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ICQ is almost dead. Any alternatives?

R Traveler

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I know some old threads exist about ICQ program alternatives. Now time to discuss next move.

Recently I received ICQ system notify about end of old legacy protocol support after 28 December 2018. It ask to upgrade software to get new features, whistles and bells.
Today some of new client users are forced to supply mobile phone number to continue using ICQ.
Probably it cover only some countries, but who know who is next? Their goal is to block everyone who not supplied mobile phone number yet.

So what UO players use to communicate outside game?
 

ShriNayne

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Yes you have to use a mobile number for ICQ now, you can't do it with just your e-mail. It uses the mobile number to 'protect' your account, no other way to do it unless you have old ICQ and you can use it on Pidgin. I couldn't do that as I only have the new ICQ which isn't tied to e-mail. Other people use Discord or Skype, but I haven't used either much.
 

Dot_Warner

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I third the vote for Discord. Voice, text chat/messaging, file sharing all in one free app that spans PCs and mobile devices.

If only Broadsword would start an official Discord server...
 

Poo

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i find it hard to use anything but ICQ.
its the only one that allows me to put everyone into categories and groups.
even the new ICQ wont allow us to do that.

ill go have a look at this Discord.
 

arkiu

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“ICQ is almost dead”

.... “almost”

Merry Christmas and welcome to the twenty first century!
 

MalagAste

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I'm using trillian ever since ICQ made their change. It still uses my ICQ number and has my contacts.
I still have Trillian but everytime I want to add someone new to my ICQ list it wants my F'ing phone # and I'm not going to give it to them... so I quit using it ages ago... I sometimes pull up Trillian to see if anyone has tried to contact me there but mostly I'm just on Discord.

Love that I can have it on my phone and on my PC... and my Laptop... and all the information is there... I know you can't catagorizie people like ICQ but pretty much know from what server/channel they are in where I know them from.
 

Shiranui Renn

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I still have Trillian but everytime I want to add someone new to my ICQ list it wants my F'ing phone # and I'm not going to give it to them...
That's only if the person you want to add has their security set to "only verified accounts". Everything else works just fine. The workaround for that problem is if you let the person add you first.

Btw I'm using Miranda.
 

Nexus

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+1 for Discord. I've used Pidgin as well, and it's fine if you want strictly an ICQ replacement, but Discord does pretty much everything that Skype, mIRC, and the majority of what ICQ does. It doesn't allow you to set users into groups, but you can always create a server with various channels for group messages or send direct messages for one on one conversations.
 

Cailleach

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We use telegram; wouldn't have ICQ or whatsapp etc if you paid me.
 

Petra Fyde

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My pidgin still shows green dots for folk on my icq list, and I just got a reply to a message I sent on it.
 

R Traveler

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Default server/port login.icq.com 5190 does not work for me. Do you have other settings?
 

Izzy MBC

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I'd also vote for Discord. (I can report my old ICQ account still functions with Pidgin despite getting their service message)

It's annoying that the Discord GUI isn't more malleable/customisable. It does run well though, and seldom have issues with voice communications.

There is nothing about it compelling me to spend money either - although I bet that will change in the years ahead - how can they continue to offer millions of people a free, conveniently functional service? That is, without infamously making the user the product. Perhaps there is something I don't know about their business model.

If they are harvesting data to build a profile on me from my text/audio communication, I am going to be p*ssed. Maybe I should actually read their ToS/Privacy policy... (if that actually means anything anymore *coughs* Patreon *coughs*).

To help answer the fellow above me, my ICQ settings in Pidgin are:
Server: slogin.icq.com
Port: 5190
I dunno if it's just a typo but I have "slogin.icq" rather than your "login.icq".
 

Nexus

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I'd also vote for Discord. (I can report my old ICQ account still functions with Pidgin despite getting their service message)

It's annoying that the Discord GUI isn't more malleable/customisable. It does run well though, and seldom have issues with voice communications.

There is nothing about it compelling me to spend money either - although I bet that will change in the years ahead - how can they continue to offer millions of people a free, conveniently functional service? That is, without infamously making the user the product. Perhaps there is something I don't know about their business model.

If they are harvesting data to build a profile on me from my text/audio communication, I am going to be p*ssed. Maybe I should actually read their ToS/Privacy policy... (if that actually means anything anymore *coughs* Patreon *coughs*).

To help answer the fellow above me, my ICQ settings in Pidgin are:
Server: slogin.icq.com
Port: 5190
I dunno if it's just a typo but I have "slogin.icq" rather than your "login.icq".
They do collect some info, but it’s nothing unusual and they disclose it in their privacy policy. They also have huge amounts of funding from Silicon Valley, and are gaining new partnerships from hardware manufacturers . For example the Corsair wireless headset I just bought stared it was “Discord Certified” with Discord’s brand logo displayed. They also have a three tiered service, free and two paid levels which give you acces to mainly cosmetic and small performance perks.
 

