Title: Have You Tried Collaborating Using Instant Messaging (IM)?

Author:

Section/SPIG: Health Administration

Issue Date:

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All the youth I know are connected via IM. Are you? If you are not, explore Yahoo! Messenger available at: <http://messenger.yahoo.com/>.

Download the application, register yourself, find a colleague and get him or her to sign on and begin communicating in real time.

IM is a terrific collaboration tool. You can share URLs, documents, discuss issues of importance with one or more colleagues, transfer files, keep an online address book, and share photos, talk to others via voice chat and even play games and listen to the radio.

The Yahoo! Messenger site has examples, tutorials, and advice on how to use the IM application from an online help person. This is a pretty good deal for free, but the real value lies in your ability to communicate inexpensively over the Internet.