ICQ is a very good instant messager (IM). I used to use it alot but also found it sucked alot of memory. Then I found ICQ Lite, it's ICQ on the web and it opens in a browser window. If you still have your old ICQ number and password then you can access your ICQ details from any PC in the world.
I have an AIM account and an MSN account, both user names are JEFF24GIRL. I use Trillian for Instant Messenging though, as it allows you to communicate with users of all IM applications.
Here is the link if you'd like to download Trillian and try it.
Well we used to have ICQ at home, I thought it was pretty good, but then we started getting messages from people we didn't even know!?!? Not sure how that happened, some of them were foul so we got rid ofit, now we have AIM at home and I have MSN at work, both are good for me!
Best bet with ICQ is to set it up to prevent people contacting you unless you request them too. Then all they can do is send a request for you to talk with them.
*edit
My ICQ is 122152177 - I use ICQ lite, so I'm rarely on. I got a little sick of how mixed up messages get sometimes.
I used to use trillain but I uninstalled it, it caused too many problems, but now I just use MSN and yahoo, I only use my icq if I want to send my family a text message.
I like AIM and MSN, because there is no database that some stranger or stalker can search through to find you picked out of random people like a phone book (Or white pages if you will.) which is exactly what ICQ has, I had more strange people messaging me from like Jordan and Turkey wanting sex, then I had of my friends!
So in short, MSN and AIM provide or privacy, a person HAS to know details about you to find you, and even then you can use a fake name and another email address and they'll never know who you are.
And there is always the ability to BLOCK someone so they can't see you online.
Don't worry I have to hide from my father, like you do your mum.