Using the Internet to Communicate

One of the greatest advantages of the Internet is the ability to communicate with people all across the planet. E-mail is the most common form of communication, but there many other options:

• Mailing lists: When you subscribe to a mailing list (also called list-serves for the type of server that manages them), you join a group of people with similar interests. By sending an e-mail message to the list, you are actually sending a message to everyone on the list at one time. At the same time, you automatically receive every e-mail sent by others to the list.
• Newsgroups: Newsgroups are special areas where people can read and respond to messages through a news reader program (often part of an e-mail program or your browser). These messages are "posted" to the newsgroup (sometimes called a bulletin board) directly, without going through e-mail.
• Chats: Chat rooms are Web sites where you can join a discussion with several people at once. Like mailing lists and newsgroups, the conversation is conducted by typing. However, in chat rooms, the conversation is live.
• Instant messaging: Instant messaging (IM) allows two people on the same service to send messages to each other that instantly appear on the other person's computer. A typed conversation can continue - just like having a telephone conversation.

There are a number of instant messaging (IM) programs available, including AOL's Instant Messenger and Windows Messenger. However, you can only use IM with other people who are on the same service. There has been movement towards defining an IM standard, so the services can communicate with each other, but that hasn't happened yet. So, check with your friends and colleagues to see which service they use.

How does IM work?

• First, you sign-up with one of the IM services, giving yourself a user name and password. These services are almost always free.
• Next, you create a list of friends ("buddies") who use the same service.
• Whenever you go online, the service checks to see which of your buddies is online at the same time.
• You can then initiate a conversation by sending an IM to your buddy — just like starting a phone call, but you already know that your friend is home.