Skype IM, is a bag of crap [Rant]

NOTE: I have nothing against the video calling aspect of Skype, this is purely a rant at the IM aspect.

For ages I have been using Digsby for my FBChat, GChat, MSN. Skype doesnt have an open IM protocol like the others so I was forced to run Skype at the same time as Digsby. I really like Digsby but it always grated me having both Digsby and Skype open and once, if only one of them could handle all my communications..

Hearing that MSN is going to shutdown and merge with Skype on March 15th and that Skype now has Facebook integration I thought it may be about time to try a switch over to using just Skype. Big mistake.

Firstly, its confusing as hell trying to work out how to integrate your Facebook or your MSN contacts into Skype. There is no unified "connected accounts" panel in the options, you must go through a series of menus then click on a tiny cog to attach your account, how the hell you are meant to do that without a Google search I have no idea:

Adding an MSN account is even more confusing as there is no way to do it while the program is running, you must first return to the login screen! Again, how you are meant to know this without a Google search I will never know..

Okay so once you have finally signed in with your Microsoft account you would have thought it would remember you, so next time you click to sign in with the Microsoft account it wont ask for your details again.. Right? Wrong. You must continually re-enter it.

There is no spell checking in Skype, okay perhaps if you are a spelling champ this is no problem, but if you are like me and spell like a dyslexic toddler then this is a big problem.

If your Facebook mates are offline there is no way to send them a message through Skype. On Digsby it would send the message which would then get picked up when they are next online. So now if want to send them a message you must open chrome and then go to Facebook wait for it to load then send a message through there ARGG!!

Sharing files over anything but Skype contacts? No chance.

Annoying messages and adverts are REALLY annoying.

Want to delete a conversation, sure that's easy just..

Tabs are soooo not cool any more, lets make a new window for each conversation!

"Go back to Digsby if you hate it so much" I hear you cry. Well.. This is where the fun really starts because it appears that now I have linked MSN with my Skype account there is no way to unlink it! Because MSN is a single-sign-on-only service if I open Digsby then it kicks me out of Skype.

If I log into Skype, then Disgby doesnt sign out, but I cant use it to talk to my MSN friends:

Which basically means I cant use Digsby for MSN and have Skype open at the same time. Joy.

[/rant]