It is necessary to be connected to the Internet to be able to chat with other participants. After successful login, you are usually marked as in the Buddy List and thus visible to others. To change your status, click the drop-down list at the bottom of the Buddy List and select another option.
To open a chat session, double-click a buddy name in the Buddy List. The Chat screen opens. Type your message, then press to send it.
Each chat session you open appears as a tab in the Chat screen. Click on a buddy’s tab to chat with that buddy. Close a chat session by closing the tab for that buddy.