In many respects, instant messaging is to email what mobile phones are to normal phones. It's quick, convenient and ideal if you want to have a quick natter regardless of where you are. And just as many of us now make more use of our mobiles than our landline phones, many Internet users are becoming increasingly more reliant on instant messaging (normally abbreviated to IM) rather than email as their main means of communication.

While IM has often been viewed as a youth phenomenon, recent research suggests that it is now popular across a wide variety of age groups. While there are still some notable differences - young people make more frequent use of IM than older generations, and men are more likely to use IM in the workplace than women - IM has rapidly become a mainstream communications technology.

IM services have existed for nearly as long as the Internet itself has been in popular use. ICQ was arguably the first service to gain widespread recognition, although IRC (Internet Relay Chat), a basic chat and messaging service, predates it by several years and remains popular amongst more technically-oriented Internet users. Microsoft's inclusion of a basic client (Windows Messenger) as part of the Windows operating system made IM a truly mainstream offering.

The four main IM clients available in this country are those from Microsoft (which has both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger), Yahoo! (Yahoo! Messenger), Google (Google Talk) and ICQ. (ICQ is owned by giant American ISP AOL, which also has its own IM client, widely used in America but relatively unknown here.) So if you want to get started with IM, the first decision is which package to use.

 

Choosing your software
Instant messaging is only fun if you have lots of people to chat with. Each IM client includes

Another important factor may be what other online services you use. There's tight integration between IM clients and other popular online freebies such as Web mail. Thus if you're a Hotmail user, using Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger will give you automatic alerts when you receive new mail and allow you to import contact lists automatically. If you use a Yahoo! Mail account, then the same logic applies to Yahoo! Messenger, while Gmail users will see similar benefits from using Google Talk.

Other extras are more a matter of taste. MSN Messenger provides automatic notifications when users on your contact list have updated their MSN Spaces site. Yahoo! Messenger includes tight integration with Yahoo!'s music and radio services, while ICQ includes a bunch of games and interactive services known as Xtras. If you're using a non-Windows PC, your choices are likely to be constrained by which packages are available, though there are still plenty of choices for Mac and Linux users.

Installation file size and software overhead are another consideration. Windows Messenger is already installed on most new Windows PCs; its sibling MSN Messenger has a flasher interface and extra options, but includes integrated advertising which you can't readily switch off. Google Talk is an extremely compact package which is fast to download and install, but has correspondingly fewer features. ICQ is by far the largest download, and in NetGuide's experience is the least stable of the packages.

Because IM software is generally free, there's nothing to stop you installing every single client, though doing so can considerably slow down your computer's boot time as each client tries to sign itself in. In practice, most people tend to settle on just one package in the long run, with Microsoft's clients the most popular according to online surveys. (Windows Messenger's presence within the operating system is undoubtedly a major factor here.)

If you have friends using lots of different IM services, then you may want to try Trillian. This package (available at www.ceruleanstudios.com) allows sign-in to multiple services simultaneously, though it doesn't offer all the extras found in each individual IM client and some users occasionally report sign-in difficulties with individual services.

 

Getting into IM
Whichever package you choose, all IM clients present roughly the same appearance and work in the same way. When the software launches, you will be asked to sign in using a user name and password. If you already have an existing email account with the service provider (Hotmail/Microsoft, Yahoo! or Google), then you simply use those details. If you don't, the software will guide you through the one-time process of signing up for an account.

Most IM clients will automatically attempt to sign themselves in as soon as you switch your PC on. While you can disable this option if you wish, staying signed in makes sense, as you never know when someone else may wish to contact you.

On your home PC, you can also set IM software to remember your password, providing automated sign-in without any intervention. If you are using an IM client in an Internet cafe, however, you should switch off the automatic sign-in and 'remember password' options, to prevent others from accessing your IM account after you log off.

Just as you can't send someone an email without knowing your address, you can't have IM chats with other users without adding them to your contact list. Each IM client includes an 'add contact' option, which will allow you to add in the addresses of friends and family, and can search through your existing contact lists to add new users. Most packages also allow you to sort contacts into groups (such as 'family' or 'work'), which can be useful as you acquire more addresses.

Once contacts have been added to your list, your IM software will instantly display their current status. In Windows Messenger, for instance, contacts who appear with a blue icon are currently online. Those with a red icon are not signed in. To start chatting with a contact, simply double-click on their name and type your message. This will be sent instantly to them, and they can then reply.

