IM someone, but how ?

Hi

I'm trying to buy some land (I'm still looking). Often, there is a sign or a message that appears telling me to IM so and so for more information.

I click 'communicate' and a dialog box pops up with my list of friends ... hmm, haven't got any friends yet (sad huh) but I still need to IM this person/resident/avatar whatever (I presume IM means 'Instant Message').

I guess I need to add so and so as a friend, but they don't know me, I would never just approach someone in the street and ask them to be my friend (unless I wanted to get beaten up/arrested/sectioned etc) so how do you IM someone if they are not your friend ....

Many Thanks in advance for your petience with this particular newbie.

Idaho

If you go to search and then people, put their name in and you can then IM from their profile

It's not a stupid question, I think we probably all wondered that in the beginning

Thanks, I can see that now.

Actually I am still wondering why I need to take such a convoluted route just to fire off a quick IM to someone.

But anyway, that's definitely not in the major annoyance league ...

if you are looking at the person, avatar to avatar, you can right click on them, or the tag over their head, and Instant Message is in the pie menu that appears. Their profile is also accessed this way if you want to read that first, and you can then IM from the profile as described above.

If you aren't near enough to see them though, you have to go through search and the profile.

Welcome to Second Life. It get easier, i promise

imogen

Also, in those rare cases where the land or object is owned by an individual, you can also go to about land, click the 'profile' button next to the owner's name

I teach a class in basic communications skills, including how to find people. Come to GQ Start at 1 pm SL time today.