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E-mail still has its place (for instance sending out this tech tip), but the coolest way to communicate so far in the 21st Century is IM, or Instant Messaging. For those of you already using IM (about half of our readers), you can pretty much ignore this and wait for next week’s tech tip. The rest of you should give IM a try.

In its most basic form, Instant Messaging involves two people both logged in at the same time, typing messages and responses to each other in real-time. Each person must have the same IM software on their computer, called a Client. In the real world, every common IM client allows more than two people at a time, along with a grab-bag of other nifty features, some of which we will mention as we go.

The most common Messaging clients are:

1. AIM (aol.com) – America Online Instant Messenger is the most popular, especially with teenagers. The interface makes it very easy to set up a ‘buddy list’ of people you want to chat with. Originally you had to be an AOL subscriber to use AIM. It is now available to anyone, but the service is loaded up with lots of advertising. The Macintosh counterpart is iChat, which is cross compatible with AIM so Macintosh and PC users can talk to each other.

2. ICQ (icq.com) – This messaging client was the first one adapted for the Internet, and quickly became a favorite program of hardcore geeks everywhere. A wealth of features are available in an interface that can be a little confusing to the average user, which probably only added to its appeal in the pocket-protector crowd. By the way, ICQ is now owned by AOL.

3. MSN Messenger (messenger.msn.com) – Well, it involves computers and everybody’s doing it, so of course Microsoft wants a big piece of it. This client not only comes bundled with every copy of Windows, it includes many extra features such as PC-to-PC calling, video conferencing, application sharing and more.

4. Yahoo! Messenger (messenger.msn.com) – This one is aimed at corporate networks and older users (older than teenagers, anyway). It may have the richest features of any of them, for instance free PC-to-PC phone conferencing with sophisticated backgrounds and emoticons.

So let’s get started, using Yahoo! Messenger as the example because it has a simple interface and a full feature set (and it’s free). You will need to download and install the client software, available to anyone with a free Yahoo! account.

Once the client is installed on your system, begin by creating a ‘friends list’. This is the same as the ‘buddy list’ in AOL. To add someone to the list, simply click on the ADD icon and fill in the contact information. You are not limited to only chatting with people on the list, but it makes it much easier and you should add anyone you want to chat with regularly. Of course, they will also need to have the Yahoo! Messenger client.

The list will have an icon next to each name. If a person is online and has Yahoo! Messenger open, there will be a yellow smiley face next to their name. If they are not online the icon will be a gray sleepy face. This is the main advantage of the list, to see at a glance who is available to chat.

To send a message to someone on the list, simply double-click their name and type your message in the box that opens. Click Send and the message will appear in a pop-up box on your friend’s monitor. They type and send their reply, and your chat session is underway. To message someone not on your list, double-click Yahoo! Helper and use that box instead. If you are online yourself but don’t want to be interrupted by messages, you can close the Yahoo! Messenger program.

OK, let’s look at some of the additional features. To include a whole group in your chat session, choose Tools, then Yahoo!Chat and select Create a Room. Now you can invite people on your list into your own private chat room.

Another feature is voice chat. If you and a friend both have computer microphones, you can have a voice conversation over the Internet at no extra cost even if they are halfway around the world. It’s not exactly like a phone call, though. The transmission uses half-duplex, which means only one person can talk at a time while the other one listens, like a walkie-talkie. There is also a slight delay, which can lead to both people trying to talk at the same time. All the same, it can be a very handy feature if you have friends in far-off places. To use it, set up a chat session with your friend as before, and in the same window click on the Voice button. If you have problems, call up the Audio Setup Wizard from the Help menu.

Just like e-mail, IM can be used to transfer files. To do this, right-click on the recipient’s name and from the pop-up menu choose Send a File. On the other end, your friend will be asked if they want to accept or reject the file. As we all know, files can carry viruses, Trojans and other nasty surprises. If you receive an instant message with a file attached, the same rules of common sense apply that you would use for an e-mail message with attachments.

And last, just about the coolest thing you can do with IM is video conferencing. Some of you may remember back in the 1960s when it was predicted that soon every home would have a ‘video-phone’ so you see as well as hear the person on the other end. Well, it’s finally here. Video-conferencing requires a webcam on both ends but beyond that it’s quite simple to set up. In the main messenger window click on the Tools menu and select Start My Webcam. In the Webcam window, open the File menu, click on Preferences and choose the Webcam category. Click the Camera Source button, select the camera you want to use and then click OK to close all the dialog boxes.

You’re all set to go, with this word of advice. If you’re in the habit of holding chat sessions first thing in the morning before you’ve dressed or combed your hair, you might want to reconsider now that you have videoconferencing.

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