ICQ stands for "I Seek You".  Much like AOL's Instant Messenger, ICQ is a program that allows you to find your friends that are online at the same time that you are online. ICQ will allow you to create a Contact List containing only people you want to have there.  You won't have to search the Internet to locate friends or associates, ICQ will do the searching for you.

        As soon as you log onto the Internet, ICQ automatically detects the Internetconnection and announces your presence to the ICQ Internet community.  ICQ will display a message or sound when a person from your contact list logs on or off the Internet.  Once you have determined who is on the Internet, simply click on an icon to send messages, initiate a chat, or transfer files.

Other ICQ advantages include:

        Communicate using chat, voice, message board, data conferencing,
           file transfer and Internet games

        Send messages across the Internet in real time

        Multiple-user mode allows you to conduct conferences or chat on-line

        ICQ runs in the background taking up minimal memory and Internet
           resources

       Continue to use other applications.  ICQ will alert you when friends
           log in

       Acts as a Universal Platform where you can launch any peer-to-peer
         application such as Microsoft NetMeeting or Netscape CoolTalk