We just pushed out a small patch (Build 63 – r23635 r23639 r23681 r23848) fixing login for LinkedIn and Facebook Chat, which broke last night due to protocol changes.  The fixes are listed on the Change Log.

Unfortunately, the Facebook Chat servers no longer transmit the status messages of your buddies so the infobox will not show this info for each buddy.  However, you will still see status updates in the newsfeed if you added Facebook as a social network also.

Update 1 (8/26/09 10:35am EST): It looks like your own name is no longer shown in the IM window and your Facebook ID number is shown instead.  We’re working on fixing this now.

Update 2 (8/26/09 11:20am EST): We just pushed out a small patch with one more protocol fix.  Your own name will now show instead of the Facebook ID number in IM windows.  The new release number is r23639.

Update 3 (8/28/2009 10:30am EST): One more quick patch for LinkedIn bringing the release number to r23681.

Update 4 (9/4/2009 11:15am EST): Protocol changes galore!  This update is a small patch fixing a bug that is causing MySpace to get stuck in “Connecting” for some users and brings the release number to r23848.

Several months ago, we started testing two unique revenue models to help us keep Digsby free and ad-free for all our users.  We posted a lengthy blog post describing the changes but we want to reiterate some of that information again and share some changes that we will be making in a release later today.

Now that some time has passed since we first implemented these changes, we would also like to take this opportunity to get feedback from our community of users about these revenue models and where we should go from here.

Installer

First, we introduced a new installer that shows you several offers during the installation process for other products such as the Yahoo Toolbar and a desktop weather application.  The reason we decided to test this revenue model is because we believe it is better to show you ads once during the installation process than to plaster banner ads all over the product like other IM clients have done (ie: AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ).  We want to do our best to keep Digsby free and ad-free and this is one way we are able to do so.

All the offers shown to you during installation are 100% optional.  You don’t have to install any of the products advertised in the installer and none of them will be downloaded or installed to your computer if you choose not to install them.  For each offer, there is an “Accept” and a “Decline” button.

There is more information about the installer in the original blog post.

Research Module

The second revenue model we started testing is a Grid Computing Module.  There is a lengthy explanation of what grid computing is and how this module works in the original blog post but the basic idea is that Digsby uses some of your computer’s unused CPU power while your computer is completely idle to do computation research for large scale projects that require thousands of computers to complete.

The module turns on after your computer has been completely idle for 5 minutes (no mouse or keyboard movement).  It then turns off the instant you move your mouse or the press a key on the keyboard.  We did this so it would have absolutely no effect on your computer’s performance and only uses processing power while your computer is not being used.  It also runs as a “low priority” process so if any application on your computer asks for CPU power it will always get it before the research module gets it.  On laptops, it uses a much smaller portion of your CPUs overall processing power than it does on desktops.  It will also never turn on if your laptop is running on battery power.

Just like the installer, we have made this module 100% optional.  You can disable it in the main menu by going to “Help > Support Digsby” and disabling the “Help Digsby Conduct Research” option.

Lack of Information

While the installer is quite obvious since you use it to install Digsby, the Research Module is not obvious to new users.  An article describing these revenue models was published yesterday on LifeHacker and most of the people commenting on the article did not know about it since they don’t follow our blog and don’t read the Terms of Service shown in the installer.

We are pushing out a release later today that will include the following changes:

• We are moving the entire “Support Digsby” section out of the “Help” menu and into the preferences window so the option to enable/disable the research module is easier to find
• Digsby will show a popup notification telling you about the module with a “Learn More” button which links to a page describing it in detail including instructions for how to enable/disable it.  The popup will be “sticky” so it will not disappear until you click “Learn More” or “Close” to ensure that users don’t accidentally miss it.

We want to make it completely clear to all users so Digsby is not doing anything you don’t want it to do.  The above changes have been on our to do list but the article really opened our eyes about how few people know about this functionality.  Our goal is to create the world’s best IM client and social media tool. The only way to accomplish that goal is with transparency and communication so we can keep working with you to make a better product.

Moving Forward

We are still a young company that is trying to figure out our long term revenue models.  At the end of the day, we need to keep the lights on and pay salaries so we can keep making Digsby even better by bringing new features (and products, ie: mac/linux) to market.  The reason we decided to test these two revenue models is because they would allow us to accomplish this while keeping Digsby free and ad-free.

The more traditional path to take is to place small unintrusive ads in Digsby and offer an ad-free version for a modest price.  While we felt that experimenting with unique revenue models that keep the product ad-free was the better path to take, that might not be how all of you feel.

We would like to take this opportunity to get feedback from all of you about which you would prefer.

