well it's kinda weird... gtalk [ which is what it's called ] can be accessed through a buddy list like on AIM or via email. this is what you have to do if you want the buddy list, which is what i prefer:
you can always access it from your google email too, but i never really understood google email, so i just use gtalk for the IM service. [ orphans's advice column | Ask orphans A Question ]
Attention: NOTHING on this site may be reproduced in any fashion whatsoever without explicit consent (in writing) of the owner of said material, unless otherwise stated on the page where the content originated. Search engines are free to index and cache our content. Users who post their account names or personal information in their questions have no expectation of privacy beyond that point for anything they disclose. Questions are otherwise considered anonymous to the general public.