ICQ is an incredibly useful Internet tool that alerts you in real time when somebody you know goes online. ICQ monitors a list of contacts for active connections, thereby allowing you to chat, send messages and files, and even establish net- work games without the usual hit and miss routine. The programme runs in the background, taking up a minimum amount of memory, and the customisable interface inte- grates smoothly into the desktop. Features include the ability to transfer files directly to another user, chat in both IRC and split-screen styles, quickly and automatically exchange bookmarks, "hide" from other users (allow only authorised people to know that youre online). Available at shareware.com.
