InstantMessenger

An instant messenger system is one that allows people on the Internet to find and communicate with one another in real time (unlike e-mail).

InstantMessenger services and protocols

• AolInstantMessenger
• YahooMessenger
• MirabilisIcq
• JabberProject
• WindowsMessenger (and MSN Messenger and .NET Messenger)
• InternetRelayChat (not really a InstantMessenger, but related)

The following clients support one or more of the above

• Odigo, http://www.odigo.com. It can do ICQ/AOL/AIM, and its own chat protocol.
• CeruleanTrillian, http://trillian.cc (does ICQ/AOL/AIM/Yahoo!/IRC/MSN/Jabber(Pro))
• Gaim (GaimMessenger), http://gaim.sourceforge.net/, is a very good Gnome interface to AIM, as well as other protocols.
• EveryBuddy, http://www.everybuddy.com/ (AIM/ICQ/MSN/Yahoo!/Jabber)
• AYTTM, http://ayttm.sourceforge.net/ (AIM/ICQ/MSN/Yahoo!/Jabber) a fork of EveryBuddy
• iChat, http://www.apple.com/macosx/jaguar/ichat.html. It does AIM and (apparently) its own LAN-based protocol.

See also InstantMessaging

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Would it be correct to say that the Unix "talk" facility - which (at least in later versions?) could be used across the Internet between compatible Unixen) - was an early form of instant messaging? -- ApoorvaMuralidhara

I think that's close to correct. Of course talk was only for the wimps who could not cope with a real Unix tool such as write. -- DavidVincent