The history of chat software.

Instant Messenger (IM) software can be said to be the software with the highest usage rate among Internet users in my country, whether it is the old ICQ, Tencent QQ, which has the largest number of domestic users, and Microsoft's MSN Messengers are the focus of public attention. They allow you to quickly find your friends or work partners online, and you can chat and exchange information in real time. Moreover, many IM software now also integrates the functions of data exchange, voice chat, network conferencing, and email.

The History of Instant Messaging

The history of IM software is not very long, but as soon as it was born, it was immediately loved by netizens and became popular all over the world. In the history of its development, the Israelis are indispensable. It was four young Israelis who established Mirabilis in July 1996. In November of the same year, they launched the world's first instant messaging software, ICQ, which means "I'm looking for you" - "I Seek You”, abbreviated as ICQ. Until now, ICQ has launched its 2002a version and occupies a very important position in the global instant messaging market.

At present, the most popular instant messaging software in China is OICQ (QQ for short). It has formed a certain QQ network culture with its good Chinese interface and continuously enhanced functions. Although Messenger debuted late, relying on Microsoft’s strong background, its strength cannot be underestimated. As part of Windows XP, Messenger integrates many functions of the operating system, such as various forms of chat options, multi-person single-window discussion communication, and full file and desktop sharing functions. Its refreshing Chinese interface and registration method, together with its powerful functions, have really attracted the attention of many people. In addition, there are many unique IM software.

The principle of instant messaging

We often hear the terms TCP/IP and UDP (User Datagram Protocol), both of which are based on the lower-layer IP protocol. Two communication transmission protocols. The former is a file transfer protocol in the form of a data stream that divides and packages the transmitted data and then performs continuous, bidirectional file transfer through a virtual circuit established between two machines, strictly ensuring the correctness of the data. The latter is a file transfer protocol in the form of datagrams that does not require the arrival order of the split data.

QQ uses the UDP protocol to send and receive "messages". When OICQ is installed on your machine, you are actually both a server and a client. When you log in to OICQ, your OICQ acts as a client and connects to Tencent's main server. When you "see who is online", your OICQ acts as a client again to read the list of online netizens from the QQ Server. When you chat with your OICQ partner, if the connection between you and the other party is relatively stable, the chat content between you and him will be transmitted between computers in the form of UDP. If the connection between you and the other party is not very stable, the QQ server will "transit" your chat content. The principles of other instant messaging software are similar to this.

1. The user first obtains the friend list from the QQ server to establish a point-to-point connection;

2. The user (Client1) and friend (Client2) use UDP to send information;

3. If direct point-to-point contact is not possible, server transfer is used.

9 Major Applications of Instant Messaging

In addition to being able to chat and exchange information in real time, many instant messaging software also integrates the functions of data exchange, voice chat, network conferencing, and email. .

How many of the main application functions of instant messaging software introduced below have you used?

Text chat

The chat function is the most basic and important function of IM software. Basically, every IM software operates in the same way: if the user wants to communicate with To chat with a contact, you can double-click the contact's avatar in IM and type a text message in the pop-up dialog box to send. The characteristic of QQ is that you can send messages to friends who are not online, and the other party can receive them the next time they come online. Although MSN does not have such a function, it can use various beautiful emoticons during the chat process to add various elements to the chat. Less interesting.

Voice chat

If typing chat is no longer enough, QQ also provides real-time voice chat in the "two-person world". First of all, you must have speakers, headphones, and a microphone. Then you can send a request to your netizen to connect to the "two-person world". After passing the request, the two parties can not only chat by text, but also speak directly. In addition, QQ also has a voice transmission function that can be used to transmit voice messages. First, click the avatar of your online friend with the left button of the mouse, select the "Transmit Voice" command, and then a dialog box will pop up, and you can send it after recording.

Transfer files

IM software can transfer files point-to-point. Sometimes it is more convenient to use this function than using E-mail. Of course, this function can only be used when the other party is online. . Right-click on the QQ friend's avatar, select "Send File", select the file to be sent, click Send, and wait for the other party to accept the request. In addition, ICQ's file transfer function also supports functions similar to breakpoint resumption, so you don't have to worry about sudden interruptions during the file transfer process.