MalagAste

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They do work with several gaming companies to integrate service as well... Discord is just really something else... I actually have a paid Discord. Yes, I fund them with my Nitro contribution... I started using them while they were still beta... They have come a long way in a short time.

Honestly, I really like them and if there is something you think they could do better they are always open to new ideas. Just let them know. They put stuff on an idea's type board and whatever gets a lot of votes and likes they seem to jump on. So don't be shy, just ask. Asking never hurts.
 

Blackie

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Providing a big company with your cell phone number doesn't make you more secure, it makes you more vulnerable to their internal issues.

web.icq.com, create a mail.ru email account and log into ICQ without a number and without giving up your privacy to a Russian company.
 

MalagAste

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Providing a big company with your cell phone number doesn't make you more secure, it makes you more vulnerable to their internal issues.

web.icq.com, create a mail.ru email account and log into ICQ without a number and without giving up your privacy to a Russian company.
I started using Discord the min ICQ started wanting me to provide a phone #... I wasn't about to do that ...

I like Discord they are a pretty decent company so far... German based though... from what I gather... Still nice group.
 

swroberts

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This
Discord. I never understood why UO players clung to ICQ over 20 years...
This made me laugh... This guy is talking about a player base that insists developers maintain a mid-90's client with graphics to match. I also expect a little hate for just referencing the classic client in such a poor light .... :)
 

Xris

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This

This made me laugh... This guy is talking about a player base that insists developers maintain a mid-90's client with graphics to match. I also expect a little hate for just referencing the classic client in such a poor light .... :)
It's true though and I only play the CC. It's part nostalgia and part comfort. As long as it's playable I'm fine with the CC, I'm not expecting huge upgrades to a 20 year old mmo.

Sent from my moto g(6) play using Tapatalk
 

Cailleach

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Some folks can't use the EC so it's CC or nothing.

Neither have the functionality required built in, both need other progs to run with them.
 

MalagAste

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Some folks can't use the EC so it's CC or nothing.

Neither have the functionality required built in, both need other progs to run with them.
The EC is purposely designed to be Modified with a UI... like many other games... there are many games out there that use a format that allows players to add their own UI... You don't need the UI the UI just adds to it... But the fact is Pinco does such a good job at it that no one really wants to use anything else... Now I myself wouldn't have the first clue how to modify the UI... so I rely on Pinco to do that and really support and enjoy the work Pinco does. Others may have that sort of know-how and are using their own who knows.
 

Cailleach

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There's a lot of us who haven't a clue how to modify a UI, which is kinda why I feel this stuff ought to be built in!
 

MalagAste

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There's a lot of us who haven't a clue how to modify a UI, which is kinda why I feel this stuff ought to be built in!
I tried to explain to @Kyronix why I really don't want to play UO without Pinco's UI... mostly it's because the loot is just too overwhelming to look at. I look at it in the CC or in the default UI of the EC and it just is a jumble of crap with no meaning. I have ZERO desire to memorize what the "ranges" are for things... Like what is the cap for physical resist on a certain item... what is the Cap highest you can have for SDI, HCI, DCI ..... etc and on and on... I look at those items and it means nothing... without the ranges there how do you know if it's "good" or junk??? I don't.... so to me that alone makes Pinco's worth it...

As for say, I want to do MIBs... well in the EC without Pinco's I'd have to use some mapping program to put in all the coordinates and plot them so I could visualize where they all are and go fish them up... wherein Pinco's I open the MIB and it's automatically plotted for me on the map.... you can't get more convenient than that.

And looking at one page instead of 6 for pets is a vast improvement I won't do without... And again having the ranges and caps there really help to decide is this a good pet or isn't it? No other website to go have to go to and put in numbers it's all right there... That to me is what keeps me playing UO...

There are so many features in the EC with and without Pinco's that make it impossible for me to play the CC anymore... and the computer I had before this one just couldn't run the CC it was 5 steps pause, 5 steps pause... and that kept happening to the point I really wanted to just quit... and then I decided to give the EC one more go... took me a good month or so to really get the feel for it .... took me maybe another month or so to get the talking and keys down... and learn more complex macro's and such... but once I got things more figured out and really went over the "actions" menu with a fine tooth comb... I found I really could never return to playing the CC. And then some genius over there decided to overhaul the UI... They got Pinco to do it... and while I'm sure Pinco did a brilliant job I'm told that they pretty much gutted what he did... and then they installed it onto a VERY old version of the EC and reintroduced a bunch of old bugs they had fixed at one point making it really buggy, laggy and barely functional... it hasn't really ever recovered from that. But at the same time, I can't go back to the CC now... Just too much in the EC with Pinco's that I just wouldn't want to play UO anymore if I had to do without it.
 

