NetDestinations Instant
Messaging
By Jonathan Oatis
NEW YORK (Reuters) - America Online is battling
Microsoft for supremacy in yet another digital
arena: instant messaging. Want to join the war?
Instant messaging is a form of chat in which
Netizens communicate in real time. The neat part:
the software can tell you when particular friends,
relatives or colleagues are online and available to
''talk.''
Instant messaging -- let's call it IM for short -- has
long been a part of my Net tool chest. In addition
to giving me the ability to chat online at a
moment's notice with a buddy or a sibling, I've
found it handy for reaching someone whose phone
line is tied up because they're online. If they have
the same IM software, I can go online and send
them a message saying, ''Hey, log off so we can
gab on the phone.'' Or just let our fingers do the
talking.
One of my more interesting cyber-experiences
involved instant messages exchanged with a
Reuters colleague in the Jakarta, Indonesia, bureau
during the unrest there a while ago.
Another IM epiphany occurred while I was in Maine
last summer. I ran into two couples -- one from
Canada, the other from an island in the English
Channel -- who'd met during a random instant
message session and decided to vacation together.
Another nice thing: all of this software is free.
Interested yet?
America Online has been the leader for years in
instant messaging, one of AOL's most popular
features.
But, last month, Microsoft and Yahoo fired the first
salvo in the latest cyber-war. The two companies
offered free software that would enable users to
send instant messages to the 43 million users of
AOL's instant messaging software as well as
members of their own instant messaging
communities.
AOL, accusing the two companies of unauthorized
incursions into its network infrastructure, quickly
blocked the rival software, touching off a
programming arms race in which Microsoft
engineers tried to overcome one AOL defense after
another. Yahoo, meanwhile, backed off, letting
Microsoft and AOL duke it out.
The war continues. On Friday, the New York Times
reported that Microsoft acknowledged one of its
programmers apparently pretended to be an
independent computer consultant earlier this week
in an effort to discredit America Online's tactics in
the instant-messaging squabble.
AOL also owns ICQ, an even more potent instant
messaging program which, it says, has 40 million
users. AOL liked ICQ so much, it bought the Israeli
company that created it.
Joining the millions of IM'ers can be a fairly
straightforward process. If you want try out AOL's
flavor, go to their Web site -- aol.com
-- and look for a banner ad saying something like
''AOL Instant Messenger.'' Click on it.
AOL will ask you for a screen name, a password
and an e-mail address before offering you your
choice of Windows or Macintosh AOL Instant
Messenger (AIM) software (Note: the screen name
you choose may already be taken. If so, you may
have to try several variations or different names
before getting the one you want.)
Once you install AIM, a ''Wizard'' pops up that can
give you a quick overview of the program --
including the fact that you don't have to be an
AOL subscriber to use it. The Wizard also enables
you to enter your name, city and other information,
should you wish to let others search for you. If you
want, you can also pick up to five areas of interest
that can relate to hobbies, your profession, etc.,
allowing people looking for a random chat to find
you.
The Wizard also helps find other AIM users by
e-mail address, name and physical address or
interest.
As with virtually all instant messenger software,
AOL's will appear on your screen in the form of a
small, rectangular window. Sound effects can clue
you in to when a buddy goes online or sends you a
message.
In earlier versions, AIM allowed one-on-one chats
only. But later editions give you the power to open
your own chat room and invite a group of buddies
in for a bull session.
AOL's software and many of the others give you
the ability to send warning messages or block
incoming messages from those whose online
conversation you find offensive or annoying. Check
the online help section for details.
For Microsoft's offering, MSN Messenger, go to
messenger.msn.com and click on the
''Download Now!'' button. You may note that, at
this point, a Macintosh version is not available;
Microsoft promises one soon.
Microsoft requires you have a Hotmail e-mail
account, and the installation process offers a quick
link to Web-based sign-up. Hotmail is free and you
can access it from any computer linked to the
Web. In other words, it couldn't hurt.
MSN Messenger can detect its AOL rival on your
computer and offers to import your AOL ''buddy
list.''
On Friday, I was able to chat with an AOL Instant
Messenger buddy using MSN Messenger, meaning
the AOL forces, if they so desired, needed to put
up yet another barricade.
To get Yahoo's flavor of IM, go to the Web site at
yahoo.com, click on the bold-faced
link at the top of the page labeled ''Messenger''
and follow the instructions.
Yahoo offers another wrinkle: tabs at the bottom
of its software's window take you to stock quotes,
customizeable news, sports, weather and browser
bookmarks; an airline fare finder and an alerts
service. The program also offers online voice chats
to users whose computers are equipped with a
microphone.
Not tired yet of instant messengers? The No. 2
instant message outfit is Tribal Voice with 5 million
users. Their product, PowWow, can be had at
tribal.com.
One of the most powerful instant messengers
around is ICQ, which stands for ''I seek you.''
In addition to one-on-one chat, group chat and
voice capabilities, ICQ offers e-mail-like messages
and the ability to send your contacts computer
files, Web page addresses, voice messages,
greeting cards and phone call requests.
The program also works with other ways of
communicating or playing over the Net, such as
CU-Seeme video software, Microsoft VChat,
Netscape Conference -- and the shoot-'em-up
game Quake.
ICQ's Web site can help you add ''panels'' to your
Web page that help others contact you via ICQ.
The ICQ site, which also hosts communities, has
tips on finding free space for your Web site,
creating it and adding communications tools like its
Web-Pager panel, through which visitors to your
site can instantly page you.
Get ICQ at mirabilis.com.
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