I haven't used Google Talk since it's inception in Gmail...primarily because I usually use Skype or Windows Messenger (default messenger program that came with the machine). I was just wondering...can you use it to talk with those who don't have a Gmail account?

Yep, you can - all they need to do is sign up for a Google account (but people who have a Gmail account automatically have a Google account, and therefore Google Talk account).

I only use Google Talk nowadays to talk to my few geeky friends who also have Google Talk because I get very annoyed with the general IM scene, especially the MSN one. "Do I know you? Then no, I don't want to be your friend, I don't want to be forced to listen to your problems with your little 12 year old friends spelled out in a toddler's attempt at language and will you please leave now." I ended up with more people on my blocked list than my friends list. Probably not a very good picture.

I don't think Google Talk will ever achieve the status of the other IM clients because it doesn't have all those bangs and whistles - backgrounds, thousands of emoticons, different coloured text, animation, etc. etc. which a lot of people like to use. So it will probably be left to the ones of us who actually only want to communicate, in understandable English, to use.

Well gtalk is very popular in India. It has now replaced yahoo messenger as the most used chat client. I'll list the ways in which gtalk is better than yahoo messenger and the ones in which it falls short:
Advs:
1)Simple interface and a neat pop up message feature
2)Integrated with orkut
3)Integrated with gmail
4)Very low ram usage
5)You can share your picasa web album
6)No annoying "Inside Yahoo"
7)You CAN disable run at startup
DisAdvs:
1)Not for dial up use. Causes problems with slow connections
2)No chat rooms
3)No environments (though i don't care about this feature)
4)Nothing like launchcast.

I have been using gtalk for a year now
before that i used MSN messenger...but i think that Gtalk is better than MSN messenger
its looks better,signing is easy,simple interface,easily understandable and has good features too..
For those who haven't tried Try it now...its really good than many messengers