>> The Mercury Project for Instant Messaging (IM) Studies at Stanford was created in May, 2003 as a compilation of various research studies carried out by undergraduates at Stanford University for their Program in Writing and Rhetoric (PWR) class.

>> IM communications software has spread rapidly in the past couple of years, becoming a major part of the younger generation's social structure. As college students, all of whom use IM regularly to communicate with friends, we feel that we are in a unique position to analyze this phenomenon.

>> The project is named after Mercury, the Roman god of communication. The ancient Greeks and Romans understood the importance of communication, even to the point of creating its own god. They must have wondered how the gods would communicate--a messenger as fast as possible with winged sandals and helm. Yet even in their wildest dreams, they could not have imagined the speed at which mankind communicates today. Instant messaging represents a revolution in communications technology, at times faster than the telephone and farther reaching.

>> The Mercury Project focuses on various aspects of IM, from its effects on friendship and communities to the changing nature of IM language. This website contains a compilation of the findings as well as links to the original reports. We hope you will find it both informative and entertaining. [ENTER HERE]