ICQ ("I seek you"),

ICQ ("I seek you"), the software developed by an Israeli company called Mirabilis lets users know when their friends are logged on and initiate real-time chat sessions. If your friend doesn't have the program, you can click on a button and send him or her a link to download the software.Mirabilis was sold in June 1998 to America Online, with zero revenues, for $287 million in cash. Worldwide instant messaging users will reach 180 million by 2004, according to research by Gartner Group.Not only will almost 200 million people be using instant messaging in 2004, but Gartner also predicts that 60 percent of all real-time online communication -- either voice or text -- will be driven through instant messaging technology.The first version of the program was released in November 1996 and ICQ became the first Internet-wide instant messaging service, later patenting the technology.AOL acquired Mirabilis on June 8, 1998, for US$407 million. In 2001, ICQ had over 100 million accounts registered. In April 2010, AOL sold ICQ to Digital Sky Technologies for $187.5 million.