Module 2 ICQ Task

Find the ICQ number for the nickname advanced netstudies. Add ‘advanced netstudies’ to your contact list and note whether it is authorized automatically. Look at the user info for advanced netstudies and note the comment in the ‘about’ section.

I downloaded and registered to ICQ for this task. I'm aware, via the NET11 discussion board, that there is a technical problem. For this reason, I was unable to successfully locate the advanced netstudies nickname.


Arrange with other students in the unit to meet up for a chat, using either ICQ, yahoo chat or webct chat. Talk about which chat service you prefer, and what forms of communication chat is most useful for.

March 31, 2007. 9:30pm - I logged into the NET11 Webct chat and had an online group discussion with some of the other students. We discussed whether Webchat was asynchronous or synchronous in nature. Personally, I think it is more synchronous in nature, as it's real-time chat, yet it also has asynchronous qualities eg speaking with people in different timezones, the ability to be able to wander away from your pc for short intervals and return to the chat without being missed. Scrolling the chat history allows you to pick up where you left off. However, one does need to be concious that, as it's real-time chat, responses need to be posted, normally, within a minute or so. I have posted a copy of the webct chat below:



We also dicussed the various chat mediums used, including Skype, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Trillian, Webchat, IRC and some others. I got the impression that MSN was the most favoured form of online chat. Students mentioned the following:

MSN Messenger - User friendly, adds contact automatically, less obtrusive - not so many adds, can use for group chat as well as one-on-one.

ICQ - Noisy, 'bit clunky', many 'people used to use it'

Skype - Free, knowing enough people who also use skype

Trillian - Useful in that you can use Trillian for all your contacts, whether they are with ICQ, MSN, Yahoo etc

Webchat - Used by the majority for this task, used on occassion for group chat in other instances.

IRC - Most students had used this in the past, but very few use it now.


I found the student webct chat an interesting exercise. In fact, now I know it is there, i would probably utilize it on a more frequent basis to converse with other students re our studies. It provides a good forum for topic discussion. For one to one chat my preferance would be MSN Messenger - it's fast, reliable and I like the interface.