Instant Messaging

Instant Messaging is a way in which two people online at the same time can send real-time messages back and forth to each other. In addition, people can put up "away messages" to alert friends where they are when they are not at their computer (college students will often be "signed on" 24 hours a day). Users have a "buddy list" alerting them when their friends are on, and kids commonly will IM numerous people at a time. The most common instant messengers are AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger.

Here is an example of someone carrying on four different IM conversations at one time. One of his friends was away at the time, so he got an auto-response back. Notice how many people he has in his buddy list (located on the right hand side).

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Last Updated February 5, 2007
Suzy Hoffmann / Tristan Hoffmann