This product is still in beta phase at the time this article was written, so these things should improve soon. This feature works now, but unlike the Windows version, there is no way to turn it off in the beta Linux version. McNair indicated this would be fixed in the next beta revision. The lack of ability to execute a file transfer is a big difference between this product and other IM clients, and it is next on the list of features to add to Messenger. Perhaps the biggest drawback to this application for Linux users is the need to already be a member of an IM service in order to use it.
Messenger does give users a reason to start using other services, however.
Messenger touts itself as a commercial product, a fact clearly evident by the presence of the copyright in the program. Still, the source code is being released with the product, which raised the question of where imici was placing itself in the Linux market. Right now, imici holds a straight copyright for the Messenger client, even though it is releasing the GUI source code. Federighi and McNair both indicated that internal discussions are taking place for release some or all of the code under a GPL, but could not elaborate further at this time. One future project for the developers will be the creation of IM bots to handle transfers into all of the other IM protocols out there.