News
Shutting of MSN chat rooms may open up IM
By deciding to shutter free chat rooms, Microsoft has highlighted global problems with spammers and pornographers. But analysts say there may also be benefits for the software giant, which is trying to shunt customers to paid services across its network.Microsoft said this week that MSN users should switch over to its free MSN Messenger instant messaging service as a replacement for the chat rooms, which are scheduled to close down in 28 countries on Oct. 14. The decision excludes the United States and Canada.
Microsoft stands to benefit in several ways from the move, for example, by reducing expenses related to maintaining and policing free Web chat rooms and by raising the prominence of MSN Messenger in the affected regions: Europe, Asia, Africa and parts of Latin America. That in turn could help boost revenue when Microsoft begins to charge for IM, something analysts say is just a matter of time.
"Even though MSN Messenger is not a paid service, it's the leading edge of where Microsoft wants to go with paid services," said Rob Helm, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft, an independent market researcher.
Like rival IM services from America Online and Yahoo, MSN Messenger has attracted millions of people around the world who communicate with other buddies on its network. Although these services are free, they give providers another vehicle for advertising and, more important, keep people using other services in their networks.
But the importance of IM for Microsoft goes beyond that. Later this year, Microsoft is expected to launch Live Communications Server (LCS), which it plans to sell to companies that want IM packaged with security and archiving features. Much in the way that e-mail is managed by corporate IT departments, companies will want IM that they can control, Microsoft and other tech giants believe.
LCS will initially offer IM, but executives plan on integrating Internet phone calling and videoconferencing into the software as well. Eventually, Microsoft hopes the product will let companies buy one product to manage all their real-time communications.
"It makes sense in that Microsoft is forcing people into a product path, whereas (on MSN chat) they're simply on a service path," said Michael Osterman, president of Osterman Research, which follows corporate IM trends.
Microsoft expects to allow LCS customers to chat with their MSN Messenger buddies. Thus, the greater MSN Messenger's population, the more useful LCS will be.
Still, pushing chat-room users to IM will be an effective step to rid its network of the Web's darker side. MSN Messenger allows people to chat with up to 15 others, offering them a private platform for discussion that is hard for uninvited guests to find.
Furthermore, MSN will maintain chat rooms in the United States and Canada, but it said it will only allow subscribers to participate.
"The core reasoning behind this was they wanted to make the environment better for their paying customers," said Michael Gartenber, an analyst at Jupiter Research. "If you're paying Microsoft every month for MSN, you don't want to be harassed by spammers and pornographers."
MSN chat rooms affected by the change will be shut down Oct. 14. That's a day before the deadline for third-party IM services such as Trillian to strike a licensing agreement with Microsoft to prevent the possibility of their being blocked. Oct. 15 also marks the deadline for people using older Messenger versions to upgrade to 5.0 or higher.
"MSN Messenger, our free instant messaging service, provides the most innovative chatting options and enables people to have greater control over the people with whom they communicate," Lisa Gurry, group product manager for MSN, said in an e-mail statement.
The Secret World Of Internet Chat
Every day thousands of people across the world pretend to be someone else. They play the macho man, the superhero, the flirt, the brain and the tease. And they do it all from the comfort of their own homes. How do they do this you wonder? Through the power of the Internet chat rooms.
People enter the world of internet chat when they are lonely, bored, or just want to get away from their lives for a while. It seems like a decent enough idea right? One would think, except that the moment a person logs into a chat room they become obsessed with sex and hooking up with someone or starting fights. It's all about the "cybering" and the violence. Why is it that most people cant just talk to other people in chat rooms without bringing up sex or violence? And why is it that the two go hand in hand? Has our society really evolved so little that we cant think of anything else to talk about?
When you first enter chat, you think about all of the interesting people you could meet and what fun it will be to talk to people all over the world. But soon enough you find out that this is not the norm, these interesting people are the exception. The moment you go into a chat room you will notice that either no one is talking or they appear to be fighting. There doesnt seem to be actual conversation going on in most rooms. So you meekly say Hi hoping that someone will talk back to you and you wont be alone on this world wide web of people. Sometimes someone will say hi back but most of the time the room will be so silent you could hear a pin fall. But a funny thing will happen when say hi in a very quiet room. Without a doubt someone will "pm" you , otherwise known as private message. This is when a little window pops up separate from the chat room and someone starts talking to you.
This is where things start to get interesting. From this point on your private conversation with another chatter will take one of a few directions. Without fail the person on the other end will ask you one of the age-old chat questions What do you look like? Do you have a picture or web cam and Age/Sex/Location (ASL.) And from there its usually all-downhill.
