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Type, Talk and Look with Instnat Messenger
 Marshal Rosenthal
Instant Messenger is the name of a computer program created by the AOL Internet service provider company. The purpose of the program, at its heart, is to enable a computer user to contact another computer user through the program in "real-time.” This avoids the delay of sending an email and having to wait for it to be received and then responded to. But there are a number of different functions for using Instant Messenger that might not be obvious to the first time, or even seasoned, user.
Here I Am: With most computer programs, you must have it running in front of you to see what is going on. Instant Messenger can be set up so that it will tell you when those people you want to contact (and have placed in your "Buddy List” beforehand) are in front of their computer. This appears at the top of your computer screen.
Talk To Me: You don't need a telephone to talk to your friend because IM (as it's also known) has built-in microphone capabilities. You can user your computer's built-in microphone or, if there isn't one, attach a USB microphone that costs very little. Now you have the equivalent of a free telephone line to talk to anyone who is also running IM -- the only cost being your monthly Internet bill. You'll use your computer's speakers to listen or can attach a headphones if you want to keep things private.
Look at Me: IM can also do video chat, and again at no extra cost to you or the other person. Of course you must have a webcam to do this, but they're available for less than $100 in most cases and feature a microphone for audio as well. Using the video chat feature is no more complicated than doing audio -- both requiring that the other person has a webcam and is willing to accept seeing you and you seeing them.
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