Making chat & videoconferencing work in the classroom against all odds.
- What do I need to install in order to get started with chat?
- Chat (also known as instant messaging) is a form of real-time communication. When you use chat, your message gets delivered to the person on the other end almost instantly, even if the other person is all the way on the other side of the world. The speed with which chat allows communication has...
- How do I set up iChat?
- Before you can use iChat to send and receive chat messages, you must set it up by adding the accounts you plan to use: Open iChat AV by clicking on its icon in the Dock or in the Applications folder....
- How do I add people to my Buddy List in iChat?
- Your Buddy List allows you to see which of your contacts are online so you can start a chat with them. iChat can display a different buddy list for each service it supports. To switch through the different buddy lists, you can use the Window menu. There will be an option for the...
- How do I start a a chat in iChat?
- To start a chat, select the buddy you want to chat with and then click on the appropriate icon at the bottom of the window. To start a text conversation with an available buddy: Double-click on a name in the Buddy List or click on the “A” icon. A chat window opens. Type a message in the text...
- How do I chat with more than one buddy at a time with iChat?
- If you want to text, audio, or video chat with more than one buddy, you can connect an unlimited number of people in one text conference, up to 10 total people in an audio conference, and up to four total people in a video conference, as long as your system supports it (the...
- I have an iSight camera, but my friend doesn't, can I still do a video chat?
- Yes, iChat supports a feature called one-way video chat. This feature will allow you to have a video chat even if the person on the other end does not have an iSight camera connected. To start a one-way video chat, select Buddies, Invite to One-Way Video Chat. You can also...
- How do I send a file using iChat?
- To send a file using iChat, select a contact from your Buddy List, then choose Buddies, Send File. You can also control-click a contact's name in the Buddy List (or right-click on it if you have a two-button mouse), and select Send File... When the Finder window...
- How do I change my online status in iChat?
- You can change your status from Available to Away if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time. This way your online contacts know not to invite you to a chat while you are away. To change your online status to Away, click on the status...
- How do I change my buddy icon in iChat?
- Changing the picture used to identify you to other users in iChat is easy. You can use any picture you have saved on your hard drive, but better yet, you can take a snapshot with your iSight camera and use that as your buddy icon. To use an iSight snapshot as your...
- How do I block users I don't want to chat with me on iChat?
- You can block a contact at any time by selecting it in the Buddy List and then selecting Buddies, Block (which will be followed by the user name your are blocking). If you choose to block a contact, that contact will not be able to see your online status or...
- What are emoticons, and how do I use them in iChat?
- These emoticons have become so popular, that many chat programs, including iChat, allow you to add them by selecting them from a list. Instead of the keyboard characters, the chat program will add a smiley face icon that corresponds to the emotion you want to convey. To use emoticons in iChat, first open up a...
- What do all those abbreviations used in chat mean?
- Chat conversations often take place at a very quick pace. To keep things flowing back and forth, it often helps to use abbreviations for frequently typed expressions. Below is a list of abbreviations you may see in chat messages: Abbreviation...
