Instant messaging

Draft

Instant messaging is a form of text-based real-time communication on the Internet

• “Instant messaging allows you to maintain a list of people that you wish to interact with. You can send messages to any of the people in your list, often called a buddy list or contact list, as long as that person is online. Sending a message opens up a small window where you and your friend can type in messages that both of you can see” - (How Instant Messaging Works retrieved 13:40, 27 May 2006 (MEST))

Features

Here are the most common features

• Instant messages
• Contact List management
• Web Links sharing
• Files transmission
• Audio conferencing
• Chat rooms.

Instant messaging in education

• on-demand formal tutoring
• peer-to-peer informal tutoring
• on-line discussions (chats and specials educational chats are better for that)

Links

Jeff Tyson, How Stuff Works, How Instant Messaging Works