We always try to stay close to any news related to retrocomputing, but what happens when the “retro” component is in the software? Two years ago we talked about the return of a classic like the instant messenger ICQ, with builds for half a dozen platforms. While its old rivals fall on their knees before new systems like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, ICQ still puts up a fight and receives updates. That said, why don’t we try it?
The Old Guard of Instant Messaging
A curious piece of news appeared in my feed recently: Yahoo Messenger will cease to exist on August 5th. “It’s going to cease to exist?” Something in my mind told me it had already been gone for a long time, but that wasn’t the case. The so-called “old guard” of instant messengers is becoming history, one program at a time. The chilling dominance of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp leaves little room for discussion. All my friends and contacts are there. Any attempt to suggest or recommend an alternative platform is destined to fall on deaf ears... unless I add a pinch of nostalgia. “What about ICQ then?” Unlike Yahoo Messenger, ICQ stands firm. Gone is that dynamic messenger with a compact interface. Today we have before our eyes a more complex program that tries to somehow replicate the strengths of its direct competitors, or at least that’s what happens with its build for Windows.
Getting Started: SMS Verification
And so it was that I obtained a copy of ICQ, only to be met with a mandatory SMS verification. In simple terms, this is a problem. If you don’t have a mobile phone at hand, you won’t be able to receive the message with the code, and by extension, you won’t be able to create an account, which you must do on the official page, and not from the client. In my case, I had to wait about a minute to receive the SMS, but then I had to repeat the process because the new account doesn’t have a password assigned. Without a password, there’s no login with UIN, which was what I wanted from the start. One SMS to create the account and another to assign the password for the first time is not what I call “comfortable”, and at this point I admit that the nostalgia diluted considerably. It used to be simpler.
Live Chats and Privacy Concerns
Having not a single contact on ICQ, the first thing the application did was recommend installing its sisters on Android or iOS, but that’s not necessary to enter the “Live Chats”, public sections where anyone can chat, add contacts, send and receive emoticons/stickers... and a long etcetera. I say this because in a couple of channels they offered instant money transfers. What is a public forum without a bit of spam? Now, ICQ reveals a very aggressive term of use in its public areas. In short, both ICQ and third parties can use whatever we post there to their heart’s content. Private conversations are effectively private, but the interpretation of the terms of use for public areas is a kind of “anything goes”. The user profile “is” a public area, although ICQ allows you to specify the information you wish to share.
Customization and Final Verdict
After exploring the configuration options, which I must admit are up to par (voice, video, notifications, etc.), I browsed through some wallpapers with which you can customize the client, but honestly there’s not much more. It’s clear that ICQ’s priority today is the mobile space, or else it would end up like Yahoo Messenger. The Windows client is nothing more than a bridge to sync our activity on the smartphone, and it shares almost nothing with the classic messenger we remember. Different generations with different tools. If you want to do your own tests, the link is below.
