Recovering Log or Buddylist

[David Woolley]

On 09/11/17 16:18, Richard Hector wrote:
> If my phone company in New Zealand goes away, that doesn't mean your
> phone number in Texas is now useless - I can get a new connection from a
> new company, and call you as before.

Instant messaging systems aren't interconnected in the way that phone 
companies are.  A better analogy is that, if all voice phones cease to 
operate, you can still send paper mail to your postal address in Texas. 
Some IM services use addresses that only they can use, like the phone 
number, others allow you to use the equivalent of looking you up in the 
phone directory every time.