messenger apps os x 10.5.6

Hello
I don't appear to be able to use any of the messenger apps. I suspect that my understanding is broken, but so far I have failed to get msn messenger 7.01, amsn, mercury or adium to work.

Am I just being a tool?

When you say that you're unable to get them to work, what exactly is precluding you from doing so? Are you getting an error message of some sort? Having difficulty with the actual install process? Having trouble setting up your account? A little more information would help a ton.

My passport account is fine, I can download all the apps fine. MSN messenger tells me it can't log in with the error message that the service is not available or I am not connected to the internet, aMsn runs and lets me log in, but then spends the rest of the time connecting to something (sorry can't remember what), mercury starts to log in then does nothing else and adium opens but has no contacts and doesn't ask me to log in

If anybody can offer any assistance, it would be greatfully received.