An instant message is a method of real-time communication between people, this means that just like talking on a telephone, they can communicate instantly and without waiting for a reply. Unlike emailing, for someone to utilize an instant message, all they must do is wait for the person they are typing to, to type back. The only delay in the communication is the time it takes for a person to type. With someone who can type fast or with the use of short-cut ways of using abbreviations for common words, an instant message can be an incredible way to talk to others.

When two or more people are using an instant message, it is typically called “chatting”. Although they are not actually talking, when a person uses an instant message to type to another, they will say, “I am going to chat with my friend”. This terminology is very well known. There are also abbreviations that did not exist until emailing and instant messaging grew so popular. If a person needs to go away for their computer for a moment, instead of typing “I’ll be back in a moment”, they can just type, “BRB” as it stands for “be right back”. The most popular abbreviation is used to show emotion. This was created because when using an instant message, it is often hard to know the way in which someone is trying to communicate. If someone is being funny or sarcastic, if they type “lol” , then the receiver will know that they are just joking around. In addition, if a person finds something to be funny, they will type “lol” to show that they think something is amusing. LOL stands for: Laughing out loud.

No one knew what an instant message was before the 1970’s. When first created, not many knew of its existence. With computer programmers using this form of communication, it has a lot of work and improving to be made before the general public could begin using it. During the 1990’s the instant message became a household world and almost everyone with a computer will at one time or another turn to this form of communication instead of picking up their telephone.

One reason the instant message is so popular, is that total strangers can find each other over the Internet and being chatting; using the instant message. A lot of computer users will sign up with a service, such as AOL’s AIM, which is AOL’s Instant Messaging or with Yahoo! Instant Messenger. These services will, for no cost, allow a user to create a screen name and then be able to go in to any chat room they want. This is an instant chat room.

A screen name is the name that others will see when you are using an instant message. It is wise to never use a name that includes your real first and last name, as millions of people may be seeing it. There are numerous chat rooms to enter. A chat room is a window that will pop up that many people will be typing to each other at once. If you find someone to be interesting, you can send a request to instant message them privately.

Many people now use the instant message as a hobby and spend their personal time chatting away to others. One day a person may speak to someone who lives in their own town, one day they may speak to someone who lives half way around the world. You never know where an instant message will take you.