Option 1: Continue to show multiple offers in the installer along with the research module

Option 2: Show just one toolbar offer in the installer like other IM clients do and place small unintrusive ads in the product with an ad-free pro version available for a modest price

Option 3: Other – let the creativity flow!

We just pushed a new release (Build 61, r23447) to all users! This release introduces some exciting new features! As always, you can read the entire list of enhancements on our Change Log. Notable changes include:

• Brand New Look: We released a sleek new default skin called “Windows 7″ (by @Derek Erdmann). If your skin is set to anything besides the default, this will not override your preference.  If you prefer the old look, go to Preferences > Skins and choose the “QuickSilver” skin.
• MySpace Newsfeed: In Build 60, we switched the Infobox over to a full blown web browser (WebKit).  We said that the change would make the Infobox much more versatile and this is the first example of that.  We are introducing a completely redesigned MySpace newsfeed which now includes a full Activities Stream, status updates, and the ability to browse through photos.
• Global Status: A new Global Status dialog makes it easy to set your status across social networks and IM accounts. You can access it from the status dropdown on the buddy list or by double clicking any social network.  The Global Status dialog also has spell checking built in and makes it easy to share links (via digs.by) and pictures (via pic.im).
• URL Shortener: We are launching a URL shortener just for Digsby users under the domain http://digs.by. In the future you will be able to access a history of links you shared and statistics about how many times they were clicked.
• OneRiot: We partnered with OneRiot to make it easy for you to search the real-time web. Just hit “Ctrl + F” on the buddy list to search.

So what’s next?  We are going to be making similar upgrades to Facebook and Twitter while also working on per-character formatting and group chat (which are both long overdue).  After that, will work work on getting the Mac/Linux releases out the door.  Unfortunately, we don’t have an estimate on when they will launch but you know where they are on our priority list.

We will keep pushing to make Digsby even better and want to thank all of you for your continued feedback and support.  We greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word about Digsby.

If you experience any bugs in this release, please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us.

We just pushed a new release (Build 60, r22564) to all users! We have gone through several alpha releases since our last major update so there are are quite a few changes. This release includes all the features, bug fixes and enhancements in ALPHA Builds 53 – 60 on our Change Log.  Notable changes include:

• Performance: We’ve optimized performance from the ground up, reducing overall CPU usage by about 50%
• Buddy List Search: Press Ctrl+F to easily search your buddy list or the web
• Emoticons: Added four new emoticon packs to choose from
• File Transfers: Improved the reliability of AIM, ICQ, and MSN file transfers
• Conversations: Added an option for new IM windows to start hidden and blink the tray icon instead of popping up a window
• New Infobox: The infobox now uses the same user interface control as the IM window (WebKit), making it much faster and more versatile
• Twitter: Added Retweet support
• MySpace: Added support for setting status on MySpace
• Google Talk: Added support for the Invisible status on Gtalk
• And More: Over 100 other bug fixes and enhancements!

So, what’s next?  Digsby has come a long way over the past year in terms of both stability and performance.  This release was a blend of fixes and new features.  We will continue to focus on rounding out the feature set in the near term so let us know what you’d like to see!

This update is pretty large so the auto-update may take some time to download or it may take a few restarts for it to kick in.  We are going to change how the auto-update system works in the future so Digsby logs in and then downloads updates unless there are critical protocol fixes.  It will then apply the update next time you run Digsby.  This way logging in is never delayed.

We will keep pushing to make Digsby even better and want to thank all of you for your continued feedback and support.  If you want to tell the world about the Digsby, here are some ways you can help:

• Post the news to sites like Digg, Facebook, Reddit, or Mixx
• Invite your friends to try Digsby via Facebook
• Write a review of Digsby on your blog
• Use the “ShareThis” and “Buzz” widgets below to share the news

If you experience any bugs in this release, please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us.

We just pushed a new release (Build 57, r22224) to all non-alpha users.  This release is a small patch, which adds support for a change in the AIM/ICQ protocols that broke login.  This will be fixed for alpha users in the next alpha release tomorrow morning.

If you experience any bugs please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us at bugs@digsby.com. If you have any suggestions, please email us at features@digsby.com.

We just pushed a new release (Build 54, r21895) to all non-alpha users.  This release is a small patch, which adds support for a change in the Facebook chat protocol that broke login.  This will be fixed for alpha users in the next alpha release we do shortly.

If you experience any bugs please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us at bugs@digsby.com. If you have any suggestions, please email us at features@digsby.com.