If someone starts a conversation like this with you, the chances of him or her actually wanting to carry on a decent conversation are very slim. If they wanted to actually talk to you then they would have said something that most chatters dont say anymore Hello. They are so intent and focused on sexing you up that they have forgotten the very basics of conversations, that when you meet someone new you say Hi or Hello or at least something vaguely similar to that.
You will soon find out that the reason 90% of chatters ask this question is because they want to get some. Yes they want to talk about sex. Whether they are upfront and immediately ask you to "cyber" or they are subtle and actually have a semi-conversation with you, it will eventually lead to the good old sex question. Are people so lonely that they have to have sex with their computer? Is that what the world is coming to? Whatever happened to actual human beings touching and feeling each other? Has the chat room now replaced the bedroom?
I think that in theory chat rooms are a good idea. They allow us to communicate with others who we may never have taken the time to get to know. From people in foreign countries to people just around the corner, the power of a chat room is that it allows us to chat. So why is it that most people cant get beyond their carnal impulses?
I think that part of the reason that people are so into cybering is because of the anonymity. For a few minutes you can imagine yourself with the supermodel on the other side of the screen. For a few minutes your life isnt so boring and mundane. For a few minutes somebody wants you. And who in this world doesnt want to feel wanted? Everyone wants to think that someone else needs or wants them even if they know that it isnt real. In the case of chat it is just computer generated. There is a way to actually become wanted though.
In order to become wanted one has to stop feeling with their sex drive and start feeling with the heart. I think what most people dont realize is that usually the person they are chatting with would like to get to know them. The chatter on the other end of the computer is not much different from you. They to are searching for people to whom they can feel connected. We, as people, wander through our entire lives searching for others to whom we feel we can make a connection with. Whether it be friendly or romantic everyone yearns to make a connection with another human being, and they yearn to make one that they hope can last.
So next time you find yourself in a chat room somewhere in cyberspace just remember its not always about the violence and the sex. There are real people out there, real people hoping to find someone else who is real. Someone with whom they hope they can make a lasting connection.
Thinking of setting up your own chatroom, or wanting to know what chatroom providers should be doing to keep their users safe?
If you are thinking of setting up a chatroom, then you must put user safety as a top priority.
You can do this in a number of ways:
- Provide the user with information about how to keep safe while chatting/using your service. The more visible this information is to the user the better – think about putting it on the front page or in the chatroom itself. Design your own safety messages, or you can download the SMART rules banner from this website which will rotate the safety messages, take up less room on your site and act as a link to the Chatdanger website.
- Provide links to other safety guides, so any user interested in finding out more about keeping safe can do so.
- Make it clear to the user the type of service being offered and the audience at which it is aimed. Explain for example if it is moderated or not, and what ages your chatroom is aimed at.
- If there are personal profiles attached to the chatroom, encourage users not to post personal information.
- Put block or ignore buttons in an accessible place for users, and make them easy to use, so users can stop seeing messages from a particular person if they want to.
- Provide an easy and accessible method for users to contact the chatroom provider or moderator to report bad stuff or bad behaviour, and provide information about what sort of things should be reported.
- Look at how the chat could be moderated, and think carefully about who the moderators are. Moderators are in a position of trust over the users.
- If there is a registration process, explain why information is gathered during registration and what it is to be used for. The information gathered should be limited.
- Be careful who you trust online and remember that online friends are really strangers. People online, no matter how long you have been talking to them or how friendly they are, may not be who they say they are.
- Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. If you feel that you ‘have to’ meet, then for your own safety you must tell your parent or carer and take them with you – at least on the first visit – and meet in a public place in daytime.
- Stay in charge in chat. Keep your personal information secret when chatting online (name, address, telephone number, mobile number, private email address, picture), even if people ask for this. Although It can be tempting to reveal more than you normally would in online friendships, giving out personal information can make you vulnerable.
- Check your profile and make sure it doesnt include any personal information (name, address, telephone number, mobile number, private email address, picture).
- Get away from an unpleasant situation in a chatroom by logging out (this just takes one click) or by changing your screen name.
- Think before you answer private messages. It can be harder to end a conversation in a private chat than in a public chat. A private chat may end up being more personal than you like.
- Use a nickname, not your real name, and a nickname that is not going to attract the wrong type of attention.
- Look out for your friends and do something if you think that they are at risk.
- Tell your parent or carer if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried.
- Learn how to keep/save a copy of the conversation in chat this may be useful if you want to report something.
