I hope it's not just that no one wants to chat with you!
I don't think I've even opened iChat on this iMac I got a few months ago, let me see if it works, whatever version it might be...
Well it starts up fine. Looks to be v.6.0, however. Still has all three "Buddies" listed. Oh, wait, those are the ones that are On-Line, there are another 32 OFF-Line. I suppose that's why you don't appear in the On-Line list... A couple of them look like they are actually me!
I'll be glad to upgrade iChat to your version, but I ran SU a while ago and it didn't mention that there was a newer one.
Don't go away...
Whoa! That was scary! I clicked the Video icon in the prefs and one of the ugliest creatures I've ever seen appeared in the little video window!
Even scared the cat!!!
OK, SU still doesn't list iChat as needing an update. Are you sure about that version number? Or have you done the Lion update? Maybe it comes in that.