Instant Messaging

After years away from it, I’ve rediscovered the joys of instant messaging. I used to believe that IM would interrupt more than provide a cohesive platform for communication. And at that time, that was probably right on. But now I’m challenging that belief and so far so good — it’s made it easier for people to contact me with a question or comment.

Sorry, what’s IM? Instant messaging, for those who haven’t experienced it, is like a phone conversation through text. It is more immediate than email — that is, you can only communicate with people who are “logged in.” Reading an IM transcript is like reading the transcript of a phone conversation except that the interactions may be even shorter and closer to the point than with the phone.

How do I roll my own? The most common IM program by far is AOL’s client called AIM. You can download it from aim.com. You’ll need to sign up for an account on the system, which is free. Microsoft makes something called either MSN Messenger or Windows Messenger. It’s okay but most people are on AIM. There are a few other ones out there, but I’ll let you find them. So once you’re plugged, you can reach me at xpiscatory.