Which instant message system should I use?

Posted by arlene

Unfortunately, the instant-messaging systems don’ttalkto one another. Because the goal of all of these systems is to help you stay in touch with your friends, use whichever one they use. If you’re not sure who your friends are, AQL Instant Messenger is a good bet because it’s easy to set up and works automatically with any AQL user; it’s the same system that AQL uses internally. We like Yahoo Messenger because it’s free, supports text, voice, and video, and allows more than two people to chat. (We’ve held meetings on Yahoo Messenger with six people on voice, two on video, and everyone typing snide comments atthe same time.) If you have Windows XP, you already have Windows Messenger, which comes pre-installed.

If you’re really message-mad, you can run more than one system at the same time. While we were writing this chapter, we had Windows Messenger, AQL Instant Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger all running at once. It was an awful lot of blinking and flashing, but it did work. We also like an open source program called G a im at gaim. sourceforge .net that handles every IM system you ever heard of simultaneously.

The New’ Best Thing to Being There

Instant Messaging (IM) lets you type short messages that appear in a window on someone else’s computer. It’s faster than e-mail, but slightly less intrusive than a phone call, and so far few people have their secretaries screen their IMs.

This chapter describes how to use the most popular IM systems: AOL Instant Messenger, Windows or MSN Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger.

Instant message programs open a new window when one of your buddies sends you a message. If you have a program that blocks popup windows in your browser, IM windows aren’t affected. This is because popup-blockers block only Web browser popups.

AOL Instant /Messenger (14IM)

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM for short) is one of the simplest chat systems around. All it does is let you type messages back and forth. This section describes AIM version 5. If you use AOL, you can either use the separate AIM program we describe here or the AIM part of the regular AOL program (which does the same things although the windows are a little different).

Taking AIM

If you’re an AOL user, you’re already set up for instant messages. If not, you have to install the AIM program. AOL subscribers can also run the AIM program and use their AOL screen names when they’re logged in to another kind of Internet account.

AOL, being the hyper-aggressive marketing organization it is, has arranged for AIM to be bundled in with a lot of other packages. If you don’t have it, visit www aim. com and follow the directions on the Web page to download it. Before you can download the program, you have to choose a screen name — which can be up to 16 letters long (be creative so yours won’t collide with one of the 30 million names already in use) — and a password. You also have to enter your e-mail address. AOL, refreshingly, doesn’t want any more personal information. The e-mail address you give does have to be real; AOL sends a confirmation message to that address, and you must reply or your screen name is deleted.

Save the downloaded file somewhere on your computer. (C: \Windows \Temp is an okay place if you don’t have another folder you use for downloads.) Then run the downloaded program (which is called Installation.exe last we looked) to install AIM. Normally AIM runs in the background whenever you’re online. If it’s not running, click the AIM icon on your desktop.

Type your screen name and password and click Sign On. If you want to use AIM every time you’re online, check the Save Password and Auto-login boxes before signing on, and AIM will sign you on automatically in the future. After you sign in, you see the AIM window. You also see a big window full of news, ads, and links to AOL’s Web site — just close it.

AIM may run the New User Wizard, which offers help getting started. Follow its instructions, or click Cancel to go it alone (you can always return to the wizard by choosing Help-New User Wizard from the AIM menu). A stock ticker runs along the bottom of the AIM window (for you serious investors); click the button on its left edge to see news details or to customize the ticket

Getting your buddies organized

Later you create your Buddy List, and then you can send messages.

When AIM opens, you see your Buddy List, that is, other AIM users who you like to chat with. The window shows which of your many buddies are currently online (everyone who’s not currently listed in the Offline category). What? None of your pals appears? You need to add your friend’s AOL or AIM screen names to your Buddy List.

In the AIM window, click the Setup or Edit Buddy List button to display the Buddy List Setup window. It lists all your groups of buddies. AOL provides three groups: Buddies, Family, and Co-Workers. (You can make other groups, too, using the Add Group button.) Click the group to which you want to add it, click the Add Buddy button, type the buddy’s screen name, and press Enter. If you know the e-mail address but not the screen name, return to the AIM window and choose PeopleFind a Buddy Wizard. Doing so starts a wizard that looks for that address and helps you add any screen names that match. You can drag a buddy around (from one group to another in the Buddy List Setup window), or get rid of a buddy (by clicking the buddy and then clicking the Delete button).

After you select your buddies, click the Return to Buddy List button, which closes the Buddy List Setup window and returns you to the AIM window. You see your Buddy List with offline folks’ names in pale gray and everyone else organized by group.

Where did IM come from?

ICQ (pronounced I seek you) was the original instant messenger and still has many million users, especially outside the United States. It’s available from their Web site at www. icg. com. ICQ. comes in 18 languages and has about a quadrillion differentfeatures and options, but basically, you download and install ICQ and set it up to get an ICQ#, sort of like a phone number, that identifies you. Then you identify some buddies and start sending them instant messages and chatting with them. The ICQ program runs on Windows (all versions, starting with 3.1), Macs, Palm Pilots, and, for all we know, certain espresso machines.

AQL bought ICG many years ago, and we expected that they’d integrate it with AIM, but it seems that ICQ and AIM will stay separate systems.

1. Getting buddy-buddy online

To send a message to someone, double-click the buddy’s name to open a message window, type the message, and click the Send button. AIM pops up a window (shown in the left part of Figure 16-2) on the recipient’s machine, plays a little song, and you and your buddy can type back and forth. When done, close the message window.

Unless you are a very fast typist or your friend lives in Mongolia, a highly effective thing to type is “What’s your phone number?” and call the person on the phone — or follow the instructions in the next section.

2. Making noise With NM

After you establish a conversation using AIM, you can switch to voice (assuming that both parties have computers equipped with microphones and speakers). Click the Talk button and click Connect. Your friend sees a window asking whether (s)he wants to make a direct connection with you. Clicking Accept in that window displays the Talk. Click Disconnect when you are done talking.

3. Buzz off

AOL evidently has a lot of ill-mannered users, because AIM has a system for warning and blocking users you don’t like. If someone sends you an annoying message, you can click the Warn button. With enough warnings (about five), a user is blocked from sending instant messages for a while. If you find a sender to be totally objectionable, click the Block button to refuse all messages from that person.

You can fine-tune who you let send messages to you: Click the Prefs button to display the AOL Instant Messenger Preferences window, then the Privacy category. You can limit messages to people on your Buddy List, permit specific people access, or block specific people. You can also add or delete people from your Block list. We recommend choosing Allow Only Users on My Buddy List unless you like being contacted by total strangers at inconvenient moments There is no escape

When you exit from AIM by clicking its Big Red X, the program usually doesn’t stop running. Instead, it changes into a tiny icon in your Windows notification area, on the right end of the Windows Taskbar, near the clock. AIM continues to run so that if one of your buddies wants to contact you, it can respond and pop up the incoming message. You can sign off or exit from the program by right-clicking the icon and choose Sign Off or Exit.

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