Instant messengers gave friends, relatives and colleagues another way to keep in touch. The original article welcomed that convenience and the appearance of applications that could connect to several services at once.
It then asked readers to remember that a conversation was with another person, rather than just with a computer interface.
Consider what you write
Messages can be sent quickly, but that does not make their effect temporary. The author encouraged readers to pause before sending something offensive or disclosing information they might later regret sharing.
Tone can also be harder to interpret in a short written exchange. A little care about the recipient's perspective can prevent an ordinary misunderstanding becoming an unnecessary conflict.
Take care with new contacts
The article emphasised checking who a new contact was and avoiding disclosures that could cause harm later. An account's name or picture should not be treated as proof of the identity behind it.
The practical point was to combine the convenience of meeting people online with judgement about what to share. You can decline a request or end an unwanted exchange without providing more personal information.
Use the tool to support the relationship
The author valued face-to-face contact where it was possible and described messaging as something that could support it. For people far from family and friends, a conversation over the Internet could provide contact that would otherwise be difficult.
Those situations are different. A useful communication tool should fit the people involved rather than impose one preferred way of maintaining every relationship.
Different networks, one conversation space
The article was written when multi-protocol clients were becoming familiar. They offered one interface for accounts that would otherwise require separate applications.
Combining accounts could reduce friction, but it did not remove the need to know which account and recipient were being used. That distinction mattered when work, family and other conversations shared the same screen.
The enduring point
Understanding the application, choosing what to disclose and thinking about the person reading a message can make an online exchange more useful. The names of particular messaging services change; consideration for the other participant remains part of the experience.