Instant Messaging Using Netscape AOL Instant Messenger
Installation
Installing Netscape AOL Instant Messenger for
Windows95/98/NT
Get Ready
Review
the following system requirements and ensure that your computer has the
proper
hardware and software set-up:
System Requirements
Intel 486 or Pentium computer
Windows 95 or Windows NT
8 MB of free memory, 5 MB of free disk space
256-color display
Internet connection
One
of the most popular means of communicating on the Internet, besides Email, is
instant messaging. In the last two
years quite a few companies have joined the pool of available instant messaging
programs.
These
are not the same as chat rooms. Chat
rooms have been around for quite a while, and there are more of them than could
possibly be listed. Instant messaging
is a bit more personal and private.
However they still offer the option of opening a group conversation.
We
are using Netscape AOL Instant Messenger in our demonstration. But this is just one of the many programs
available. And most of them are
available for a free download and unlimited free use.
Others
include ICQ, PeopleLink, Yahoo Messenger, PalTalk, and many more. A more comprehensive list, with web page
addresses for learning more about them and downloading the software, is
attached at the end of this document.
If
you don’t already have Netscape AOL Instant Messenger (AIM for short)
installed, it’s really easy to download and install.
This
will take you to the main web page for Netscape AOL Instant Messenger. You will be able to learn more about the
program as well as downloading the software to enable you to use it on your own
PC.
If the “screen name” you have entered is already in use a screen message will come back telling you this and offering you possible alternatives to the name you have entered. Since this is an Internet-wide messaging service, it may not be possible to get the exact name you want on the first try. A tip – add numbers, such as your age or birth year, to the name.
When
an acceptable screen name has been approved, you will then be given instruction
on how to start the download and installation of the AIM program. It should only take a few minutes.
After the file has completed downloading to your computer, find the file and double-click it to begin the installation.
The
Setup Wizard will begin. Keep clicking
the “Next”
button, accepting the defaults, until a message tells you that installation was
complete.
To
launch Netscape AOL Instant Messenger (if it doesn’t automatically launch) once
installation has successfully completed, simply locate the directory where
Netscape AOL Instant Messenger was installed and double-click the Netscape AOL
Instant Messenger program icon to sign on.
The setup program may have even written an icon on your desktop. If so you only need to double-click this
icon to start the program.
To
send an instant message to one of your online buddies, double-click on their
buddy name when it displays on the “online” tab.
Any
time you want to end a conversation click the “X” button in the upper
right corner of the screen.
However,
if you click the “X” button on the Buddy List window, you will also close out
your connection to the Instant Messenger program and you would not be able to
send or receive any messages.
You
can have as many separate conversations with different people going on at the
same time as you think you can keep track of.
This allows you to communicate with different people without others
knowing what is being communicated.
Each message window for each separate conversation is private to the
participants of that window.
You
can also format the text of a message you are preparing to send. The bar between the two sections of the
window contains some quick formatting buttons that will apply that formatting
to the selected text. All you need to
do is highlight the text you wish to format, then select the formatting that
you want. You can change the size of
the text, change the color, make it bold, or make it italics. You can even underline text, or cause the
background to be a different color. The
best way to learn this is to experiment.
It’s a fun way to dress up your messages to your friends.
You can also set up a “chat” with two or more of your friends at once. This is a great way for you to discuss topics as a group without having to relay messages from one conversation to another. When you set up this type of conversation, everyone in the conversation will see what everyone else is saying.
Each
one of the participants will receive an invitation to join you in this
chat. When they accept the invitation
you will receive a response back and you can begin typing messages back and
forth. Everyone that accepts your
invitation will then be able to see all messages sent by all participants, identified
by their screen name.
To
exit the chat, simply close the message window by clicking the “X”
button in the upper right corner of the window.
There is one other feature that has been added to the latest version of Netscape AOL Instant Messenger – the News Ticker. This is a small window, usually at the top of your screen that scrolls hyper-linked news headlines of possible interest.