Cailleach

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My brain just doesn't process what I see in EC. Then I get a monumental headache & nausea. If the price of a client I can not have that happen with is having to plot my MIBs, I can live with that!
 

petemage

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That went fast from "ICQ is dead" to "EC makes me sick".

I usually only use in-game messaging or leave it. PSN on PS4.
 

Spartan

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The EC is purposely designed to be Modified with a UI... like many other games... there are many games out there that use a format that allows players to add their own UI... You don't need the UI the UI just adds to it... But the fact is Pinco does such a good job at it that no one really wants to use anything else... Now I myself wouldn't have the first clue how to modify the UI... so I rely on Pinco to do that and really support and enjoy the work Pinco does. Others may have that sort of know-how and are using their own who knows.
While I understand what you're saying ... I still can't/won't use EC. Why? Because the graphics movements and "fuzziness" as compared to CC hurts my eyes. Has since day one of the client.

I'd use EC if my 70 YO eyes could just adjust to it.
 

MalagAste

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While I understand what you're saying ... I still can't/won't use EC. Why? Because the graphics movements and "fuzziness" as compared to CC hurts my eyes. Has since day one of the client.

I'd use EC if my 70 YO eyes could just adjust to it.
I'm nearly there ..... doesn't hurt my eyes... I think some of you who say that need to try it again .... I know when it first came out it was harsh on eyes but I don't think it is anymore... unless you look at the Hiryu... but that's just hard on the heart... I feel for the poor majestic bird... but I did as Lavitica to fix it.... or look into fixing it... told her fixing that would go a long way to making people like the EC better...
 

Pawain

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I'm nearly there ..... doesn't hurt my eyes... I think some of you who say that need to try it again .... I know when it first came out it was harsh on eyes but I don't think it is anymore... unless you look at the Hiryu... but that's just hard on the heart... I feel for the poor majestic bird... but I did as Lavitica to fix it.... or look into fixing it... told her fixing that would go a long way to making people like the EC better...
Used the Zoom to take pics of my house the other day for deco and my eyes were hurting in minutes.

The Hiryu looks horrible and I am a Tamer.

That went fast from "ICQ is dead" to "EC makes me sick".
I was drawn in. Couldn't help it. I have only used Yahoo Chat. Stopped using it years ago when nobody was on it. So I have no input to this topic. Sorry.
 

Spartan

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I'm nearly there ..... doesn't hurt my eyes... I think some of you who say that need to try it again .... I know when it first came out it was harsh on eyes but I don't think it is anymore... unless you look at the Hiryu... but that's just hard on the heart... I feel for the poor majestic bird... but I did as Lavitica to fix it.... or look into fixing it... told her fixing that would go a long way to making people like the EC better...
I try it out just about every update mainly to insure operation. Still bothers me ...
 

MalagAste

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I try it out just about every update mainly to insure operation. Still bothers me ...
I'm sorry... That's too bad. Honestly I can never go back to CC but whatever floats your boat.
 

Cailleach

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Yep..sounds like it..

Scots, not Irish. Just so we're clear!

I live in the part of the world that has the most speakers, not that's a huge number. I have some, enough to figure out what folk around me are talking about. Much to the discomfort of those who use it to say nasty things about people they don't think speak the language!
 

celticus

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Scots, not Irish. Just so we're clear!

I live in the part of the world that has the most speakers, not that's a huge number. I have some, enough to figure out what folk around me are talking about. Much to the discomfort of those who use it to say nasty things about people they don't think speak the language!
Yep.. There are several incarnations of Gaelic, including the Irish versions. Ancient celtic language spinnoffs.
There are six Celtic languages still spoken in the world today, spoken in north-west Europe. They are divided into two groups, Goidelic (or Gaelic) and the Brythonic (or British). The three Goidelic languages still spoken are Irish, Scottish, and Manx. The Irish are our brethern tribes..
 

Cailleach

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Yep.. There are several incarnations of Gaelic, including the Irish versions. Ancient celtic language spinnoffs.
There are six Celtic languages still spoken in the world today, spoken in north-west Europe. They are divided into two groups, Goidelic (or Gaelic) and the Brythonic (or British). The three Goidelic languages still spoken are Irish, Scottish, and Manx. The Irish are our brethern tribes..

Yup. I've met one or two language scholars who say SG is one of the purest languages spoken, closest to the roots. SG & IG are, pretty much, one language that wandered off down two evolutionary routes. It's possible to make yourself understood in one to speakers of the other. My son discovered this when interacting with some lovely visitors from ROI one summer. There's Norse mixed in where we are, especially in place names - these islands were owned by Norway for a few hundred years, then came back to Scotland again. Many visitors from Norway have said that they recognise their language in our place names.
 
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