The world got a whole lot smaller the day emails came into existence, while the social interaction between people became less personal and more abstract.

Then came smses and things got even more impersonal — but strangely it became easier to keep in contact with friends that you don't see very often. And then we suddenly discovered instant messages (IM).

Whatever reservations one might have over it, IM has become a very quick and effective way of communicating, especially when you sit in front of a computer screen all day long.

The question now, of course, is which one of the many programs available should you use? Which one is the best?

Unfortunately answering that question is like trying to tell you which cellphone is the best one, because it depends on too many variables, such as what you want out of an IM program.

For example, if you like it to just be a chat program with one or two crucial features, you'd opt for something along the lines of Google Talk. But if you like to have the chat equivalent of the space shuttle's controls at your fingertips, then a program like Windows Live Messenger will be of more use to you.

So it's a question of trying out some of the top ones and deciding which one works the best for you. These ones should get you started: Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and Skype.

Another variable that comes into play is which program do your friends use? Because it makes zero sense to have program A when all your mates are getting verbal on program B.

To make things even more complicated, you can end up having equal amounts of friends on different programs, necessitating that you install all of these programs. Or you can install one program that can access all of the others, such as Pidgin or Trillian.

If you're on the roam and not close to your usual PC, you can still stay in contact with your friends by using one of two options: install bing on your cellphone, or go to an internet café and visit Meebo, where you can chat from the browser without having to download and install any software.