To
read the entire article, simply click with your mouse on the story that you
want to read.
You
can close this window at any time. This
will not interrupt AIM. If you don’t
want to see this on your screen, you don’t need to.
You
can also customize this window.
When
you click the “customize news ticker” icon, a selection window will open that
will allow you to select the type of news headlines you wish to see, as well as
whether or not you even want it to open when you log in. You can set the frequency at which it will
refresh, and even the speed at which the headlines scroll.
A Few Instant Messaging/Chat Programs
Bavard Fast Chat http://www.fastchat.com/
Allows users to put Java chat capabilities on a web page without plug-ins.
ChatNet http://www.elsinc.com/chatnet.html
IRC client highly recommended for novice IRC users. Includes links and demo downloads.
Ding! http://www.activerse.com/products/dingintro.html
Free Java application lets you know when friends are online and available, lets you message, chat, and more. Requires Java Runtime Environment.
Excite PAL http://www.excite.com/communities/pal/home/
Learn about Excite's paging and chat system or download the client for free.
Ichat Pager http://www.ichat.com/custom/products/pagermain.html
Allows user to tell who's online, deliver instant messages, and chat with individuals or groups. Download for free.
Like to know if any of your friends are currently online, now you can with ICQ ("I Seek You") alerting you in real time when they sign on. Beta versions for Mac and Windows.
Ircle http://www.ircle.houseit.com/
Shareware IRC client for Macintosh available in English, German, French and Swedish versions. Suits all Macs.
Popular shareware Internet Relay Chat client for Windows. Download the software, read download and IRC instructions for beginners, or FAQs.
mIRC & Eggdrop Archives http://www.xcalibre.com/
Latest info on these chat utilities, including downloads, scripts, bots, patches, and mailing lists.
PeopleLink http://plnk.peoplelink.com/plnk/peoplelink/
Online chat service with send and receive messages only. Find news, contact and help info, and freeware download.
PeoplePost http://www.PeoplePost.com/pgs/pget.htm
Share ideas and communicate with friends, visitors, and total strangers with this bulletin board freeware. Works on Windows 95, 98, and NT.
Speak Freely for Windows http://www.fourmilab.ch/netfone/windows/speak_freely.html
Use voice chat over a network or the Internet with this freeware program which includes four forms of data compression for slower machines.
Tribal Voice - The PowWow Page http://www.tribal.com/powwow/
Download the latest version of this Internet program for Windows that allows up to seven people to chat, send and receive files.
Qtalk http://www.qtalka.com
QTalka has been developed specifically to enhance ICQ users your ICQ friends. You pay no long distance telephone charges.
Installation
of Netscape AOL Instant Messenger
Installing
Netscape AOL Instant Messenger for Windows95/98/NT
Get Ready
1. Review the following system requirements and
ensure that your computer has the proper hardware and software set-up:
System Requirements
Intel 486 or Pentium computer
Windows 95 or Windows NT
8 MB of free memory, 5 MB of free disk space
256-color display
Internet connection
2. Print out these instructions for reference
during the installation process.
Install Instant Messenger
1.
Locate
the file named aim95n.exe on your computer and double-click it to begin the
installation. If you're not sure how to locate the file, first open Windows
Explorer then click on (C:) - the symbol for your harddrive. Scroll down toward
the bottom of the list of files and you should find the file named aim95n.exe.
Simply double-click it to begin installation.
2.
Follow
the prompts of the installation program.
3.
After
installation has been successfully completed, you will be ready to sign on to
Instant Messenger! To launch Instant Messenger, simply locate the directory
where Instant Messenger was installed and double-click the Netscape AOL Instant
Messenger program icon to sign on. (If you aren't sure how to locate Netscape
AOL Instant Messenger, click the Start menu and then select Programs. From
Programs, select Netscape AOL Instant Messenger and then the Netscape AOL
Instant Messenger program icon.)
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