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Avatar (computing)
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===Internet chat and messaging=== [[GIF]] avatars were introduced as early as 1990 in the [[ImagiNation Network]] (also known as Sierra On-Line) game and chat hybrid. In 1994, Virtual Places offered VOIP capabilities which were later abandoned for lack of bandwidth. In 1996 [[Microsoft Comic Chat]], an [[IRC]] client that used cartoon avatars for chatting, was released. [[America Online]] introduced instant messaging for its membership in 1996 and included a limited number of "buddy icons," picking up on the avatar idea from PC games. When AOL later introduced the free version of its messenger, AIM, for use by anyone on the Internet, the number of icons offered grew to be more than 1,000 and the use of them grew exponentially, becoming a hallmark feature of instant messaging. In 2002, AOL introduced "Super Buddies," 3D animated icons that talked to users as they typed messages and read messages. The term Avatar began to replace the moniker of "buddy icon" as 3D customizable icons became known to its users from the mainstream popularity of PC Games. Yahoo's instant messenger was the first to adopt the term "avatar" for its icons. Instant messaging avatars were usually very small; AIM icons have been as small as 16Γ16 pixels but are used more commonly at the 48Γ48 pixel size, although many icons can be found online that typically measure anywhere from 50Γ50 pixels to 100Γ100 pixels in size. More recently, services such as [[Discord (software)|Discord]] have added avatars. With a paid subscription, users can select individual identities for different communities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Server Avatars - Discord Help |url=https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409388345495-Server-Avatars |website=Discord Help |access-date=5 November 2021 |date=16 October 2021}}</ref>
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