What's an instant message?

An instant message is similar to an email message, but it appears in a little window and displays both sides of your conversation with the other person, essentially instantaneously.

I have a microphone. Can I use it to talk to my friend, with my voice I mean?

Yes, so long as both computers have a sound card (virtually all computers do these days), speakers or headphones, and a microphone. Just click the Call button in your chat window. The first time you try, it will want to run a Wizard to make sure your microphone and speakers are working properly - this is probably a good idea. Note: there's sometimes a slight delay with voice chat, but if you can put up with it, this might be a nice way to talk to faraway friends without the long distance bills.

How hard is it to install?

Not hard. You just need to pay attention and not let Yahoo install junk you don't want. We've prepared a document to help you in that regard. Download YM: http://messenger.yahoo.com/ Install help and suggestions: http://www.beautyandthebeast-tv.com/winterfest/faq/yminst

What's a Conference?

The Conference feature lets you chat with more than one person at a time. You invite who you choose (or someone else invites you). No one can drop in on your conference unless someone in the conference invites them. It's kind of like a conference call on the telephone.