Chat room Abbreviations:
1HT...One-Handed Typing
AA...Alcoholics Anonymous
AAMOF...As A Matter Of Fact
AC...Air Conditioning
ACK...Acknowledge
ADHD...Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
ADN...Any Day Now
AKA...Also Known As
AFAIK...As Far As I Know
AFK...Away From Keyboard
AIO...All in One Diaper
AISB...As It Should Be
AP...Attachement Parenting
ASAP...As Soon As Possible
A/S/C...Age/Sex/Check
A/S/L...Age/Sex/Location
A/S/S/C...Age/Sex/State/Check
ATB...All the Best
ATK...At the Keyboard
ATM...At The Moment
AWFK...Away From Keyboard
AYT...Are you there?
B...Back
B4...Before
BAC...By Any Chance
BAK...Back At Keyboard
BB...Bye Bye
BBIAF...Be Back In A Flash
BBL...Be Back Later
BBIAM...Be Back In A Minute
BBS...Be Back Soon
BC...Because
BEG...Big Evil Grin
BF...Boyfriend or Breastfeed(for the moms)
BFN...By For Now
BG...Big Grin
BIF...Before I Forget
BISS...Because I Said So
BML...Bitting My Lip
BOC...But Ofcourse
BOL...Best Of Luck
BOMM...Bored Outta My Mind
BRB...Be Right Back
BRBGP...Be Right Back Gotta Pee
BRB nc...Be Right Back Nature calls (brb nc)
BTDT...Been There Done That
BTW...By The Way
BWKOTL...Big Wet Kiss On The Lips
BWL...Bursting With Laughter
CC...Carbon Copy
C&G...Chuckle and Grin
CICO...Coffee In, Coffee Out
CID...Crying In Disgrace
CP...Chat Post or Couch Potato
CRBT...Crying Real Big Tears
CSG...Chuckle Snicker Grin
CUL...See You Later
C U L8TER...See You Later
C U L8R...See You Later
CUZ...Because
CWIM...See What I Mean?
CWYL...Chat With Ya Later
C YA...See Ya
DBD...Don't Be Dumb
DD...Dear Daughter
DS...Dear Son
DW...Dear Wife,
DH...Dear Husband
...Darling Husband
...Darned Husband (if moody)
...Demented Husband (if moody)
DIL...Daughter In Law
DITY...Did I Tell You?
DK...Don't Know
DL...Download
DLTBBB...Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite
DOM...Dirty Old Man
DTS...Don't Think So
EC...Expecting Club
EG...Evil Grin
EMSG...Email Message
EOS...End Of Show
EWG...Evil Wicked Grin
FAAK...Falling Asleep At Keyboard
FAQ...Frequently Asked Questions
FC...Fingers Crossed
FE...For Example or From Experience
FIL...Father In Law
FTBOMH...From The Bottom Of My Heart
FWD...Forward
FWIW...For What It's Worth
FYI...For Your Information
G...Grin
G2G...Got To Go
GA...Go Ahead
GAL...Get A Life
GB...Good Bye
GF...Girlfriend
GFI...Go For It
GFN...Gone For Now
GFU...Good For You
GG...Gotta Go
GJ...Good Job
GMBA...Giggling My Butt Off
GMTA...Great Minds Think Alike
GN...Goodnight
GR8...Great
GTG...Got To Go
GTSY...Glad To See You
H&K...Hug and Kiss
HB...Hurry Back
HABU...Have A Better 'Un
HAGN...Have A Good Night
HAGU...Have A Good 'Un
HC...Holy Cow
HEHE...Lauging, or Giggling
HHIS...Hanging Head in Shame
HLOL...Hysterically Laughing Out Loud
HLOLARAWCHAWMP...Hysterically Laughing Out Loud And Rolling Around While Clapping Hands And Wetting My Pants
HS...Homeschool
HTH...Hope This Helps
IAE...In Any Event
IC...I See
ICBW...It Could Be Worse
ICCL...I Could Care Less
ICQ...I Seek You
IDK...I Don't Know/ I Didn't Know
IDTS...I Don't Think So
IFBN...I Feel Better NOw
IGP...I Gotta Pee
ILY...I Love You
IME...In My Experience
IMO...In My Opinion
IMHO...In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO...In My Not So Humble Opinion
INY...I Need You
INYIM...It's not you, it's me
IOU...I Owe You
IOW...In Other Words
IP...Internet Protocol
IRC...Internet Relay Chat
IRL...In Real Life
IRMC...I Rest My Case
ISP...Internet Service Provider
ISRN...I'll Stop Rambling Now
ITA...I Totally Agree
IWALU...I Will Always Love You
IYD...In Your Dreams
JEJE...Lauging Or Giggling
JMO...Just My Opinion
JK...Joke
J/K...Just Kidding
JTLYK...Just To Let You Know
K...Ok
KBD...Keyboard
KEWL...Cool
KIT...Keep In Touch
KOC...Kiss On Cheek
KOL...Kiss On Lips
KWIM...Know What I Mean?
