AIM: DirectConnect

When using the AIM and Mobile Me services (including when talking to contacts using iChat), you can "directly connect" to send a contact inline pictures and large blocks of text. Images dragged and dropped – or pasted – into a chat which is directly connected are sent and displayed inside that window rather than via a separate file transfer.

To initiate a Direct Connect, simply drag or paste an image into the text entry area. Adium will invite the remote user to accept a direct connection (iChat automatically accepts such invitations) and then display the picture inline in both your message window and the other user's message window.

Direct Connect faces the same difficulties as file transfer (e.g. NAT traversal).

Direct Connect is also called “direct messaging”, “direct IM”, or “direct chat”.