Chat on the Internet

Module NA 60c

Contents

     

 

Real-time communication vs. Asynchronous Communication

Real-time communication is an exchange of information in the present, but asynchronous communication is an exchange in which information may be stored for later retrieval.
 
 
Real-Time Communication Asynchronous communication
Present (reading) Any time (reading)
Conversation Lecture
Simultaneous communication Delayed communication
Examples: 
  • Phone
  • TV
  • Chat on the internet
  • CB radio
     
     
  • Answering machine or Voice Mail
  • VCR
  • E-mail
  • Forum, discussion group, Usenet
  • Fax

Internet Chat

Chat is a real time interaction between two or more computer users at the same time via the internet. A chat client is a program that runs on your computer and sends and receives written messages to and from a chat server. The chat server, in turn, is responsible for making sure that all messages are broadcast to everyone participating in a discussion. There can be many discussions going on at once; each one is assigned a unique channel.

A client is an application that runs on a personal computer or workstation and relies on a server to perform some operations. For example, an e-mail client is an application that enables you to send and receive e-mail. There are many benefits to chatting. If you have family and/or friends anywhere in the world you can chat with them for free, (not including your usual connect charges). You can meet new people with the same interests for just friendship. These are some systems you can use to chat:
 

Internet Relay Chat
Internet Relay Chat is a multi-user, multi-channel chat system that is run on the Internet. It gives people all over the world the ability to talk (type) to one another in real time. There are thousands of channels running simultaneously, and any one can join an existing chat or start their own. IRC  is a collection of servers linked together. When you log on to IRC, you are connecting to one of the servers on that network. Since all the servers are connected to each other, you are connected to all the other users even though they may not be directly connected to the same server as you. It's the net's version of CB radio. IRC uses its own IRC clients to connect to an IRC server.



Diagram from NewIRCusers.com
 



 


Web Chat

There are many web chat systems on the Internet to access chat services. For example, AOL Instant messenger is an online conversation between two or more people who have AOL Instant Messenger or America Online software. Instant messages are private and free. AOL Instant Messenger is a free software program that lets you:


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It takes about 10 minutes to download this free program over a standard, 28.8 kbps computer modem and telephone line. The installation process takes about three minutes, and it's easy to add your friends' screen names to your Buddy List.  For more information go to  http://www.aol.com.
 




Chat Culture and Etiquette
Here are some Do's:


Following are things you don't want to do during a chat:


Screen Names

Screen names are used to uniquely identify a participant in the chatting community. There are no guidelines for choosing a screen name. You can pick any name you want to identify yourself.  Following are some examples of screen names:

 
Emoticons    
        Chat has its own language, some examples are:
Chat Categories
Chat categories are classified based upon the characteristics of the people taking part in chat rooms. Usually chat rooms are classified by age group, interest groups, ethnic groups, nationality, ideas and belief systems. Following are some examples of various chat rooms:

References:


About this document...

Audience: This is for people who are familiar with the concepts of the Internet and would like to know about different types of "chat" on the Internet.

Objectives: On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

  1. Define real-time communication and contrast it with asynchronous communication
  2. Explain advantages and disadvantages of real-time, text-based communication via the Internet
  3. Describe Web-based chat and Internet Rely Chat
  4. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of chat and IRC
Module NA60c: Chat on the Internet
This document is part of a modular instruction series in Computer Information Systems. For more information, see the overview or the list of modules in this series, NA: InternetApplications. This document has been used in the following classes: This document has been used in the following classes: INP160.
Authors: Asiya Khan, Eunice Reason and Tong Li.
Original: 31 Jan 2000; this version posted Wednesday, 13-Oct-2004 09:21:45 EDT
Editors: Laurence J. Krieg, Kathie Gourlay
Copyright © 2000-2004, Washtenaw Community College.

Instructors: You may point to this file in your Web-based materials.
Students: you may make a copy for your personal use.
All other uses: contact the editor, LaurenceJ. Krieg for permission.