latest possible solution to my problem of incompatible instant-messaging networks. However, a brief honeymoon period was quickly replaced by frustration as my computer began freezing up for literally 30 seconds on some occasions upon arrival of a message from a new chat buddy.

According to Digsby, though, a new version could make me happier.

The new version includes a "major reduction in RAM (memory) usage, fixes for most of the memory leaks, (and) a much more responsive user interface," according to Digsby's blog. "We have bunkered down to fully optimize our codebase."

Memory leaks occur when a program doesn't properly release memory it's no longer using, meaning that it gradually takes up more and more memory even though it's not doing any more work.

Now I wish they'd get copy and paste working better too...

Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.
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by jag0 June 16, 2008 1:42 PM PDT
"Now I wish they'd get copy and paste working better too..." --> Well it IS a beta. ;-) I loves me some Digsby...makes using all my chat clients, social network sites and Twitter so much easier.
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by dreidogg June 16, 2008 1:46 PM PDT
How about you go Open Source and use Pidgin? It's 10MB and works great.

http://www.pidgin.im/
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by jag0 June 16, 2008 1:49 PM PDT
Meh...use it on Ubunutu when I decide to boot into it once or twice a month and it's ok. I'd rather use Digsby b/c it's flashy and it allows me to sign into my IM clients, Facebook, MySpace, Gmail and Twitter.
by Shankland June 20, 2008 3:24 PM PDT
I actually tried Pidgin before Digsby--I didn't care for it either, overall. There were user interface issues that didn't work for me.
by vaccieaux July 12, 2008 3:47 PM PDT
but pidgin looks worse, and it doesnt have social networks
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by benjaminstraight August 3, 2008 2:30 PM PDT
Cool.
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