Thing 8

I watched the videos that were on the Thing 8 page. However, I didn't really learn anything new about IMing, texting, or having a web conference b/c I'm 22 years old and I do all three of those things on a daily basis. It recommends to use yahoo, google, or AIM (what everyone calls AOL instant messenger ;)). I have had yahoo IM since I was about 13 and still to this very day use it everyday. I don't have a google IM but it can't be much different than the many different IM programs that I have used. I still have an AIM but I don't use it very often b/c I don't have a lot of friends on that service. I also have a hotmail msn (messenger) that I also use on a daily basis.

Texting.....I would probably die without it. Like most college students, I don't go any where without my cell phone, and while I really like the calling features, my favorite feature about it is probably the texting plan that I have. I have unlimited texting, and I usually text about 3000 times a month. I really only have 2 or 3 people that I actually text on a regular basis, so you can image what it would be like if I had several friends in the area that I talked to regularly. I read the article that was linked from the Thing 8 page. Again, I didn't learn anything about texting that I didn't already know.
I love texting, I don't think that it is better than talking, I just think it is more convenient than talking. As to the why I use texting so much is because I like to stay in contact with my friends. I don't have a big group of friends, I have about 4 or 5 close friends and thats really it. With our hectic lives of schoool, work, partying, or whatever they may be into, its not always convenient to talk on the phone. I still talk on the phone all the time, but for those conversations that may only take a few minutes i usually try and text them instead.
Not to mention it can be very helpful when in your in a situation where calling isn't an option. Say I'm on the phone with someone already and a friend needs to talk to me really quick. Instead of getting off the phone with the other person I simply text the second friend what ever information he/she might need. I know this is kind of gross, but I text in the bathroom all the time. I don't feel comfortable talking to someone while I'm using the bathroom (i know some people that have no problem with that) but if I'm texting they have no idea what I'm really doing. Some other great places where texting is useful because calling someone isn't are: in the car (I only reccomend this to people like myself who are so good at texting they don't have to look at the phone while they are doing it so they don't get into an accident while driving), while I'm listening to music, watching tv, at a party with lots of noise, really quickly I might text in class, if your deaf it is a GREAT way of communicating when your not in sight range, clubs, athletic events, or concerts. I know this is probably more than was needed on this discussion, but I feel that I should defend texting whenever possible, because it can be a wonderful thing when used properly.
As far as web conferences go I don't use those everyday, but I have done them several times. Mostly I use them when a couple of my friends are online and we all want to talk to each other in one window. It is a very helpful thing in that situation. I haven't ever used them in any way other than personal, but I understand that businesses are using them more and more every day. I think that is a great idea.