Integrating instant messaging into a VB.NET app

I would like to include instant messaging functionality within a Visual Basic .NET application that I am developing. The main feature I need is the ability to include application-specific files as attachments. All users will have Windows XP (and thus access to its RTC functionality), but I can't find documentation on any way to include IM functionality in any of the .NET help files or MSDN articles. Through what .NET components or classes do I invoke such Windows Messenger-style functionality between users? (Note: I'd be fine actually using the MSN IM network if I could incorporate that into my app.) Thank you.
Microsoft has released the APIs for you to integrate Messenger into your application. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/winmessenger/winmessenger/messenger_entry.asp for all the information.

This was first published in September 2003

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