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Web Awareness
Modes of Communication: Instant Messaging
- Instant Messaging - A combination of chat and e-mail. Requires special software (e.g. AOL Instant Messenger,
Yahoo! Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger), which, once you connect to the Internet, tells other people
you're online. Your friends, family, and co-workers can then send you messages or chat with you directly.
- Positives - Instant messaging is fast and allows people to stay in touch without having you to
go to a chat room to find out if someone is on the Internet the same time you are.
- Negatives - All the negatives from e-mail and chat apply to Instant Messaging.
People known when you're online unless you reconfigure your software: unless you want to
talk, this can become intrusive, especially if you're just going online to check out a
website while suddenly several people want to talk with you. Your computer's security
could be compromised if someone transmits a file or exploits the instant messaging software
to invade your computer.
- Things to Remember - All the advice from e-mail and chat apply here. Furthermore,
instant messaging software has been shown to heighten your risk of getting computer viruses
from other users. Never accept a file from another person without having updated virus
protection software on your computer!
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