The best messenger programs for both chat and documenting your contacts?
 

Some of you may have thousands of contacts under ICQ or skype. I have a few questions though. ICQ, skype, and a few others are what everyone uses of course.

Two Questions I ask:

1. With all the contacts, how do you keep them documented. Granted having a couple dozen contacts you may be able to store them in your head but when you have hundreds to thousands of contacts how do you document or what is your method of documenting what relation a contact is?

2. Most chat services provide their own software, some of which is just loaded with adware and other garbage. What do you find most useful? Is a program like pidgeon work well for you or adium?

Let me know what the pros use?

1. Rename people with something descriptive

2. Trillian

Stick with skype

Pidgin rocks!

Skype
Miranda

Pidgin with OTR.

But I wouldn't rely on that solely. I have a CRM wherein I try to keep updated so relationships, account numbers, passwords, sites... etc... are all documented there with their proper relationships intact.

Your messenger keeps track only of your contacts, but there's vastly more to this business than just contacts.

Egon