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With an Internet Relay Chat utility (IRC), you can connect to a remote server where other users are also connected and talk with them. ICQ works much like an instant messenger. ICQ (I Seek You) is an Internet tool that notifies you when other users are online and enables you to communicate with them. Talk is designed for users on the same system or connected on a local network.
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The Talk utility operates like a telephone, enabling you to have a direct two-way conversation with another user. You can do so with Talk, ICQ, instant messenger, and IRC utilities, provided the other user is also logged into a connected system at the same time (see Table 15-2). You may, at times, want to communicate directly with other users on your network. Network Talk and Messenger Clients: ICQ, IRC, AIM, and Talk
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