Here is my chat interface, messages you send get sent to me via GoolgeTalk, which I almost always have running. If it says I'm Online then I am in front of or near my computer, send me a message and I will probably respond (once in awhile I forget to plug in my speakers so I won't hear the new chat sound GoogleTalk plays for me). If it says I'm away from my computer then I might be a few feet away and will come running when I hear my Google Talk make a sound, or I might be far away and not be able to answer. Send me a message and try it out. If it says I'm offline, then you message will be held in the que and I will see it when I again return to the information superhighway. If it says I am busy then I probably am and won't be able to respond.
Here is my Plugoo version of chat (which I've used for months now), it works well.
