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Not Really "Excite"ing

© Maureen Fleury

EXCITE PAL

While browsing through the Excite website, I noticed a link for Excite PAL. Being interested in this field, I downloaded the program. I am in the habit of reading the help files as I go along. On the contact list, I selected "PAL Help" and was given an error message "PAL help is not using PAL right now". I went up to the top toolbar and selected "How to Use" under the Help link. That took me to a page that was invalid. So, there was no help available at all! This is a very basic program of sending/receiving messages and nothing more.





EXCITE MESSENGER

I found this one at the Excite site too. Apparently, this is the newer and rebuilt version of PAL. It has more features, such as voice chat with people on your list or look up someone to chat with on the Excite Messenger Club. It integrates with Excite mail, e-cards, calendar and other links to the Excite site. Amazing thing about this service is that you don't download it. Click on the hyperlink each time and the screen will appear. I clicked on the "Messenger Guru" to get help and received the message "Guru is not using Messenger right now". I could access a help page through the "File" menu.

Just like Yahoo and MSN, you need to obtain an e-mail account in order to use the Excite service. With ICQ, you don't need a special email account. By not downloading the software for Excite Messenger, there is no capability of leaving offline messages. On ICQ and Yahoo, you can leave offline messages, but not on MSN Messenger.

I can't say that I'm impressed with the Excite messaging services. I don't know why they would even have the link and download to PAL if Excite Messenger replaces it. Even the new & improved service is not packed with the functionality you can find with other instant messaging services. For instance, you can't use PC to PC calling or leave a message on a mobile device.

I suppose if you are an avid Excite user and participate in the communities, this is a good and easy way to have a one-on-one text or voice chat with a buddy on the list.

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