Make a call

MSN Messenger provides the PC-PHONE call function. You can click on the "I want" under the operation window in the main window of the MSN Messenger software. "Make a call" or right-click the name of the person you want to call and click "Make a call" to turn on the call function. However, you must register with your voice service provider before making phone calls. Since MSN Messenger has not yet launched this service in China, we cannot use it yet.

Remote Assistance

Remote assistance is a new concept introduced in Windows XP. It is a unique feature of Windows Messenger. Remote assistance can share control of the computer with the other party for easy control. The help seeker provides assistance through which the other party can easily control the help seeker's desktop. Its functions are mainly reflected in application sharing, remote assistance, whiteboard sharing, remote assistance seeking, etc. Because this function is very powerful, the system will remind you and give you choices many times during the process of seeking assistance. Users are asked to be careful when using this function and confirm whether the other party is reliable.

Video chat

If your Internet speed is fast enough and you have a camera, you can use IM software to replace Netmeeting. While chatting, you can not only make calls, but also You can see each other's images and expressions, and feel cordial, giving you a whole new feeling. Windows Messenger has good support for the video chat function, and it is very simple to set up and use. Right-click on the friend and "Start Video Conversation" to complete the operation, which is very convenient.

E-mail assistance

IM and E-mail are the two most commonly used tools on the Internet. Nowadays, many IM software perfectly combine the two. In QQ, you can directly send emails to your friends without entering your email address. In addition, QQ also has the function of checking new emails for your own mailbox. Set your own email in "System Parameters" and fill in the With a good POP3 address, you can choose a scheduled check time, and QQ will automatically check whether any new mail has arrived.

For MSN Messenger, its email function is even more powerful. To use MSN Messenger, you must have an email account. Every time you successfully log in to MSN Messenger, a window will automatically pop up in the lower right corner with the email written in it. Regarding the mail status in the account, if there is a new mail in your mailbox during use, a prompt window will pop up immediately.

Send SMS

Currently, IM is increasingly integrated with various mobile terminal devices. To use QQ to send text messages to a mobile phone, you need to activate the mobile QQ service. Click the other party's avatar icon, select the "Mobile SMS" command in the shortcut menu that opens, enter the information in the dialog box that opens, and then click Send to complete. When the other party's mobile phone can receive a message. The same goes for sending text messages to BP machines, but the service desk of the other party's BP machine must be supported by QQ. When the other party's mobile phone receives the text message you sent, you can still reply. At this time, your QQ will pop up the "View SMS" window, which is very convenient.

Browsing consultation

Some friends only use QQ to chat online. In fact, using QQ can also easily see the latest daily news. Click the "Information Communication" button in the QQ panel, and voila, the "Information Communication" has customized news for you: "News", "IT Technology", "Securities", "Sports", "Entertainment"... ** *Twelve categories of news information. Which aspect of news you want to read, just click the corresponding icon, and the "Information Communication" interface will appear, automatically extracting the news headlines of the day. Through these titles, you can quickly select the news you are interested in, and click on it to call the browser to read it. In this way, you can read relevant content without leaving home, saving your search time and improving browsing efficiency.

All kinds of instant messaging software can really be said to be "a ruler is short and an inch is long"! ICQ has the most powerful functions and the most users in the world, but the settings are complicated and there is no Chinese version; MSN has the advantage of being closely integrated with the Windows system; QQ relies on its strong local advantages to seize the opportunity among domestic instant messaging software. Let’s compare them!

"Little Penguin" and "Giant Nova"

1. Sending instant messages

This is the most basic function of instant messaging software. Judging from the length of messages sent: QQ can send up to 450 Chinese characters at a time, while MSN can only send up to 400 characters (200 Chinese characters); QQ and MSN, both of which are Chinese interfaces, adopt completely different design ideas. From the interface point of view, QQ adopts "conversation mode" and "normal mode". There is only one way in MSN. For netizens who are used to QQ, they may send an unfinished sentence, and pressing "Ctrl and Enter" only serves as a line break. In terms of controlling the format of sent characters, MSN undoubtedly has the upper hand. It not only supports the setting of font, font size and color, which may not be used much by ordinary netizens, but MSN can convert icons such as ":)" Symbols are automatically converted into "smiley faces" and other graphics that express moods and expressions. This feature is indeed a great design.

