How to Download Gmail Chat Logs via IMAP

Sen Rikyu made a vase. Then, he made tea.
During the tea ceremony, one guest could not hold onto himself when they all noticed that the master had filled an obviously broken vase from which water was slowly dripping: "Sen no Rikyu, your vase is leaking!"
"I know," said Rikyu. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Now, whether you find Gmail pleasing in a sabi kind of manner, you can have it leak your Google Talk chat transcripts in more than a dripping manner:
›› Want to back up the important Google Talk conversations and chat logs kept in Gmail or look up information from them on your desktop? Here's how to set up access to the Gmail "Chats" folder in your (practically) every email program.