Digsby promises IM performance fixes

Digsby said Monday that the next version of its multi-network instant-messaging software will be better. That's none too soon for those of us desperate for a better multi-protocol IM program. I'm a very active IM user, and I've been trying Digsby as the latest possible solution to my problem of incompatible instant-messaging networks. However, a brief honeymoon period was quickly replaced by frustration as my computer began freezing up for literally 30 seconds on some occasions upon arrival of a message from a new chat buddy.

The new version includes a "major reduction in RAM (memory) usage, fixes for most of the memory leaks, (and) a much more responsive user interface," according to Digsby's blog. "We have bunkered down to fully optimize our codebase."

Memory leaks occur when a program doesn't properly release memory it's no longer using, meaning that it gradually takes up more and more memory even though it's not doing any more work.