Twitter desktop client needed. Help!

26 Oct 2009 6 Comments

by Stephin Tools of the trade Tags:

Adobe AIR is conflicting with my newspaper’s security controls. Currently, I use (and prefer) Twhirl for my desktop client because I really like being able to put the multiple accounts I manage onto my second monitor so I can watch the Twitter streams at a glance when I see new tweets appear. I just work better with Twitter like this:

pic102609_1

I like that each Twhirl window is a different account and I don’t have to manually click a button to change between accounts like I do with, ohhhh every other freaking Twitter client out there. It’s why I don’t like Tweetdeck for managing multiple accounts.I want my multiple accounts viewable at-a-glance.

The problem with any AIR app is this:

security

Every single time each Twhirl window open makes a call to the Twitter API, I get several of these. I have to click them away before I can tweet or read new tweets. I have tried installing the certificate it asks for but it does no good. My IT person here can’t seem to find the solution either.

So, I need another app because using web-based apps like Hootsuite, Brizzly or Seesmic Web aren’t cutting it for me. Here are my limitations:

  • Can’t use an AIR app.
  • I’m on Windows XP still. (The closest app that looks like it’s what I want is one @ernmander suggested called Blu, but it’s Vista only :( )
  • Obviously security is tight here at the paper, so I cannot (and will not) download an executable installation.
  • No IM allowed, so something like Digsby is a no-go. Plus I don’t know what Digsby’s multiple account support is like.

I’m just irritated that developers seem to think we all prefer everything kept in one app like Tweetdeck. I mean, I know a lot of people do and I’m probably in the minority here, but I feel a bit lost now that I’m unable to quickly dip into and out of my work and professional accounts quickly. Clicking over to them and waiting for each account to load in one app seems slow to me and harder to monitor.

So am I just not finding the right app? Or is there just not one out there that suits me which means I’ll have to *shudder* adapt to change ;) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!