Content deleted Content added
Line 3:
==Overview==
Instant messaging requires the use of a [[client (computing)|client program]] that hooks up an instant messaging service and differs from [[e-mail]] in that conversations are then able to happen in [[realtime]]. Most services offer a [[presence information]] feature, indicating whether people on one's list of contacts are currently online and available to chat. This may be called a '[[Buddy List]]'. In early instant messaging programs, each letter appeared as it was typed, and when letters were deleted to correct typos this was also seen in real time. This made it more like a telephone conversation than exchanging letters. In modern instant messenging programs, the other party in the conversation generally only sees each line of text right after a new line is started. Most instant messaging applications also include the ability to set a [[Status message (IM)|status message]], roughly analogous to the message on a telephone answering machine but you could not talk on it you could only type things in but thanks to programs like [[Google Talk]] you can use it just like a phone but it is free.
Popular instant messaging services on the public Internet include [[Qnext]], [[MSN Messenger]], [[AOL Instant Messenger]], [[Yahoo! Messenger]], [[Skype]], [[Google Talk]], [[.NET Messenger Service]], [[Jabber]] and [[ICQ]]. These services owe many ideas to an older (and still popular) [[online chat]] medium known as [[Internet Relay Chat]] (IRC).
| |||