windows messaging

[Patrick Newberry]

I have an ubuntu machine at  home and where I work I have a windows
machine with windows messaging. I thought about trying to be able to
talk with my wife at home via the ubuntu manchine. 

I know little about messaging which I guess is basically a chat type
function. 

When I looked at the chat function on ubuntu it was talking about net
work and channels. 

I'm guessing the channel and net work are hardcoded with windows
messaging or maybe they are really two different animals.

Is it possible to talk to a windows machine that has windows messaging
with an ubuntu machine. I guess windows messaging requires you to get
somekind of a .net passport which I guess it just get your email address
for some sinister reason :-)

Pat