After three people recommended GAIM, the default IM tool, I finally listened and tried it. It seems to be working. It's funny how I just looked right through that one. I saw that it was a clone of AIM, and never realized that it also did ICQ. Duhh. My quest was not driven by a need for particular GUI front end. The problem is, as I learned only recently, becuase I've been using instant messaging only the past month, they (whoever "they" are) changed the protocol and the clients I was using were still using the old version. The result was intermittent failure in the transmission of messages. Apparently I could get things all right (all my associates are using Trillian on Windows), but my replies would often disappear into the ether. Not acceptable. It's premature to pass final judgment, but this time it's looking good. There are only three people I have to communicate with. Personally, I hate instant messaging for the most part. I hate telephones, too, and won't answer one if I can find an excuse not to. They are the rudest devices ever invented, because they will ring at any moment and demand your attention. I dislike instant messaging for the same reason. But I'm obliged to use it. Thanks to those who contributed suggestions, even the useless ones. :-) -- Lynn David Newton Phoenix, AZ