L8R...Later
L8R G8R ...Later 'Gater
LHM...Lord Help Me
LHO...Laughing Head Off
LHU...Lord Help Us
LMK...Let Me Know
LOL...Laughing Out Loud
LOLOL...Laughing Out Loud On Line
LQ (lq)...Laughing quietly
LSHMSH...Laughing so hard my side hurts
LTNS...Long Time No See
LUVYA...Love Ya (you)
MB...Message Board
MIL...Mother-in-law
MTF...More To Follow
MYOB...Mind Your Own Business
N/A...Not Applicable
NADA...Nothing
NADT...Not A Darn Thing
NAK...Nursing At The Keyboard
NAYY...No Affiliation, yada, yada
NFP...Natural Family Planning
NM...Never Mind
NRN...No Reply Necessary
NTBCAMA...Not to be Construed as Medical Advice
N/T or NT...No Text
OIC...Oh I See
OL ...Old Lady (significant other)
OM ...Old Man (significant other)
OMG...Oh My Gosh
OT...Off Topic
OTOH...On The Other Hand
OTTOMH...Off The Top of My Head
PC/PVT/MSG...Private Chat/Messaging
PDS...Please Don't Shout
PDQ...Pretty Darn Quick
PIC...Picture
PITA...Pain in the (behind)
PLMK...Please Let Me Know
PM...Private Message
PMFJI...Pardon Me For Jumping In
PMP...Peed My Pants
POAHF...Put On A Happy Face
POOF....Left the Chatroom
POV...Point Of View
PTSS...Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome
ROTF...Rolling On The Floor
ROTFL...Rolling On The Floor Laughing
ROFLOL...Rolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud
ROFLMOL...Rolling on the floor laughing madly out loud
ROTFLMAO...Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Anatomy Off
ROTFLMAOSHIPIMP....Rolling On The Floor Laughing My A** Off So Hard I Peed In My Pants!!
ROTFWTIME........Rolling On The Floor With Tears In My Eyes
RSN...Real Soon Now
SAHM...Stay-at-Home Mom
SAH-HSM...Stay at Home-Home Schooling Mom
SEC...Just a Second
SETE...Smiling Ear To Ear
SIL...Son In Law or (SoIL)
...Sister In Law or (SiIL)
SITD....Still In The Dark
SNAFU...Situation normal all fouled up
SO...Significant Other
SOT...Short Of Time
SOTMG...Short Of Time Must Go
SNERT...Snot-Nosed Egotistical Rude Teenager
SS...So Sorry
SWAK...Sealed With A Kiss
SWIM...See What I mean
SWL...Screaming with Laughter
SYS...See You Soon
TA...Thanks Again
TBD OOTD...To Be Done, One Of These Days!
TCOY...Take Care Of Yourself
TDM...Too Darn Many
TIA...Thanks in Advance
TIC...Tongue in Cheek
TILII...Tell It Like It Is
TPTB...The Powers That Be
TTFN...Ta Ta For Now
TNT...Till Next Time
TOY...Thinking Of You
TTYL...Talk to you later
UFO...Un-Finished Object (a started project not yet done)
UPGS...Unfinished Project Guilt Syndrome
VBG...Very Big Grin
VDH...Very Dear Husband (see also DH)
VDW...Very Dear Wife
WAHM...Work At Home Mom
WB...Welcome Back or Write Back
WBS...Write Back Soon
WPYS...Who Pulled Your String
WRT...With Regard To
WTG...Way To Go
WWJD...What Would Jesus Do?
YBS... You'll Be Sorry
YCGB....You Can't Get Better
VF...Very Funny
YG... Young Gentleman
YL...Young Lady
YM... Young Man
YMMV...Your Mileage my Vary
YW...Your Welcome
ZZZ...Snoozing/Sleeping Pictures:
?????...........rolls or Rolaids
(?)(?)(?)(?).......Raspberry frosted sugar cookies
&&&&&............Pretzels
(o)(o)(o)...........Donuts
(#)(#)(#)(#)......Peanut Butter Cookies
@@@@..........Cinnamon rolls
c[_] c[_]..........coffee mugs
|S| |D| |P| |7| |C| |M| |G|.....various sodas
c[_]~ ......mug with tea back tag sticking out...ie.. hot tea
?[_])................another tea mug
[_])...............and another
[__]D.............soup mug or really big coffee mug
[_])[_])............coffee mugs
(_)D(_)D..........more coffee mugs
(_)/ ?(_)/..........coffee and tea pots
(|_/ ([_])..........cream and sugar