C / C++ / MFC

\\server-name\mailslot\messngr

from-name\0to-name\0message-text\0\0

do
{
   if (is_key_down(LEFT_ARROW_KEY))
       player.MoveLeft();
   if (is_key_down(RIGHT_ARROW_KEY))
       player.MoveRight();

   draw_background();
   draw_sprites();
   draw_info();

   timer_sync_code();

}while(!is_key_down(ESCAPE));

MyApp::OnTimer()
{
   draw_background();
   draw_sprites();
   draw_info();
}

MyApp::OnKeyPressed(int key)
{
   switch(key)
   {
      case LEFT_ARROW_KEY:
         player.MoveLeft();
         break;
      case RIGHT_ARROW_KEY:
         player.MoveRight();
         break;
      etc, etc, etc
   }
}

1. One way would be to use DirectInput (part of DirectX). I haven't used it, but I'm sure it won't be hard.
2. If you're using the game loop method, you could replace the pseudo-is_key_down functions with GetKeyState() (or GetAsyncKeyState()). These functions take the virtual key you're interested in as parameter and return the status of that key. If I remember correctly, you should "and" the return value with 0x8000 to get the pressed/unpressed state.
3. If you're using the OnTimer() and OnKey() method, you can remove the OnKey() function and use what I wrote above in (2), inside OnTimer().