Instant Messenger

[Tim]

On Sat, 2006-04-08 at 13:37 -0700, Dan Thurman wrote:
> I have been using the "Instant Messenger" (gaim) on FC
> and there is on thing that has been annoying me so far.
> 
> I am getting bombarded with authorization request to be
> allowed buddy access and I was forced to 'Deny' authorization
> every time it pops up, which in some cases is very persistent!

There's a separate "privacy" control available through a menu in the
main window.  It has options for who's supposed to be able to reach you.
However, I find it doesn't always seem to do what it advertises.  I also
find it doesn't always stay as I set it (e.g. resetting from only users
on your list can contact you, back to only the users listed below are
blocked).

Until recently this hadn't been a problem, as I'd not seen any ICQ spam
for years.  But now I'm getting a couple a night, quite often.  If it
weren't for the fact that some people I chat with only having ICQ, I'd
probably ditch it.  I dislike this problem, plus how it advertises your
IP address to everyone all of the time (not just providing the
information when you consent to a connection).

Additionally, if you want it so that the other person is unable to add
you to their list without your permision, I think you're dependent on
having set such a preference with the real ICQ client, and they must be
using an obedient client.

-- 
(Currently running FC4, occasionally trying FC5.)

Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored.
I read messages from the public lists.