1.3 Connecting Messenger to Other Instant Messaging Systems

Pidgin is an open source project that enables you to connect various instant messaging networks, including GroupWise Messenger. When you use Pidgin with GroupWise Messenger, you are not limited to instant messaging colleagues and friends who are on your same GroupWise Messenger network. For example, if you have a friend that uses MSN Messenger, you can chat with that friend through your GroupWise Messenger system by using Pidgin.

For more information about Pidgin that is not covered in this section, see the Pidgin Web Site.

1.3.1 Downloading and Installing Pidgin

  1. In your Internet browser, enter the address to the Pidgin Web Site.

  2. Click the Download tab.

  3. Click the operating system that is installed on your computer.

  4. Click the Download icon.

  5. Click Save File.

  6. Browse to the location in your file system where you want to save the file, and then click Save.

  7. Navigate to the location where you saved the pidgin.exe file, double-click the file, and then click Run.

  8. Choose your preferred language, and then click OK.

    This launches the Pidgin Setup Wizard.

  9. At the wizard welcome screen, click Next.

  10. Click Next to accept the license agreement.

  11. Select the components you want to install, and then click Next.

    If you are unsure, do not select anything. This installs only the default options.

    Pidgin requires that your computer have a GTK (Graphical Took Kit) installed. If your computer does not already have a GTK installed, and then the Pidgin Setup Wizard installs one for you.

  12. If you need to install the GTK, browse to the location where you want to install it, and then click Next.

  13. Browse to the location where you want to install Pidgin, and then click Next.

  14. When installation is complete, click Next.

  15. Select Run Pidgin, and then click Finish.

1.3.2 Setting Up Pidgin

After Pidgin is installed, you need to set it up.

Setting Up Your GroupWise Account

  1. In the Welcome to Pidgin page, click Add.

    The Add Account page is displayed.

  2. In the Protocol field, click the drop-down arrow, and then click GroupWise.

  3. In the Username field, enter your Messenger user name.

  4. In the Password field, enter your Messenger password.

  5. Click the Advanced tab.

  6. In the Server address and Server port fields, enter the server address and server port that your GroupWise Messenger system uses.

    If you know the server address and port number, enter the information into the appropriate fields and skip to Step 7. If you don’t know the server address and port number, complete the following steps:

    1. Launch GroupWise Messenger.

    2. On the GroupWise Messenger toolbar, click Help > About GroupWise Messenger.

      The server address and server port of the GroupWise Messenger server are listed.

  7. Click Save.

  8. In the Accounts window, select the GroupWise account.

  9. Click Accept to accept the certificate from the GroupWise Messenger server.

    After you accept the certificate, you are logged in to the GroupWise Messenger server through the Pidgin application, and should now be able to instant message your Messenger contacts.

    In order to send a message to users who are using instant messaging clients other than GroupWise Messenger, you need to set up those individual clients in Pidgin. To do this, see Setting Up Other Instant Message Systems.

Setting Up Other Instant Message Systems

  1. In the Accounts page, click Add.

  2. In the Protocol field, click the drop-down arrow, and then click the instant messaging service that you want to communicate with. For example, if you want to send a message to a user who has a Yahoo account, click Yahoo.

    You must have an active account with the messenger service that you want to communicate with. For example, if you want to add Yahoo to your list of accounts, then you must have an account with Yahoo.

  3. In the Username field, enter the user name that you have already established with the messenger service.

  4. In the Password field, enter the password that is associated with your user name.

  5. Click Save.

Adding Contacts

  1. From the Buddy List toolbar, click Buddies > Add Buddy.

  2. From the drop-down list, select the messenger service where the contact you want to add is registered.

  3. In the Buddy’s username field, enter the contact’s user name that is associated with the network where they are registered.

    For example, if you want to add a contact who has an account with Yahoo, and the contact’s email address is Jim75@yahoo.com, then in the Buddy’s username field, enter Jim75.

  4. (Optional) In the Alias field, enter a name for the contact.

  5. In the Add buddy to group field, click the drop-down list and click the category where you want to add your contact.

    This feature helps you keep your contacts organized.

  6. Click Add.