Does anybody have experience with a multi-protocol windows-based instant messenger client for that supports both SKYPE and MSN?
Fring seems to support both, but as far as I understand, it is only for phones. Freo and One-Instant-Messenger claim to support MSN and SKYPE through the use of plugins. Has anybody used those?
A non-skype client can’t use the skype protocol. It’s unpublished, encrypted and pretty tough to use. All those multiprotocol clients out there can only run the original skype program on background and use it… Basically when you’re using just two protocols (msn + skype), you’ll have to run two clients (either msn or some multiprotocol one + skype), the only difference would be that you can control the running skype from some other window… Don’t know whether it’s worth it.
I use Pidgin for MSN, Gtalk, Yahoo and Facebook chat (with a plugin for FB). There’s also a plugin for Skype, but it’s as yankyo says: You need to be running Skype in the background for it to work.