iChat Version 4: A Brief review and What's changed.

Before

iChat made it's it way into the Apple Application fold in about 2003 with the first version. We are talking at the time of Jaguar (10.2.x).

At that point it was just a basic AIM client (App). That means that Apple developed an application that worked with other Clients (Apps) that use the AIM Service. They came to an agreement with AIM that @mac.com email IDs would be recognized by the AIM Servers as valid AIM screen names (See iChat 4 section about changes to @mac.com/.mac).

So iChat (ver 1) can Text chat (including Group chats) and send Files and Pictures to other AIM based clients

Then Came

Then along came iChatAV (iChat vers 2). It came initially as a Beta and then as a $29.00 Add-on application for 10.2.x (Had to be 10.2.5 or above though). What it added was the ability to do Audio only and Video Chats with similar equipped Buddies (AIM went A/V for PCs around the same time). It became free again with Panther (10.3.x).

At iChat 3

iChat 3 added Multichating to Video and Audio only chats. It also adds a much improved Group system in the Buddy list allowing them to be displayed in Groups.

Multi-Video chats can be between up to 4 buddies (you and three others). Audio Only chats can be between up to 10 Buddies.

iChat 3 also added the ability to use Jabber IDs creating a third Buddy List that could be on view. If you had a Googlemail ID and enable GoogleTalk you could use this in iChat. Using a Jabber ID at both ends and iChat 3 at both end you could AV chat using the Jabber info.

A note about Passwords with Apple Screen Names

As with other versions of iChat the Password for any Screen Name has to be 16 Characters or less to be accepted by the AIM Servers for a Log in. As @mac.com (and the newer @me.com) passwords can be longer, this needs to be watched.

iChat 4 Adds

The ability to share you files as the Live Video feed with iChat Theater or slide shows of Pictures with a link to iPhoto.

The ability to allow your Screen to be Shared (you and your Buddy can navaigate around your computer) or to Share your Buddies Screen. This comes with an Audio chat at the same time so it is great for Teaching your mates something.

I would add some caution in either direction. If you are not an expert digging around someone else's computer it could be damaging. With incoming connections make sure 1) you trust the person and 2) have your hands ready to cut the connection if required. Needless to say both ends should Back Up before hand.

You can login multiple AIM valid names (@Mac.com, MobileMe and AIM) and Jabber IDs at once. It does however create as many Buddy Lists as you have open/logged in Screen Names.

Text Chats can be brought into one window that then has Tabs. (Edit 2024:- I must admit I never found this useful as I tend to rely on a chat window looking different when a new Bubble arrives. Colour and Movement as they say.)

And most dramatically it has Effects and Backdrops in the Video Chats. If you are familiar with PhotoBooth then you will know exactly what you can do.

 Functions, How-tos and Pictures The How-tos and Pictures Links are Indexes of more pages where as the Functions one is a standalone page.

Other Help

As well as these Pages here, help can be found at the Apple Discussion Boards This link is to the Front Index page.

A Word about Navigating the Apple Discussion Boards

The Boards are hierarchical.

(Edit 2024:- Apple have changed the layout of the pages in the inteveening years. This tends to mean the separate Forums for individual Apps have disappeared. As a result you can move though the site by MacOS, the various OSes that are still supported or the "Earlier Operating Systems" option. Once at this point you can use the Search Option. You do not have to be Logged in at this point. An Apple ID will work for this though. It will show some of what it can find with the Most Recent First)

You can not post until you are in a Forum where the Search or ASk a Question box is or have clicked on a Topic. You also have to be registered with Apple. Apple uses a common ID for iTunes, the Store and the Discussion - so you may have one already.

That would suggest we are ready for the Functions

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Created with JAlbum 4.0.6

Created October, 2008 Major Update/Edit October 2024.

 ©  Ralph Johns. Created October 2008

Information Block

This site is about iChat from Version 1 through to iChat 5.x.x
Mostly this is kept as an Historical Document. Some small tense changes have been made but the content is by and large untouched.

It has a mixture of basic info and problem solving help.

The sections below will change for Specifics about info on the page on view

About This Page

A small history of iChat and what iChat 4 adds and links to the other pages in the iChat 4 section.

Compatibility

As mentioned above this has had a major Edit/Update in September/October 2024 moving towards being fully HTML 5 compliant meaning that the Browsers listed below are likely to no longer work.

I have tested in Safari 18.1, Firefox 130.x and 131.0, Vivaldi 6.9.3447.48 and iCab 6.2.3 (All Mac Browsers) I don't have access to a PC let alone multiple browsers to test on.

The original pages worked with Win/IE 5.5 and later (should work in 5.0, but not confirmed), Firefox 2, Safari 3, Opera 9, iCab 3.02 and later, Mac/IE 5, Netscape 6 and later

Old browsers (IE version 4 or earlier, Netscape 4 or earlier) should/may only see a text-based page which, while not the prettiest option, is still entirely usable.

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