If you have not yet tried the Chat Hub User Interface (CHUI) take a look at Loki’s review: LOKI vs CHUI.
I like first users’ impressions of things. Nice review and lots of pictures of the interface as it is now.
Loki’s opinion of it and how he does nearby and group chat and IM’s is interesting. His feeling that he is likely to change how he has been doing chat to get the benefits of the new CHUI speaks well of the new interface.