Icq - Any Way To _not_ Have To Update?

[andrew nirguista]

Does anyone know any way to still use older versions of the program? I don't care if it's weird or if it means getting a crack or whatever, i've been using the program since it first came out, but i'm unhappy about them trying to make me update when i don't see a reason to.


a.n.

I tried to post this before but it never posted for some reason... (and i don't think anyone's answered this before (this _exact_ question).

[locustfurnace]

This question was asked already, not in the same wording, but it has been asked.
i'll explain that by searching through past postings, you will find a solution to your question.

You don't say which version, so i will guess it was icq99 or 98, you may be able to get it to work - doubtful though, and if you DID, your staying with the older version will be a pain, and you will never receive your offline messages, so you will then be losing a big part of the icq program, which is the ability to send and recevie offline messages.
You have to upgrade, to atleast a version which uses the ver. 8 protocol if you want to use the program as intended. if you like backing up your icq contact list and never getting offline replies from people, then go ahead and see if you can run a v5 protocol client.

anyway, what do you mean by them forcing you to upgrade? if your using icq98/99, then your holding on to a relic which really serves you no good. You should have have mentioned which version your trying to continue to use, even if someone did have a solution to your question, you never said which one you want to keep on life-support.

you generally have to use what they want you to use, since the servers which you connect to run on a modern protocol and will refuse those old old clients from connecting, as they are security risks to you and them, so they will not permit you to connect.

also with the OSCAR protocol version, you get the benefit of server-side contact lists. which then permit you the ability to use web-based icq clients.

if your referring to being forced to upgrade to icq2003b, you dont have to do that. you can continue to use icq2003a if you like. - but you never said which one you'd like. So i can only guess.

[a nirguista]

It's ICQLite 1150. So the newer version is better than the old? No spyware or "new additions"? Would you recommend ICQLite or just regular ICQ for the new version?


a.n.

[locustfurnace]

I have never used the Lite versions of ICQ, I never seen a reason to. it lacks some features that i use/have used, such as the chat mode with multiple parties, which is something i know is absent from the lite versions.

It all depends on how you use your icq, for me it is the only chat program i will run, been running it since 1998 (before AOL purchased Mirabilis) and never found any needs for other services.

if you want to use the service, and dont like the client, you can always swap out the client for something else, such as Easy Message or Trillian or who knows what else, i got plenty options listed in the pinned topic on Alt Chat Clients.