June 17, 2008 -- 

Reader Jack B. wrote in recently to remind us that you can transfer files via iChat, though not with the iChat screen-sharing feature. To accomplish a transfer, just drag a file from your Finder and drop it on a buddy's name in the AIM Buddy List window. (Presumably you could also drag a file to a name in the Bonjour List window.) In our email exchange, I commented that I'd found the iChat file-transfer feature to sometimes not work. Jack noted that he has to zip folders before he can transfer them and that JPEGs don't seem to be working for him under Leopard, though they did previously. He also suggested if the drag-and-drop method doesn't work, choosing Buddies > Send File or having one or both people involved in the chat quit and relaunch iChat.

—Tonya Engst