We just pushed a new release (Build 51, r21152 r21307 r21316) to all users. We have gone through several alpha releases since our last major update so there are are quite a few changes. This release includes all the features, bug fixes and enhancements in Builds 46 – 51 on our Change Log.  Notable changes include:

• Added a “Local Mode” which saves all account info on your machine and uses that if Digsby is unable to connect to our servers to synchronize preferences.  Next time Digsby is able to log in, everything is synchronized.
• Fixed Hotmail message actions such as Delete and Mark as Read, which broke due to a protocol change
• Yahoo Protocol now uses their load balancers for more reliable login
• Added auto-update capability for Windows 2000 users (if you are the admin account) and fixed several bugs that prevented some users from auto-updating
• Fixed an issue that caused buddy list data (ie: merged contacts, nicknames) to not save and made preference saving more efficient
• Changed the default port for AIM and ICQ to 443 since it is more likely to succeed in many firewall situations

So, what’s next?  We are currently wrapping up a few projects that will dramatically reduce Digsby’s CPU usage.  We’re also improving the reliability and speed of file transfers.  These changes will be pushed out to Alpha testers over the next week or two.  Once we make sure these updates are stable, we will push them out as the next major release.

While our alpha testers help us hunt down bugs, we’re switching gears into feature mode!  We have done a lot of work to improve stability and performance over the past few months so we’re going to take some time to work on all those features you have been requesting. We will focus on the most commonly requested features but we also have some plans of our own. Let us know what you want most in the comments!

We will keep pushing to make Digsby even better and want to thank all of you for your continued feedback and support.  If you want to tell the world about the Digsby, here are some ways you can help:

• Post the news to sites like Digg, Facebook, Reddit, or Mixx
• Invite your friends to try Digsby via Facebook
• Write a review of Digsby on your blog
• Use the “ShareThis” and “Buzz” widgets below to share the news

If you experience any bugs in this release, please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us.

Update 1 (04/01/2009 11:15am EST): We just pushed out a small patch fixing two issues.  First, a bug that was introduced that caused some users to receive an “Invalid Username” error on login.  Second, there was a small change in the Facebook API that caused the newsfeed functionality to break for some users.  This should now be fixed as well.

Update 2 (04/01/2009 2:20pm EST): One more small patch was pushed bringing the release number to 21316. This patch fixes an issue that caused “contact signed on” popups to show for all your buddies who were online at the time you sign on and affected a small portion of users. Thank you to everyone who reported bugs in this release and helped us hunt them down!

We just pushed a new release (Build 47, r20382) to all non-alpha users.  This release is a small patch, which adds support for the new Hotmail.  Another release will go out later today to ALPHA testers with these fixes.

If you experience any bugs please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us at bugs@digsby.com. If you have any suggestions, please email us at features@digsby.com.

As always, thank you for all the feedback and enjoy the new build. Remember to invite your friends to use Digsby via Email or Facebook.

Update: The alpha release will go out tomorrow morning.

We just pushed a new release (Build 45, r19635) to all users.  This release includes all features, bug fixes and enhancements in Builds 44 and 45 on our Change Log.  Notable changes include:

• Added support for the new Yahoo Mail Platform. Those who have switched over and are using the “Yahoo Mail Classic” interface should now have email notifications again
• Completed full support for the new Gmail authentication system including auto-login to multiple accounts

If you experience any bugs please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us at bugs@digsby.com. If you have any suggestions, please email us at features@digsby.com.

As always, thank you for all the feedback and enjoy the new build. Remember to invite your friends to use Digsby via Email or Facebook.

We just pushed Build 43 to all users.  This includes all users who are running extremely old releases that have not been updated since last May.  If you have trouble with the auto-update, download the installer directly here:

http://update.digsby.com/install/digsby_setup.exe

The release pushed out today to all users includes all the features, bug fixes and enhancements in Builds 38, 39, 40, and 41 on our Change Log. Notable changes include:

• Implemented a completely new method of load balancing and authentication.  This will help us continue to scale reliably.
• Fixed Gmail/ICQ connectivity due to protocol changes. Gmail will not have auto-login for now but we will bring back the functionality
• Implemented a new version of TokBox for a better audio/video chat experience.  Just click the “Video” button at the top of the IM window
• Added support for complex languages such as Arabic and Thai
• Fixed numerous crash causing bugs, memory leaks, and performance issues

If you experience any bugs please use “Help > Send Bug Report” in the main menu to submit a diagnostic log or email us at bugs@digsby.com. If you have any suggestions, please email us at features@digsby.com.

As always, thank you for all the feedback and enjoy the new build. Remember to invite your friends to use Digsby via Email or Facebook.

Update 1 (12/13/2008 5:45pm): We just pushed a small update fixing an issue that caused a portion of users to get stuck in “Loading Contact List” when logging into AIM or ICQ.

Update 2 (12/13/2008 10:45pm): We just pushed another small update with a complete fix for the AIM/ICQ issue.  Thank you to the alpha testers who helped us test this fix on a Saturday