With the development of modern real-time communication tools, the web chat tools become an indispensable part in our lives, by which we can keep in touch with our old classmates, relations, our customers, and so on; They make the SOHO (Small Office and Home Office) become truth, perhaps we will work at home one day. It is very convenient to use them to transfer electronic documents, we even cannot work without the chat tools in our office. Let me give some examples about chat tools:

ICQ（”I seek you”）is one of the most popular chat tools in the world.

MSN Messenger is an instant-messaging program that notifies you when your friends are online so you can send messages or chat with several friends at once.

QQ is both the most popular instant messenger service and the largest online community in China.

UC is a chat tool of Sina, same chatting function as QQ, its English corner is free, you can enjoy your English journey there.

Skype is also a popular chat tool, you can make internet calls for free with Skype. Call friends and family on any phone with pay monthly subscriptions.

Google Talk enables users to instantly communicate with others via voice calls and instant messaging.

See the examples given above. What chat tools have you ever used? Which one do you like best?

In order to save time and increase the speed for giving fast responses to each other during the chat, I want to introduce the following network abbreviations, maybe you are familiar with these words or you have ever used them.

ASAP：As soon as possible

BF：Boyfriend

BTW：By the way

BBL：Be back later

BRB：Be right back

CU：See you

CUL：See you later

DIIK：Damned if I known

DS：Dunce smiley

FE：For example

FTF：Face to face

FYI：For your information

GF：girl friend

IAE：In any event

IC：I see

ILY：I love you

IMHO：In my humble opinion

IMO：In my opinion

IOW：In other words

LOL：Laughing out loudly

NRN：No reply necessary

OIC：Oh, I see

PEM：Privacy enhanced mail

RSVP：Reply if you please

TIA：Thanks in advance

TTUL：Talk to you later

TY：Thank you

VG：Very good

WRT：With respect to

WYMM：Will you marry me

NOTE: This is not a complete list of all network abbreviations used now.
It is just a list of abbreviations that I know. If you know others, please share with me.