The 'instant' nature of IM means that messages are normally rather different to those you might send via email. While emails tend to be composed using full sentences, IM chatting is often much briefer and more spontaneous. Abbreviations are frequently used (see our box of 'Common IM abbreviations' for some useful examples). In many ways, chat can resemble text messages sent via mobile phones, although the fact that IM users have access to a full keyboard means that SMS-style spellings are somewhat less common.

A key feature of your IM client is the online status feature, which allows you to indicate your current activity. Typical options include 'Online', 'Busy', 'Away' or 'On the phone'. Setting your status appropriately will stop other people from hassling you with messages when you're trying to get something done. Similarly, you should respect the status messages of others and not bombard someone who has set their status as 'busy' with inanities!

 

More than text
While IM clients were originally designed simply for one-off text exchanges, the current crop has rather more scope. Most support the use of 'emoticons' - small pictures such as smiley faces which can help to convey your mood. Many IM users find these charming, while others prefer not to use them. If you fall into the latter category, most IM clients allow you to switch them off. In Windows Messenger, select Options from the Tools menu, select the Personal tab and make sure that 'Show graphics (emoticons) in instant messages' is not ticked. In MSN Messenger, select Options from the Tools menu, select the Messages category and make sure that 'Show emoticons' is not ticked. In Yahoo! Messenger, select Preferences from the Messenger menu, select the Messages category and make sure that 'Enable emoticons' is not ticked. Google Talk doesn't include emoticons, and ICQ doesn't let you switch them off.

One common criticism of IM is that there's no permanent record of conversations - not a major problem if you're simply gossipping, but a potential nuisance if someone passes on important details such as a phone number, address or travel itinerary. Fortunately, most IM clients now allow you to save conversations to your hard drive. Select 'Save' or 'Save as' from the file menu in a conversation to save a copy.

You can also configure your IM client to automatically save all conversations. In MSN Messenger, select Options from the Tools menu, select the Messages category and make sure that 'Automatically keep a history of my conversations' is ticked. If you wish, you can also specify where the history files are stored. In Yahoo! Messenger, select Preferences from the Messenger menu, select the Archive category and make sure that 'Yes, save all of my messages' is ticked. In Google Talk, click on Settings, select Privacy and make sure 'Save recent chat history' is ticked. In ICQ, click on the Menu (arrow) button, select Preferences and security, select the Saving options category, and make sure that 'Save history' is ticked.

Many IM clients allow you to send photos or other files to your contacts, providing a nice personal touch. In Windows Messenger, select the Actions menu then 'Send a file or photo'; in MSN Messenger, select the Actions menu, 'Send other' then 'Send a file or photo'; in Yahoo! Messenger, select the Actions menu then 'Send a file'.

While photo sharing is fun, be sure to resize your photos so that the files you're sending aren't too large. You may also need to adjust your security and firewall settings to allow you to accept files sent by your contacts. (An alternative approach is to upload your files to a blogging or photo hosting service, and then simply send a link to the site via IM. All IM clients allow users to access Web sites simply by clicking on the link.)

The most recent enhancement to IM has been the ability to make audio and video calls. If you have a sufficiently high-speed connection and a decent microphone or camera, then this provides an effectively free method of making calls, presuming that both users have the right equipment. (The etiquette involved is rather different, however; while text chatting in IM can be rather terse, using voice or video calls still requires standard telephone manners).

The flipside of making these kinds of calls is that service quality is rarely guaranteed. If you want to regularly make audio calls using your computer, you may well be better off using a dedicated package such as Skype, or a specific home VOIP service.

 

IM etiquette
Getting along with other via IM is largely a matter of good manners and common sense. Simply bear the following guidelines in mind:

• Be alert. Pay attention to the status messages set by other people. If someone has set their status to 'Away' or 'Busy', now is not the time to bombard them with that hilarious new link you've just discovered. Also be aware of time differences if you want to send messages to family and friends overseas (visit www.whitepages.co.nz to check on times overseas).

• Be concise. If you regularly find yourself running out of space (most IM packages limit the number of letters you can type), consider composing an email instead. Don't send large files to people without checking if they're interested first.

• Be yourself. IM is an informal medium, so it doesn't matter if you make the occasional spelling error or ignore punctuation. However, totally illiterate messages may be difficult for others to follow.

