Sysopt active list and ICQ

[Donkey]

Just read a bit about eh sysopt active list and it sounds like a good idea. But here is were my knowledge of all things internetty lets me down. What is ICQ, how can i tell if i can use it? (or what ever you do with it!)
An idiots guide please
Thank you
Rod

[dos7]

hello donkey,

You must be quite new to the www if you haven't heard of ICQ (i seek you), but everyone has to start somewhere. Icq is what is known as an Instant messaging program. Say you have icq on your computer, and a friend of yours also has icq, then when you are online and using Icq, you can see when your friend is online if his Icq is being used and vice versa. You can chat, send messages and send files back and forth and a plethora of other features as well. Instant messaging programs are quite popular, Icq being one of the most popular. Icq used to be wholly owned by a company called Mirabilis, but they were bought out by internet/media mega giant AOL, perhaps you have heard of them. If your computer was built within the last five years or so, you can probably run icq on it. Icq can be obtained from many places, most notably, www.mirabilis.com (http://www.mirabilis.com)

There are many other instant messaging programs as well, such as MSN Instant messenger,AOL instant messenger, and Yahoo instant messenger, i believe Netscape has one as well, there is also a new one called Odigo,unlike the others, it is able to send messages to all the other Instant messenger programs. Where as, if your friend that you want to instant message is using Icq, you must use Icq as well.
Also, to answer the other part of your question, the Icq active list is simply a feature that allows an Icq user to set up a special group of users that have similiar interests or are part of a particular orginization or business, or even a web site, such as SysOpt.
So there you have it donkey, the low down on Instant messengers.
Personally, I use icq,,i've used the others and i think it's the best, it's also the most fully featured, in my own opinion, but also the most complicated to use, relatively speaking of course.

dos7

[This message has been edited by dos7 (edited 08-18-2000).]

[Donkey]

Thanks Dos7 that was the stuff i wanted to know. I am however not new to the net as you thought, i've been using it for years but i just get stuck in my ways sometimes and ignore new things that come along rather than giving them a try. The main reason being that i connect to the net at work but i'm net free at home, get enough of it 9 to 5 to not want it at home.
I usually disable the netscape instant messanger when i install a new version of the browser cos i didn't really see any use for it but know that i am spending quite a lot of time in here i might give it a go.
Softly softly catchy monkey as they say.

[This message has been edited by Donkey (edited 08-18-2000).]

[brandon184]

Once you get ICQ (If you decide to do so.) you may join the ActiveList.

The ActiveList ID # is...

77452612

http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

- Brandon