. Signing Up When you open iChat for the first time, you see the "Welcome To iChat" window (Figure 21-1). This is the first of several screens in the iChat setup sequence, during which you're supposed to tell it which kinds of chat accounts you have | . Signing Up When you open iChat for the first time you see the Welcome To iChat window Figure 21-1 . This is the first of several screens in the iChat setup sequence during which you re supposed to tell it which kinds of chat accounts you have and set up your camera if any. An account is a name and password. Fortunately these accounts are free and there are several ways to acquire one. Tip The easiest procedure is to set up your accounts before you open iChat for the first time because then you can just plug in your names and passwords in the setup can input your account information later though. Choose iChat Preferences click the Accounts button click the button and choose the right account type Jabber .Mac Google Talk or AIM from the Account Type pop-up menu. . How to get a free .Mac account If you re already a member of Apple s .Mac service Chapter 18 iChat fills in your user name and password automatically. If not you can get an iChat-only .Mac account for free. To get started do one of these two things Click the Get an iChat Account button that appears on the second Setup Assistant screen. Choose iChat Preferences click the Accounts button click the button and click Create Account. Either way you go to an Apple Web page where you can sign up for a free iChat account name. You ll also get 60 days of the more complete .Mac treatment usually 100 a year described in Chapter 18. When your trial period ends you ll lose all of the other stuff that .Mac provides but you ll get to keep your iChat name. Note If your .Mac name ismissingmanualguy you ll appear to everyone else as missingmanualguy@. The software tacks on the @ suffix automatically. Figure 21-1. The iChat setup assistant gives you the chance to input your account names and passwords if you already have them. Only one of these screens Set up iChat Instant messaging offers you the chance to create a chat account in this case a free .Mac account. Otherwise .
