. Text Chatting A typed chat works like this: Each time you or your chat partner types something and then presses Enter, the text appears on both your screens (Figure 21-6). iChat displays each typed comment next to an icon, which can be any of these three things | . Text Chatting A typed chat works like this Each time you or your chat partner types something and then presses Enter the text appears on both your screens Figure 21-6 . iChat displays each typed comment next to an icon which can be any of these three things A picture they added. If the buddy added her own picture to her own copy of iChat a Jabber program or AOL Instant Messenger it will be transmitted to you appearing automatically in the chat window. Cool A picture you added. If you ve added a picture of that person to the Buddy List or Address Book you see it here instead. After all your vision of what somebody looks like may not match his own self-image. Generic. If nobody s done icon-dragging of any sort you get a generic icon either a blue globe for .Mac people a light bulb for Google Talkers or the AOL Instant Messenger running man for AIM people . Figure 21-6. As you chat your comments always appear on the right. If you haven t yet created a custom icon you ll look like a blue globe or an AOL running man. You can choose a picture for yourself either in your own Address Book card or right in iChat. And Web links your pals paste into messages are perfectly clickable your Web browser leaps right up to take you to the site your friend has shared. To choose a graphic to use as your own icon click the square picture to the right of your own name at the top of the Buddy Jabber or Bonjour list. From the pop-up palette of recently selected pictures choose Edit Picture to open a pop-up image selection palette where you can take a snapshot with your Mac s camera or choose a photo file from your hard drive. Feel free to build an array of different graphics to represent yourself and to change them in mid-chat using this pop-up palette to the delight or confusion of your conversation partner. Tip When you minimize the iChat message window its Dock icon displays the icon of the person you re chatting with a handy reminder that she s still there. . In-chat fun .
