Apple iChat, do you have to be a .MAC or AIM member?

It seems I can only use Apple's iChat if I have a .MAC or AIM account.
.MAC requires membership with membership fee
AOL's AIM is not available where I live.

Is there any way to bypass this? I simply want to use iChat for MSN for text messaging. Is there a way I can log into iChat with my MSN account and chat with MSN friends?

I hope someone can help, thank you ahead of time for your help!

msn does not work with current ichat software.

youll have to wait for the next OSX

try adium

adambrochu said:

It seems I can only use Apple's iChat if I have a .MAC or AIM account.
.MAC requires membership with membership fee
AOL's AIM is not available where I live.

Is there any way to bypass this? I simply want to use iChat for MSN for text messaging. Is there a way I can log into iChat with my MSN account and chat with MSN friends?

I hope someone can help, thank you ahead of time for your help!

Click to expand...

Welcome to Mac-Forums, adambrochu.

iChat FAQs might help you sort out the AIM account idea you have. Just registering the username does not require AOL's AIM. And it will help you troubleshoot connection, modem, etc. and/or compatibility issues you might have with Windows users.

You can also use other chat clients as kgeier82 says: Adium is vastly used as well. Each of these chat clients have their weaknesses though. Last time I used Adium, file transfers were pretty horrible, in fact, file transfers simply did not work. I can't say if the problem has been fixed or not though. I read in the version release notes that the problem had been fixed but read here and there that users still had problems...

Thanks everyone for your help I really appreciate it.
Just as a side now, iChat will support MSN on the next OSX? meaning when Leopoard will be released? Is this confirmed information or speculation? I just want to know so I won't have my hopes up or down haha.

Thanks again everyone!
I will try out adium! or might end up having to down msn for mac osx, though I like to keep things simple and not have to install and add too many new things.

Try Skype, you can chat, Video chat with ease Mac to PC, file transfer etc. Very good and free.

Adium should keep you set without need for another IM client. Messenger for Mac really is quite useless since it doesn't even do video (aMSN does Messenger video chat though) and is inferior to Adium in pretty much every way. Then again, so is just about every other IM program in my opinion (unless you need video chat).