These screenshots give a short introduction to the features of KMess 1.5-pre1.

The main dialog

From the first startup screen you can login directly to MSN, no hassle with creating a profile first. Just connect and start chatting. KMess creates the profile for you automatically. The only thing you need to do is enabling the "Remember this profile" checkbox. When a friend is visiting, you can leave the "remember me" option unchecked. This allows them to connect temporary to MSN without leaving settings at your computer.

The chat window

When you have multiple chat windows open, it's nice to see who you're talking with. KMess displays the contact information clearly visible at the screen, in the right sidebar. The sidebar also has room for more functions, like selecting emoticons. This allows you to easily add some emoticons to your messages.

Chat styles

Starting with KMess 1.5-pre1, chats can be displayed in all kinds of styles. Choose between minimal slick or visually appealing chat styles. When a new chat style is selected, the theme is applied to all existing chats as well. Optionally, messages can be grouped. That's why KMess doesn't repeat the contact name each time a new line is written.

Compact chat windows

Does the sidebar consume too much space? Is the chat theme cluttering? You can choose to be minimal, use an efficient chat style and hide the sidebar. When you like to add some emoticons, the sidebar will temporary pop up and disappear again when the message is sent.

Winks, nudges and custom emoticons

We would like be make sure you can receive what others sent. With KMess 1.5-pre1, we've added support to receive winks, nudges, emoticon emoticons and offline chat messages! When something is not supported, KMess informs you about this as well. So you might not be able to play 'Bejeweld' yet, but at least you can inform your friends about it.

Fast file transfers

Files are sent over direct connections whenever possible. A small dialog keeps you informed about the progress and allows you to abort the transfer at any time. In some cases, it might not be possible to create a direct connection. KMess will automatically revert to an - albeit slow but stable - indirect connection to transfer the file.

Account settings

The settings of KMess can be adjusted for every account. This includes nifty settings to start as invisible, show a timestamp in chat messages, or forcefully display contact messages in the same font.

Emoticon styles

The emoticon style can be changed easily too. KMess re-uses the emoticon styles installed in KDE. Not every style supports all MSN emoticons, but KMess will match the emoticon codes to MSN's codes as best possible.

Chat settings

Chat styles are easy to change, just choose the style from the select box. Optionally, features like emotions, timestamps and message grouping can be disabled. KMess also won't limit you to 16 different colors for your chat messages, just choose whatever nice color you'd like.

Integration with KDE

Last but not least, KMess is integrated with KDE. It uses KDE font settings, colors and appearance. It also uses KDE's KNotify to flash the taskbar and play sounds. The notification preferences can be changed from KMess, or the KDE control center as well.

But wait, there is more...!

• Being able to set aliases for your contacts, to get rid of those pesky long names forever.
• Setting your personal status message, and viewing others.
• Receiving Offline-IM messages contacts sent when you were offline.
• Log your chats, and see your chat logs exactly like they were displayed in the chat window.
• Right-to-left language support with mirroring in chat styles.
• Run custom commands for events like "new e-mail".
• Set an auto-reply message.

Enjoy!

Suggestions or improvements?
Leave a message at the KMess help forum.