I have been using Gaim (now Pidgin) for quite some time now and don't plan on changing clients anytime soon.
Pidgin comes with a descent set of Smiley faces. My girlfriend always wonders why I use a 'restricted' client. I try to explain to her that not only am I not restricting myself using the client, I am actually doing myself a favor. By favor I mean using Pidgin allows me to start from fresh. I used to hate all the 'bulk' that AIM, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger used to give me when I installed them, especially when they started loading the clients with Ads. Sure you can remove some of the bulk, but why should I have to move backwards.
Installing Pidgin gives me the liberty to go out and pick the bulk I want to add.
First thing I tend to do is add Smiley's.
Here is how:
1. Download and Install Pidgin here.
2. Download icons here.
3. Load Pidgin.
4. On Pidgin Client click on Tools > Preferences.(keyboard shortcut CTRL+P)
5. In the Preferences Menu click on the Smiley Themes Tab.
6. Now Simply Drag and Drop the Downloaded theme into the Smiley Theme Window.
7. Click OK to Finish
8. You now have a new set of Smiley's for your Pidgin Client.
Enjoy
