KMess

KMess is an open source and free graphical software implemented in C++/Qt and created from the ground up to be used as an Instant Messenger (IM) client for Microsoft’s Live and MSN chat protocols, but under the KDE desktop environment.

With an easy-to-use and attractive user interface, KMess is an MSN/Live chat client that integrates well with the beautiful and modern KDE desktop, and it’s compatible with both GNU/Linux and FreeBSD operating systems.

Features, lots of features

KMess has a lot of interesting and attractive features, among which we can mention support for using emoticons in chats, support for transferring all sorts of files, including pictures and videos, support for multiple profiles, as well as support for multiple languges.

In addition, it offers a modern contact list that displays avatars, supports invisible status, supports reordering of contacts and groups, and supports the GnomeMeeting and NetMeeting invitations.

Requires a Microsoft Live account

As expected, the software requires a Microsoft Live account, otherwise you won’t be able to use login and connect with your friends. New accounts can be created from within the app. After or before the login, you will be able to set your online status as Online, Away, Be Right Back, Busy, Out to Lunch, On the Phone, or Invisible.

The application can remember your username and/or password, and can log you in automatically next time you open it. Users can also recover their forgotten passwords, view chat history, export their contact list, as well as to configure keyboard shortcuts.

Designed for KDE

As its name suggests, the KMess application has been designed for the KDE desktop environment, especially because its graphical user interface is designed with the Qt GUI toolkit. However, the software is independent of a desktop environment, so you can use it on GNOME, Cinnamon, MATE, LXDE, LXQt, or Xfce.

What is new in this release:

• Added tabs to the Contact Added User dialog.
• Added a fading effect when switching between the initial view and the contact list.
• Fixed login issues due to changes in the MSN protocol.
• Fixed possible crashes with the Contact Added User dialog.
• Fixed retrieval of display pictures from the online MSN storage.
• Various other smaller fixes...

What is new in version 2.0.5:

• KMess now displays your previous conversation with a contact in the chat window.
• Significantly increased speed whilst loading chat history.
• Added a calendar feature to the chat history dialog.
• Added a button to the chat window to quickly access the chat history of contacts in the conversation.
• Added notifications for address book changes (contact added, removed, blocked, etc).
• Updated the Traditional Chinese translation.
• Updated the Estonian translation.
• Updated the Hungarian translation.
• Updated the French translation.
• Fix a crash bug that occurred during offline message parsing.
• Various other smaller fixes...

What is new in version 2.0.1:

• added full handwriting support using our new ISF-Qt library.
• added Roaming support for display picture, friendly name and personal message.
• added ability to drag-and-drop an image to a chat, to send it.
• added chat window buttons to quickly change message font and color.
• added a "Log in automatically" checkbox to the initial view.
• fixed pixelated downscaling of pictures in the contact list?
• fixed multiple notification problems.
• fixed losing the friendly name on login.
• fixed some crashes and memory leaks.
• improved the emoticons settings.
• the transfers window now appears in the background instead of minimized.
• the minimum size of the message editor is now one line of text.
• and other smaller updates and fixes.

What is new in version 2.0:

• Added:
• Ability to re-use previously opened chat windows after reconnecting.
• A dark chat style suitable for use with dark KDE color themes.
• A DBus remote control interface, to enable interaction with KMess from other applications.
• Application-wide settings dialog, which includes an account manager.
• A contact search box in the contact list.
• Automatic reconnection after unwanted disconnections, keeping the previous status.
• Connecting over HTTP, to deal with corporate firewalls which only allow connections to browse the web.
• Contact emoticon blacklist, to block annoying custom emoticons from contacts.
• A contact list exporting dialog.
• Options to copy a contact's email, name, message, listened music and links present in the name/message.
• Detection of network connection availability, using Solid.
• Fading effect for long text labels and the contact list.
• Fast-retype of previous sentences using Ctrl+Up/Ctrl+Down.
• Full MSN Plus text-formatting support in chat and in the contact list.
• Group selection box to the "add contact" dialog.
• IRC like command handling in the chat window (/away, etc..)
• KWallet support to store account passwords in a secure way.
• Likeback support to collect user feedback, ported from Basket of KDE 3.
• Chat logs history dialog.
• Full offline messaging support.
• Option to choose a directory where to put all received files.
• Option to choose a previously set display picture for the account.
• Option to choose the browser and e-mail client used to open Web links.
• Option to choose the dimensions of the pictures in the contact list.
• Option to choose the interval of ports used for fast file transfers.
• Option to disable displaying received winks.
• Option to display all offline contacts in a single group ("mixed" group mode).
• Option to hide currently empty groups.
• Support to configure the application's tool bars and menus.
• Support to send and receive handwritten messages (still doesn't work with some Messengers).
• Optional tabbed chatting support.
• A contact properties dialog.
• KDE proxy support.
• Fixed:
• Appearance when using right-to-Left languages, like Arabic.
• Bug preventing temporary accounts to be correctly cleaned up.
• Chat window focus issues.
• Disconnections after many hours of use.
• Displaying duplicated status messages.
• Improved:
• Appearance of the contact list when antialiasing is enabled.
• Chat logging support, now allowing saving chats as files in text or HTML format.
• Chat notifications to be compatible with the new Plasma notifications of KDE 4.2.
• Client name detection of contacts.
• Chat window appearance with movable panels.
• Protocol support, upgraded the server core protocol to MSNP15.
• Reporting of error messages, using notifications for warnings.
• The file transfer messages within the chat.

What is new in version 2.0 Beta 2:

• fixed disconnections after many hours of use.
• fixed losing KDE Wallet passwords.
• fixed typing notifications not appearing in WLM 2009.
• fixed resending messages already sent as offline messages.
• fixed searching for offline contacts.
• fixed time of arrival of offline messages.
• fixed contact list group sorting.
• fixed many memory leaks.
• improved the Chat History dialog and its integration with KMess.
• improved drag and drop support in contact list.
• improved handwriting message sending.
• improved the file transfers window's behavior.
• improved chat session management.
• updated English handbook.
• 10 updated translations.
• Countless more bugs fixed.

What is new in version 2.0 Alpha 2:

• MSN connections over HTTP, to deal with corporate firewalls
• Support for Ink (hand-written) messages
• Support for tabbed chatting.
• Support for MSN Plus text formatting
• Every dialog received a makeover.
• Chat Windows can be re-used again after reconnecting
• Support to chat with offline and invisible contacts
• Searchbox in the contact list
• Options to choose the browser and e-mail client used by KMess
• A lot of new highly requested options, like blocking notifications when busy, choosing file transfer ports, winks disabling, and contact list customization options.

Requirements:

• Qt