Video chat between iChat and Messages

Hi,

You add the same Jabber or AIM valid ID you used in iChat.

In this regard Messages has the same functions as iChat (minus iChat Theatre unfortunately in Messages 8)

In either the Messages app Menu > Preferences > Accounts add the AIM Screen name or Jabber (or Google) ID you used in iChat

Then go to the Window Menu and display the Buddy Lists (It now says Buddies CMD + 1)

You can separate buddy list in the Preferences > General Section in the line about gathering Accounts into one list (Only applies to Buddy Lists).

As with iChat you cannot connect AIM to Jabber. In Messages this includes the iMessages account to other services.

8:36 pm Saturday; January 4, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Hi,

Yes the fact that Apple call the Service iMessages and the text it send also as iMessages whilst now calling the app just Messages has confused things, particularly when what you want to do is continue iChatting.

A Brief History of iChat (to misquote Hawkins)

From iChat 1 we have iChat as an AIM client.

iChat 2 adds AV abilities

iChat 3 adds Jabber. (this add Google with a bit of extra work)

iChat 4 sorts adding Google as a separate option. (and also 4 way Video chats and effects)

At iChat 6 the option to add Yahoo account is added but these don't invoke the iChat Video (and Audio Only) chats.

Messages beta (version 6.1) was test run in Lion until December 14th 2012.

It added the iMessages account to what was iChat and changed the interface a fair bit (And changed the name although the Version numbers continue.

The iMessages account does not video iteslf but Invoke FaceTime rather that using the iChat Video abilities that are still there.

Messages 7.0 is in Moutian Lion with OS X 10.8.2 updating it to version 7.0.1

Messages 8 comes with Mavericks and at the time of writing has not received any updates.

To restate.

Messages will do iChat style Video (And Audio Only chats) with AIM and Jabber accounts.

It will also do them for LAN based Bonjour Connections.

Whilst using a Buddy list the Yahoo account does not do the Video that iChat did.

The iMessages Account is Text only but will use FaceTime to "convert" an iMessages Session to Video in FaceTime.

In addition to anything said so far the iMessage account can be "synced" to your iOS devices as well.

(Sync means "Display on all devices" in this case - anything you do to the iMessage after that is on that device only)

8:06 pm Sunday; January 5, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Hi,

This continues today.

As with iChat 1 any Apple Issued ID is also valid as an AIM Screen Name.

At the time Apple were using the .Mac service.

Paid for, Trial and lapsed @mac.com ending IDs are still valid. (the password still has to be 16 characters of less to work with the AIM servers)

When Apple changed to MobileMe only Paid for Apple accounts worked.

However Apple continued to use the @mac.com registration page as an "iChat name" registration page.

They are Apple IDs but have never been emails.

At iChat 6 and the iCloud change the initial change was to iCloud issued @me.com names.

Some people later were given @icloud.com names as well.

These iCloud issued IDs will not work on iChat 5 or earlier as there is a check with the Apple Servers before the AIM servers can "read" the password.

This does not apply to an @mac.com name.

For all Apple IDs being used as an AIM Screen Name the password has to be 16 characters or less.

(Of course similar may apply to Google Mail IDs and Yahoo IDs as both Apple IDs for iMessages and for the relevant services).

9:15 pm Sunday; January 5, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad