1. Choosing an Instant Messenger Would you like to send Instant Messages, but aren’t sure which tool to use? Here’s help to decide. Skip to Main Menu

2. Main Menu Online Web Messengers Installed Messengers Additional Information

3. Online Web Browsers – What is it? What is instant messaging? Instant messaging is the most popular form of communicating online in real-time. Online web messengers are tools that allow users to communicate online without installing software.

4. Online Web Browsers – Benefits Keeps the user from having to start an additional application during startup, which slows down the computer. No need to install software, and dealing with technical issues.

5. Online Web Browsers – Drawbacks Using a browser requires a considerable amount of space. Users must be online to be contacted.

6. Online Web Browsers – Branch Links Online web browser - What is it? Online web browser – Benefits Online web browser - Drawbacks

7. Installed Messengers – What is it? Installed messengers are communication tools that have to be installed on a device in order to be used.

8. Installed Messengers – Benefits Contacts can still be contacted through email if the user is offline.

9. Installed Messengers – Drawbacks Installed software often slows down computers during startup; and take up substantial space on a computer.

10. Installed Messengers – Branch Links Installed Messenger – What is it? Installed Messenger – Benefits Installed Messenger – Drawbacks

11. Additional Information – Single protocol messengers A single protocol instant messenger is a communication tool that can only be used individually and separately.

12. Additional Information – Multi-protocol messengers Multi-protocol messengers, also called universal messengers, allow users to use multiple instant messaging tools simultaneously within one tool.

13. Additional Information – Links for Single Protocol Messengers MSN Messenger - http://windows.microsoft.com/en- US/messenger/homehttp://windows.microsoft.com/en- US/messenger/home Yahoo messenger - http://messenger.yahoo.com/http://messenger.yahoo.com/ Google Talk - http://www.google.com/talk/index.html http://www.google.com/talk/index.html

14. Additional Information – Links for Multiprotocol Messengers Qnext - http://www.qnext.com/http://www.qnext.com/ Trillian - http://www.trillian.im/http://www.trillian.im/ Pidgin - http://www.pidgin.im/http://www.pidgin.im/

15. Site map Main Page What is web IM? What is installed IM? Single protocol IM Benefits of web IM Benefits of installed IM Multi- protocol IM Drawbacks of web IM Drawback of installed IM Links 1 Links 2 Installed IM branch links Web IM branch links Help Page

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