Portable Adium for Mac

Quick summary

Adium is a Mac instant-messaging client that lets you sign into several chat networks at once so you only need one program open for all your accounts. This version is packaged as a portable app so you can carry it on a USB stick, iPod, portable hard drive, or similar device and run it on any compatible Mac without reconfiguring accounts every time.

Supported chat networks

• Google Talk and other Google-related chat services
• Jabber/XMPP-compatible servers
• Yahoo! Messenger and similar networks
• MSN/Windows Live Messenger connections
• AIM and other legacy IM protocols
• Additional third-party chat services

How the portable edition works

Install the application onto your removable device and plug it into a Mac. Launch Adium straight from that drive: your profile, account settings and chat history remain on the portable medium, so you won’t have to set up each service again on different machines. The program boots and runs directly from the device, keeping your configuration self-contained.

Performance and usefulness

The portable build matches the regular Adium client in design, implementation and responsiveness. That said, its practicality depends on where you expect to use it: it’s convenient for moving between your own Macs (for example, between work and home), but because relatively few public kiosks and internet cafes use macOS, it may be less helpful for travelers or students who rely on non-Mac public computers.