• Be thoughtful. Remarks made in the heat of the moment on IM can come across in a manner you didn't intend. A certain degree of terseness is accepted behaviour in this environment, but give some thought to the impact of your messages. If an argument begins to develop over IM, cool off before you reply rather than saying something you'll later regret.

• Be patient. While you should try not to interrupt people, some degree of overlap is inevitable in most IM conversations. Recognise that not everyone types at the same speed and a reply may not instantly appear.

• Be well-mannered. Typing a whole IM in capital letters is the equivalent of shouting, and is considered bad manners. Also resist the urge to send huge files via IM, especially to users on dial-up connections.

• Be realistic. If you're conducting half-a-dozen IM conversations at once, chances are you'll end up sending the wrong message to the wrong person. Send a quick 'busy right now, will chat shortly' message if you're getting messages from too many people at once.

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TIPS

Beware of IM spam
Once you sign up for an IM service, don't be surprised if you get contacted by mysterious strangers whose names you don't recognise. Unfortunately, IM users can be bombarded with spam, much of which is automatically generated by specially configured software robots. To help minimise this problem, be cautious about sharing your IM address with others, and never accept downloads or file transmissions from strangers.

You can also configure your software to ignore messages from anyone you haven't explicitly added to your contact list. In MSN Messenger, select Options from the Tools menu, select the Privacy category and make sure that 'Only people on my Allow list can see my status and send me messages' is ticked. In Yahoo! Messenger, select Privacy options from the Messenger menu, select the Ignore list category and make sure that 'Ignore anyone who is not on my Messenger list' is ticked. In ICQ, click on the Menu (arrow) button, select Spam control and make sure that 'Accept messages only from users on my Contact List' is ticked. Windows Messenger and Google Talk don't offer general blocking options of this kind, but do enable you to block individual users.

 

Browser beware
When installing your IM client, be sure to carefully read through each installation screen rather than just impatiently clicking Next. Most IM clients will automatically change your home page and search settings by default - a nuisance you can avoid by deselecting those options during installations.

 

Microphone message
If you plan to regularly make use of IM for voice or video calls, spend a little extra money on a decent microphone and/or Web cam. Such hardware can make a major difference to the quality of your chatting experience, so don't be tempted to skimp. In practice, audio and video calls won't work if you're only using a dial-up connection, though basic text messaging will be fine.

 

There's a place for us
If you travel regularly, then IM is a neat way of indicating your current whereabouts to friends and family. Simply edit your display name or status message to include your location (eg: "Anne in Queenstown").

 

Cafe time
Access to IM can be handy when travelling, but many Internet cafes don't have the client software installed and won't allow you to download and install it yourself. However, all may not be lost. Windows or MSN messenger users can visit webmessenger.msn.com to sign into a browser-based version of the service.

 

Home and away
Most IM clients can be automatically set to show your status as 'Away' after a set period of time, which is particularly useful for users on broadband connections who might otherwise appear to be signed in 24 hours a day. In Windows Messenger, select Options from the Tools menu, select the Preferences tab, make sure that 'Show me as Away when I'm inactive ' is ticked and set your preferred time. In MSN Messenger, select Options from the Tools menu, select the Personal category, make sure that 'Show me as Away when I'm inactive ' is ticked and set your preferred time. In Yahoo! Messenger, select Preferences from the Messenger menu, select the Privacy category, make sure that 'Show me as Idle if I don't use the computer ' is ticked and set your preferred time. In ICQ, click on the Menu (arrow) button, select Preferences and security, select the Status mode category, make sure that 'Set Away status' is ticked and set your preferred time.

 

Download your IM client
Want to get going with instant messaging? Here's the download addresses for each of the major IM clients available here. Most of these require direct connection to their site for installation. All are available for Windows; MSN Messenger and ICQ are available for Mac users (who can also utilise the built-in iChat client in OS X).

• Google Talk
• ICQ
• MSN Messenger
• Yahoo! Messenger

 

Common IM acronyms
In order to speed up typing, many IM users make frequent use of abbreviations or acronyms. While you should avoid overusing these, they can be handy at times. Here's a guide to some of the more common abbreviations (presented in lower case because that's how people normally type them):

afaik as far as I know

atm at the moment

brb be right back

btw by the way

cya see you, goodbye

fwiw for what it's worth

fyi for your information

ianal I am not a lawyer

imho in my humble opinion

gtg got to go

lol laughing out loud

np no problem

thx, tx thanks

rofl rolling on floor laughing