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Getting Started
This section contains the following information:
Note - Some of the features that are described in the online help might be disabled by your System Administrator or technical support center. Contact them for more information.
Sun Java System Instant Messenger Overview
Sun JavaTM System Instant Messenger enables you to participate in real-time messaging and automatically distribute information over a network. It enables you to add contacts-users and LDAP groups-to contact groups and communicate with them. When users sign on to Instant Messenger, their status changes to online, and you can chat, initiate audio conversation, send alerts, polls or files.
Using Sun Java System Instant Messenger, you can:
Send instant messages (chat) and files — The Sun Java System Instant Messenger product’s version of instant messaging is called chat. Chat is a real-time conversation capability that enables you to complete projects, answer customer questions, and complete other time-critical work assignments. In chat sessions, you can attach files and images to the user with which you are chatting. You can chat with one user or multiple users. Chat sessions can also be held either in conferences created on an as-needed basis, or in pre-established conference rooms.
See To Send an Instant Message (To Invite Someone to Chat) and To Enter a Conference Room for more information.
Initiate Audio Conversation — You can initiate a voice conversation with another user using Sun Java System Instant Messaging. This is known as Peer to Peer voice chat. Using this feature, you can send and receive audio data.
Send alerts — Alerts are time-critical messages that instantly pop up on users’ desktops. If you send an alert with the Show delivery status option selected, you know who has received the message, and you are notified that the message has been read when the alert is either closed or clicked. If the alert message requires a response, the user can start a chat with the alert’s sender.
See To Send an Alert for more information.
Create polls — The polling function enables you to poll users for their response to a question. You send a question and possible answers to poll recipients and they respond with their selected answer. When recipients respond to your poll, you view their answers in a Status window. The summary of results can also be viewed in the Status window.
See To Conduct a Poll for more information.
Create and view news channels — News channels are forums for posting and sharing information. Users subscribe to news channels of interest to see updates. The information in a news channel can be published automatically by way of a URL or as a static message. Administrators or technical support centers control news channel access by assigning users to the channels they need, and decide who can see or post information to channels.
See To Create a News Channel and To View News Channels for more information.
Sun Java System Instant Messenger User IDs and Screen Names
Log in to Sun Java System Instant Messenger using your assigned user ID and password. You may choose a screen name – the displayed name under which you send instant messages when you register yourself. See New User Registration.
Steps to Get Started
To use the Sun Java System Instant Messenger software, you need to perform the following tasks:
Download and install the appropriate Java software that enables Sun Java System Instant Messenger software to run on your system. Contact your administrator or technical support center for more information.
Start the Sun Java System Instant Messenger software.
Log in to Sun Java System Instant Messenger.
Add some contacts and beginning chatting with them.
See the Glossary of Terms to become familiar with Instant Messenger’s terminology.