Ways to Chat Online
Whether you desire a private 2 a.m. digital rendezvous with your long-distance lover or you want to discuss nuclear disarmament with a diverse group of strangers, there most certainly is a way to do it online. In the early days of the Internet, chat was popularized at the highbrow online community The Well, where users burned up the burgeoning modem lines writing manifestos to each other on everything from Nietzsche to networking. Then for a while, it seemed that chat had been taken over by hormonally charged junior high schoolers who prowled the chat rooms looking for someone -- anyone -- with whom to "cyber." But, spurred by the advent of instant messaging, chat is making a comeback. We've put together a list of the best ways to chat online (even if you really do "wanna cyber").
Text-Based Chat
Anyone who uses an online service such as America Online, CompuServe or Prodigy for Internet access probably is familiar with real-time, text-based chat, which is a simple, bare-bones way to gab online. You type a message, someone else types a response, and so on. You really don't need special software or expertise. Just introduce yourself and go!
Java Chat
Many websites utilize Java chat, which, in most cases, is similar to text-based chat, but requires you to use a Java-enabled browser (such as a post-3.0 version of either Netscape's or Microsoft's browser) to access the chat room. ; Unfortunately, if you use AOL's browser, you will not be able to participate in Java chat. Yahoo! Chat, for instance, offers Java chat. If you have an old browser or a slow modem, Java chat is not for you.
Internet Relay Chat
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) has a little bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it's addictive. NetGuide checked out IRC a few months ago, and we've put together a guide to getting started with IRC. For IRC, you will need special software and will have to learn some special commands, but don't let that deter you.
Graphical Chat
Graphical chat enables users to choose an avatar (a graphical representation of themselves) and move through a two-dimensional graphical environment (called a world) while chatting. For graphical chat, you most likely will need a Java-enabled browser. A great place to get started with graphical chat is The Palace. It's as easy as choosing an avatar and a world where you'd like to chat.
Video Chat
If you have a digital video camera, microphone and a desire to chat with others who have digital video cameras "face-to-face," you may want to download the popular CU-SeeMe video chat software, which is available free for 30 days or can be downloaded for $69. Here at NetGuide, we put CU-SeeMe to the test. Technologically speaking, video chat has a long way to go (the images are jerky and the sound is garbled), but the potential is great. In a year or two, this will be really cool.
Instant Messaging
Within the past year, instant messaging or "buddy list" technology has exploded onto the chat scene. If you haven't tried this yet, you really are missing out. Instant messaging lets you chat with friends, family and co-workers over the Internet in real time. All you do is sign up for one of the free services (AOL's Instant Messenger and ICQ are the two most popular) and have your "buddies" sign up for the same service. Once you have signed up and downloaded the messaging software, you will be instantly notified once one of your buddies logs on to the Internet. NetGuide recently put together a list of some of the most popular instant messaging services.
Leave a Reply