Poll:What iChat features do you want most?

[MacRumors]

Vote: Poll:What iChat features do you want most? (http://www.macpolls.com/?poll_id=64&ref=forums.macrumors.com)

[edesignuk]

Since most of my friends use peecees with Windows XP they use MSN Msgr for their online chat since XP virtauly falses you to register a .Net passport anyway, so I'd love for iChat to be compatable with MSN, then I wouldn't have to have both open all the time.

[theaz]

http authenticating proxy support. Only https/socks4/socks5 available

[phantasos]

What's white board capability?:confused:

[Chaszmyr]

I would like to see other things not mentioned there. Like how long you have been online, time signatures between every message, faster chat logs, font/color options compatible with AIM.

[al256]

For now I just want a nice 'working' iChat. I can't talk to all my buddies with iChat because it's still pretty much a beta. That should be the top priority, then audio/video.

[cleo]

Tabbed chat window!!! iChat is really starting to grow on me (I love the drag-and-drop-iness of it), but I'm still such a big fan of Adium when it comes to tabbed chatting.

[wdlove]

Hopefully iChat will be fully functional with all platforms with the next release. Apple has a good track record of cross platform capability, Java & unix! :)

[Timothy]

Chat will never become a serious medium in computing until all of the various formats learn to talk to each other. By far the most important new feature would be to add more compatibilty with MSN and Yahoo. I know this doesn't reside solely in Apples court, but the fragmentation of the chat community is it's biggest detriment. Imagine only being able to send email to 1 or 2 other ISP's; email would be the joke that chat currently is.

[sparkleytone]

man right now i'd settle for the ability to have a profile.

[medea]

being able to edit and create profiles would be a grand idea......I'm sure that ICQ will be integrated soon enough (since aim and icq are doing that,) and I'm sure a lot of people would like more customization options. I really like the program, and it's the only IM app I have now so any features will be welcome.

[thejll]

I think I'm going to go and agree that I'd like iChat to actually work before getting new features. Right now I can't stay online for more than a few minutes without it just randomly deciding to stop getting messages...

But one feature I would like implemented is profiles. I like my profile. I don't like iChat's inability to have profiles.

[carnacious]

I know its already been said but cross platform compatibility with MSN messenger primarily but also ISQ and Yahoo are paramount to ichat success.

[suzerain]

a few things:

(1) make it not suck (i.e., make it actually stable, and so forth...i've seen 'direct IM' connections hose it so bad that a re-login to the OS was necessary)

(2) folders for your buddies. with 80 people in my buddy list, i can't find anyone...i need them organized (co-workers, friends, etc.)

(3) more complete actions when someone logs on (i.e., the ability to run applescripts, make noise, bounce icon, and so forth)

i think these, more simpler things, need to be addressed before they go crazy with stuff like whiteboard capability and video.

[canova]

I would like it to feature the ability not to crash

[springscansing]

where's the radio button for a version that lets you sign on more than 50% of the time?

[springscansing]

oh yeah, also TABBED IMs.

[scem0]

Originally posted by al256
For now I just want a nice 'working' iChat. I can't talk to all my buddies with iChat because it's still pretty much a beta. That should be the top priority, then audio/video.

That is what I think too. Apple needs to get working on iChat. It is very 'betaish' and I don't like it. AIM and other 3rd party clients are better.

[hesdeadjim]

I've had no problem with iChat whatsoever and the best aspect of it is rendezvous. For a basic chat client, it is really good. I would also like to see cross client compatibility and also the profiles stuff. I also agree on the folders, cause the window can get complicated.

[Bradcoe]

It needs almost every feature the most current version of AIM for windows has.
A profile
Buddy list 'folders' and better sorting
Buddy alerts
Better away message compatibility. AIM for Windows users sometimes can't see an iChat users away message.
hmm theres a lot more. stability is one.
Apple needs to stablize this program and add BASIC (already in AIM) features. Then it will be a great default AIM client bundled with the OS. It's a wonderfully designed program though.

[Rower_CPU]

You know how the three tenets of real estate are location, location and location? The analogy in the software world is stability, stability and stability.

iChat shows great promise, but it's so damn frustrating when it quits randomly, or disconnects, or fails to connect in the first place.

Apple knows how to make great software, but somehow, iChat comes across as a half-baked attempt to get something out the door on-time.

I like the program and I use it regularly, but it's not going to win anyone away from Adium/AIM/MSNM until it can deliver on its promises.