As academic institutions and research labs became the first venues for PC use in the early 1970s, programmers began to develop a means of communicating with others through a system of text-based messaging. This new messaging system allowed people to chat with other users of the same computer or a machine connected on a local network at their respective university. Today, the desires of those early IM pioneers led to the development of a thriving and competitive IM market today.
IM: A Brief History The IM Industry From 1970s to Present
By Brandon De Hoyos, About.com
The history of IM can be traced back almost as far as the electronic personal computer, itself.
Explore Instant Messaging
Explore Instant Messaging
Must Reads
About.com Special Features
Stay connected and entertained with reviews on tips on the latest HDTVs, cellphones and more. More >
Easy ways to connect two computers for networking purposes. More >
©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.
All rights reserved.