new to iChat : confusion over account types

hello, my brother and I have both recently got Macs for the first time and we are a bit confused about iChat, mainly the account types. We want to keep in touch via video conferencing etc but we don't know which account type would give us the most flexibility.

if you select an AIM type of account does that mean you can only talk to AIM users and vice versa, with the other options or are their some account types where you can chat cross 'network'?

Is the free iChat account limited more than the other options in anyway? it seemed to want me to create a .mac account, so I did, but then somebody told me .mac had been superceded by mobileMe, which isn't free, so I don't know if the .mac account that i made will work for long?

is there anyway to delete a .mac account? I noticed that logging in via my .mac iChat account, that it displays either my full name or full email address as my 'username' which I'd prefer it not to.

Thank you for your time

JJ

hello, my brother and I have both recently got Macs for the first time and we are a bit confused about iChat, mainly the account types. We want to keep in touch via video conferencing etc but we don't know which account type would give us the most flexibility.

if you select an AIM type of account does that mean you can only talk to AIM users and vice versa, with the other options or are their some account types where you can chat cross 'network'?

Is the free iChat account limited more than the other options in anyway? it seemed to want me to create a .mac account, so I did, but then somebody told me .mac had been superceded by mobileMe, which isn't free, so I don't know if the .mac account that i made will work for long?

is there anyway to delete a .mac account? I noticed that logging in via my .mac iChat account, that it displays either my full name or full email address as my 'username' which I'd prefer it not to.

Thank you for your time

JJ

sorry i double posted

Hello sorry for the questions but I'm even more confused!

Even though I log in using a .mac name, my buddy list says AIM Buddies..can I chat to AOL Instant Messenger users if I'm logged in via a .mac name ?

Having researched some more, I see most suggesting that people get an AIM account as it is free. Is there a reason not to get the 'free iChat account' that ends up being a .mac? It is free isn't it?