How to Get Started with Instant Messaging

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By ByDezin
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Get Started with Instant Messaging

So many times we'll be somewhere doing something on the web and you may be asked... "What's your s/n on IM?" or "Which IM do you use?" You feel yourself breaking into a sweat... your heart starts racing with "What's an IM???????" Panic sets in!!! You're new to this internet gig and don't want to show that you're not internet savvy, so *poof* you quickly leave the pogo game you're playing or fail to answer that question in an email from a new-found friend you've connected with at eHow to avoid embarrassment... Now you too can confidently respond and share your S/N (screen name) and IM service!! What are IMs and why do I need them??? IMs (instant messaging) are the ability to instantly chat in real-time with someone that is currently also using the internet... and we thought e-mail was incredible! With IMs you don't have to wait to receive your message, or wait for a reply (with the exception of course of our own speed of typing). You can carry on a conversation just as if you were talking to a person over the phone, reading and typing instead of calling. IMs can be done from just about anywhere, computers, cell phones, iPhones and iPods... There are even IM programs that allow us to send offline messages so when a person goes online, the message will be there waiting for them. Great for quick and instant communication so you don't need to wonder if your "snail" mail was lost enroute, or your e-mail was blocked by some auspicious spam blocker.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Computer
Keyboard and/or headset with microphone
Internet Access

Step 1

First things first, you'll need to decide which IM service you would like to start with, such as Yahoo, MSN, or AIM; or a universal program such as Trillian and Pidgin that will incorporate several different stand-alone programs to be utilized within it.
Step 2

Next, after you have decided which program you would like to use, you will need to create your user ID / Screen Name / passport / account etc. per the program's instructions.
Step 3

After creating your account, you are ready to log in with your user ID and password.
Step 4

Now you're ready to add contacts to your buddy/contact list. If you know your buddy's ID that you would like to contact, you can add them to your contact list per the interface's preferences. Be sure to follow instructions for each individual program, some do have slight differences and/or requirements.
Step 5

Now you're ready to instantly chat with anyone around the globe! Start sending messages!!

Tips & Warnings

Be sure to follow instructions for each individual program, some do have slight differences and/or requirements.
IM contact names (ID/screen name) is commonly listed on personal web pages such as MySpace so that new friends/acquaintances can contact you instantly to discuss common interests.
Some programs allow a "lite" version or web based interface so that if you don't want to download and install a full program, you can use it right from your browser (IE, FireFox, etc.). Depending on your online status (private, public computer) you can choose which interface will be best for you.
The universal programs allow the integration of the most commonly used messenger services from one program.
After creating an account, some programs will require a verification process where they send you an e-mail with a verification link to click to complete your registration process. If you don't see this email show up in a few minutes from your registration, be sure to check your bulk/spam/junk folders as they are sometimes filtered as spam.
Use your block feature to block unwanted user messages / spammers. See program specifics for details.