Think of it as instant email, or a two-person chat. These applications have been around for a few years, and have quickly been gaining popularity as a way to send a quick message to a friend, or as a free alternative to long distance calls. Today, every Internet user has an email address.
Many people believe it was even more compelling then web browsing in attracting new users.
Instant Messaging will be the next killer app for the Internet. Technical support from Dell will be seconds away. The technology exists to do all of this right now - but you won't see it gain as much acceptance as email until next year. The problem now is that different IM programs written by different companies don't communicate with each other. Some companies have formed alliances to work together, but it is still a very confusing time for consumers.