# 12: Instant messaging (IM)

Instant messaging provides users the ability to communicate quickly in real time. One of the advantages of using IM instead of email is that you know if the person you want to talk with is available.

Learn more about Instant messaging (IM) in Wikipedia.

To use IM you must have an account. There are a number of instant messenger providers but the four most common ones are: AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk and MSN. Unfortunately, however, one of the drawbacks with having multiple providers is that users of one service cannot talk to users with a different service.

You can access these IM services in different ways:

• download a standalone application
• use the web interface provided by the company
• use a product that supports multiple IM services.
  

Meebo is an example of web based program that allows users to log on to multiple IM accounts at once. The benefit of having a Meebo account is that it will store all of your usernames and password for the different IM services you use.

Read more about How Instant Messaging Works

Discovery Exercise:

As with any "real life" IM experience, you'll have to find out which of your friends you can connect with by asking their screenname and which service they use. You cat IM alone, so you'll need to find a partner for this one. In this exercise, it will be helpful if you and your partner are logged in to Google Talk at the same time.

1. Go to Google Talk. Click on "Launch Google Talk" and then sign in with your account (Gmail address).
   
   
2. Ask your partner for her/his screenname. In this case, it'll be the full Gmail address.
   
   
3. Add your partner to your Contacts list by entering their Gmail address into the "Search, add, or invite" box. You should see your new contact in the list and s/he should appear as "Available" if you are both logged in at the same time.
   
   
4. Start a chat session with your partner. Open a chat window by clicking on your partner's name from the Contacts list. You'll see an open whitespace with a field for typing at the bottom. Start typing and see what happens!
   
   
5. Besides chatting with text, you can also send links to websites, videos, and more. Feeling adventurous? Visit YouTube, the web's largest and best-known video site, and search for a video with a library theme. Share the video with your partner by copying the video's URL and pasting it into your chat box. It's like magic!
   

If you're already using an IM program besides Google Talk, why not set up a Meebo account so that you can monitor all of your Buddy Lists?

1. Go to Meebo to sign up for an account. You'll want to configure your accounts so that Meebo signs in to all of them at once. HINT: When logged in, look for the "Accounts" link on the left.