I'm trying to simplify my on-line life, go on a email/chat/IM/social network diet so to speak... and it sound easier than it is. I would not describe myself as an addict but as
twitter has shown me it doesn't take long to get out of the loop these days, flickr/yahoo are conspiring to frustrate me, myspace and facebook are not my scene and second life just leaves me cold. So what does an old bloke do.... start speaking in new language of course...

NO it is not a new languauge at all
Pidgin is the portable apps upgade of GAIM, that lets you converse across several IM systems, including GTalk, Yahoo and Msn... and while I'm here I should plug
portable apps, you can install them on a USB memory stick and carry around your most useful applications, including even the great free graphics software
GIMP... everything useful on one memmory stich now that is a diet!