if you learn all the tricks, ICQ is probably the best for just communicating...it can be configured to be as private as you want, and along with AOL Instant Messenger, it is the most popular...having both is still free, and covers most of the bases..there is CUSeeMe also, but I have never tried it...(it was designed to work with a camera)..if all you want is to be able to post images, like of song manuscripts, there are lots of free web sites that will work...