2. Record preservation and reproduction

This is QQ’s strength. There is almost no need to do any action, and the chat history with all netizens is completely saved. As long as you don’t clean it up, you can completely reproduce the promise made by MM when you chatted with MM two years ago in front of MM, and you are not afraid that MM will not take action! hehe. MSN is inherently flawed at this point. If you want to save it, just "Copy" it slowly while chatting.

3. User registration and adding friends

Due to the sharp increase in the number of Tencent users, it has become extremely difficult to apply for a new user ID for QQ.

Tencent turned to open this channel to mobile communication users. Although it achieved success and breakthroughs in extending functions, it also "irritated" the majority of netizens! At the same time, adding friends is extremely convenient, but our own QQ often receives many inexplicable advertisements or spam messages for no reason, as well as "invasions" from some "unwelcome" netizens! MSN's unique registration design, coupled with the grand launch of two free mailboxes, Hotmail and MSN.com, makes our MSN very quiet!

4. Comparison of other functions

QQ and MSN both have functions such as voice chat, file transfer, and launching NetMeeting for video chat. QQ is slightly inferior in terms of voice quality and transmission speed. , but there is not much difference in overall functional design. However, QQ’s unique cartoon character avatars are unique and wonderfully creative, which cannot be matched by any instant messaging software.

Not only that, Tencent has also formed its own complete corporate culture, such as a variety of QQ dolls, watches, T-shirts, backpacks, key chains, etc., online sales plus dozens of stores across the country Q-GEN stores and cooperation with mobile manufacturers are in full swing, and these are the results of time accumulation. MSN, which is new to the company, should be incomparable. And MSN, with its convenient group messaging (click "Invite others to join this chat" under "I want to...") and strong capital and technical advantages, is fully capable and possible to continue to launch a new round of QQ attack.

"Three Dynasties Veterans" and "Giant Rising Stars"

It is indeed interesting to compare ICQ and MSN together. One is the "Big Brother" in the field of instant messaging, and the other is the "Big Mac" in the software industry, a rising star in the field of instant messaging. From a functional point of view, MSN is obviously unable to compete with ICQ at present. But with MSN's seamless integration with the operating system, no one dares to be rude or look down upon.

1. Grouping support

Both support grouping friends, and both have two modes, namely group mode and status mode. The group modes of the two software are almost the same. They are classified and sorted based on the group, that is, the first category is the group, and the bottom of each group is classified according to online and offline conditions. The difference is that ICQ has only one default group, while MSN provides four default groups: family, friends, colleagues and other contacts. ICQ's default group can be renamed but not deleted; "Other Contacts" in the MSN default group can neither be renamed nor deleted, but the other three groups are all allowed.

2. Mass messaging function

MSN and ICQ both have mass messaging capabilities. However, MSN can only be done by "inviting other contacts to join", and there is a limit of up to four people (maximum five people). But ICQ's group messaging function is very powerful. In conversation mode, click "Multiple" to expand the list of all friends. There is no limit on the number of people, and no limit on whether you are online or not.

3. Comparison of other functions

During the use of any free software, some advertising content will be forcibly inserted, and ICQ is no exception. For this, Microsoft, which has deep pockets, has done a good job. Whether it is MSN bundled in Windows XP or downloaded for free online, there are almost no ads. In addition, even in the latest ICQ2002a, it seems that functions such as network cameras and video chats are still not supported, and these functions have become almost necessary functions in the field of instant messaging. However, the powerful friend search function in ICQ allows you to easily find this friend by only remembering even a little bit of the friend's information, which is beyond the reach of any instant messaging software. The new version 2002a also adds the function of saving friend information on the server, making it possible to contact friends promptly and conveniently from any corner of the world.

Introduction to other products

There are many alternative (non-mainstream) products in the field of instant messaging.

Such as AOL Internet MSN, Yahoo! MSN (Yahoo Messenger), SinaPager (Sina Paging), Sohu I'm looking for you, NetEase "mouth to mouth", North TICQ, Dream Paging (DICO), OMMO, V2 Communicator, 8dCall, etc. . Because their user base is relatively small, they are easily overlooked. But in addition to the basic functions of instant messaging, they each have their own characteristics. Here are just a few selected features to list their respective features for the benefit of readers:

1. Yahoo Messenger (Yahoo? MSN): Users can use it to check stocks, news, sports scoreboards, weather, and travel online. and other aspects of information; you can also enjoy various personalized services on the Yahoo website, including: checking letters, efficiency manuals, obtaining stock quotes, online shopping, auction bidding, checking classified ads, visiting clubs, playing games, and chatting with friends , read dating ads, etc.

