# ICQ- does it work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 9, 2000, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560 "2000-02-09T02:39:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560/1 "2000-02-09T02:39:00Z")

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I just need a quick answer… it’s 6:28PST here, and my ICQ won’t connect! I was in the middle of a chat session, go disconnected, and I can’t get back on. Is everyone else’s doing the same thing?

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**Author:** ![PurpleCrackwhore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@PurpleCrackwhore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleCrackwhore)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560/2 "2000-02-09T02:45:00Z")

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Mine is working fine… sometimes it takes a bit to reconnect after a boot

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I really try to be good but it just isn’t in my nature!

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**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560/3 "2000-02-09T02:46:00Z")

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Mine seems okay.

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**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560/4 "2000-02-09T02:48:00Z")

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Thanks PCW… it’s just frustrating that my internet connection is fine, but I can’t log onto the ICQ server… and the ICQ Network Status says things are peachy.

I’m just mad cause I was talking to my GF…

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560/5 "2000-02-09T02:52:00Z")

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Yep; ICQ was working at that moment. What I have discovered, though, the hard way is that whilst using AOL, to get ICQ to work, one must have AOL’s Internet Connection launched. That entails either pressing the CTRL and 7 keys simultaneously or selecting the Internet menu (cute little globe icon) and then the Internet Connection option. From there, no problems with ICQ. Well, sometimes the program will announce that it can’t send your message to the recipient directly and offer you the option of sending it through a server.

Another option is PeeopleLink available for free from [http://www.peoplelink.com](http://www.peoplelink.com) . This has the added advantage of launching its own internet connection; however, it doesn’t save all the conversations as ICQ does.

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**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icq-does-it-work/13560/6 "2000-02-09T02:59:00Z")

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ICQ sucks big time here tonite… I cant get a connection and when I do its only for about 30 seconds then poof

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We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another