so i downloaded the new google talk when it 'beta' launched this week (side note: i find google's habit of releasing things to the wide-open public and calling them 'beta' products for months and months completely ridiculous). i am completely torn on my opinion. it's super basic, so it doesn't have any of the frills/toys of the other 'big three' messenger services (AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger). while i know i don't need those frills, i have to admit that i find the cutesy yahoo messenger avatars kinda fun, and that i update mine on a semi-regular basis. and i really like being able to listen to streaming radio every now and then via messenger.
and then conversely, i like what some guy named christopher hall said about google talk:

"The program is efficient, streamlined, and down-to-Earth in its execution.
I won't deny that it's extremely Spartan in its appearance, but the presentation is textbook Google elegance. I'm not interested in emoticons, skins, and file transfer. I need this to communicate, not fancy up like a 12-year-old girl's Trapper Keeper.
If this is what I have to endure to avoid being assaulted by ads (*cough, AIM, cough*), I'm in."

...or maybe i just like his mention of trapper keepers, and i miss spending time customizing one for back-to-school.

come to think of it, what's stopping me? maybe i need a bitchin' trapper keeper for post-labor-day work fun.