2. NetEase "Word to Mouth": It can display the popularity (click-through rate) of various types of web pages. In this way, you can find the most popular web pages based on the number of visits; you can correctly set your own four statuses in the lower right corner ("My Intent", "My Visibility Status", "My Expression" and "My Status) to fully display your image; you can instantly understand your homepage clicks. The method is: click "Homepage Observation Station" under the "Tools" menu, and a window to set the homepage URL will pop up. Enter the URL of your website, After setting it up, whenever you open NetEase Portal, the homepage observation station will automatically pop up in the window to display the number of users currently browsing the webpage (visible and invisible), and the number of comments on the page.

3. SinaPager (Sina Paging): Online message function - if your friend does not have access to the Internet, you can easily leave him a message in Chinese or English, and he can see your message as long as he uses a browser The design is similar to the floating bar of translation software, which can effectively save screen space; it can be closely integrated with Sina website, Sina email, etc.

4. North TICQ: customized news - when the host side. When the news is updated, you can see the latest news in the scroll bar; automatically pop up SMS/message scrolling - you can let the messages scroll and display in the scroll bar; check jokes - a joke will pop up on the screen from time to time. It makes people laugh; scheduled alarm clock - you can specify a time for the system to automatically send the set information content to your netizens, or remind yourself of what you should do; resume uploading - the function of transferring files is almost instant All communication software has it. It is rare to find instant messaging software with the function of "resuming upload". TICQ is such a software.

5. Dream paging (DICO): group email function; Rich plug-ins allow us to chat and entertain (Figure 6); convenient and clear voice chat function-can penetrate firewalls and achieve the sound quality of a phone call; personal Web service-can easily set your personal computer to An Internet Web server that allows netizens to browse your personal homepage on your hard drive.

6. Cool 8d network partner (8dCall): "Listen to the voice to identify people" can use different sound effects to notify friends of their online presence or incoming messages. ;Real-time returns on stock transaction news - as long as you are a member of 8dCall, as long as your order broker provides the 8dCall stock transaction return function, no matter which method you use to conduct stock transactions (telephone, counter, Internet, etc.), you can get it in real time News about stock transaction returns; free online paging - using 8dCall, you can send Chinese, English or numbers to the pagers of your friends or partners for free.

In addition to searching and collecting information, the biggest thing when surfing the Internet now. The function is communication, but to make better use of this most popular communication method nowadays, you can’t do it without mastering some skills.

Check the interoperability with one click

From the perspective of usage, the tools used by most netizens are nothing more than QQ, ICQ, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo!

Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM for short), IRC and other software. But these software cannot communicate with each other. If you have a friend who uses ICQ, another friend who uses MSN Messenger, and another friend who uses Yahoo Messenger... then you must install all these software! In fact, you only need to install at most two software, QQ and Trillian 0.73, and you can freely roam among so many software.

The biggest advantage of Trillian is that it integrates the above five major instant messaging products except QQ. It not only includes friends’ online prompts, multiple connections to the same program, emoticons, conversation records, and leave/invisibility functions, but also has a unified contact list that allows users to see the information of friends from different communication software at the same time in one interface. Online status.

Start the software for the first time, enter the setting screen immediately, fill in your basic information, and then jump to the next step to select the user level. It is best to select "Advanced (Advanced User Mode)" instead of " Standard", only in this way can multiple connections be established in subsequent multi-function uses. Then follow the prompts to set up IRC, MSN Messenger, AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger settings. Internet-connected machines will automatically search the friend lists of all the above products, and can start the IRC chat interface at the same time.

To display the contact list, right-click the system icon with the mouse and select "Show Contact List". Generally, online users are displayed at the top of the list, and offline users are arranged at the bottom. The different icons in front of the user names correspond to different instant contact servers, as shown in Figure 1. Is it very similar to ICQ?

Needless to say the benefits of Trillian. When you are busy running four or five chat software, you should install Trillian to save a lot of hard disk space, memory and CPU resources. At the same time, let your computer do more meaningful things.