What is Instant Messaging?

Instant Messengers (IMs) are an online communication service that allow you to chat with one or more people in real time, much in the same way as a telephone conversation, but using text-based, rather than voice-based, interaction.

To start using instant messaging, you must have an account with one of the IM services, and you will usually need to install the relevant IM client software. Some providers will however let you access their IM services through a web-based program. The four major IM providers are: AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Microsoft's MSN Messenger (along with Windows Messenger), Yahoo Messenger and ICQ (also owned by AOL). Read on for more information of accounts and details of features for these programs ...

All of these free programs offer the following basic IM services:

one-to-one text chat
conference (multiparty) chat
file transfers

Some programs may also offer voice chats, video-conferencing via a web-cam, chat logging and the option to send SMS text messages to mobile phones. The major providers also host their own chat rooms, some of which are free, whilst others (including MSN) require a subscription.

Top 3 Messenger Services

MSN
185 million users
Yahoo
82.1 million users
AOL
61.2 million users

Each IM client allows you to build a contact (or buddy) list: the people who you want to contact. Typically, the instant messaging system alerts you whenever anybody on your private list comes online. You can then initiate a chat session with that particular person. You are also given the opportunity to display your status (available, away, be right back and so on) or even appear offline (or 'invisible') to all your contacts, and in some programs, to individual contacts. You may also 'block' certain users from contacting you, or set the system so that only people on your personal contact list may send you a message.

One of the drawbacks of instant messaging is that each IM service is incompatible with the others; you must have an account and the relevant software to send an instant message to a person using that service; for example, if you use Yahoo Messenger, you can only contact other Yahoo Messenger subscribers. So to reach friends on different services, you must run multiple IM programs.

However, there are a couple of programs that let you connect to all IM systems; most notably Cerulean Studios' Trillian. This allows you to send instant messages to contacts who subscribe to a range of different IM providers without having to download software for each one. You do, however, need to obtain an account for each provider that your contacts subscribe to.

Incompatibly between clients may be set to change in the future; In October 2005, Microsoft and Yahoo announced a plan to link their respective IM clients so that users of both can communicate with each other on one, shared network.

... that approximately 12 billion instant messages are sent every day worldwide?

TOP 10

1. Chat

2. Chat Room

3. Online Chat

4. Meet People

5. Dating

6. Friends

7. Online Dating

8. Chatting

9. Find Love

10. Romance