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HOW TO CHAT
The best way to think of a chat room is to compare it to something like a nightclub, the people in the main video chat room are on the dancefloor for all to see, the green hosts are the barstaff and the red admin are the bouncers.
If you want to chat to someone it would be a good idea to chat to them on the dancefloor before asking them to go somewhere more private with you if all goes well, it is polite to ask before sending someone a private message.
People can pretty much do what they want in private message, but this is not a sex site so please refrain from having cyber sex on this site please take it elsewhere if you get caught you will be banned.
As for people who private message with a starting line of Are you horny ? Do you want sex ? grow up, you wouldn't do this to someone in a nightclub would you, so don't do it in a chat room. If someone should private message you with such a request please inform a host of admin, if there is no admin around its usually a good idea to copy and paste some lines of the conversation into notepad or word so you can show a host or admin later.
You are encouraged NOT to exchange phone numbers or meet people from this site or any other site, MEETING PEOPLE FROM THE NET IS DANGEROUS, especially if you have only talked to someone for a short period of time you are only asking for trouble. For all you know they could be twice their given age and of the opposite sex.
The best chat room
Here's my story. I have chatted and been in chat rooms off and on for years. I needed a positive way to express myself but I had a lot of problems with even the higher rated chat sites I found. I was stuck in an abusive relationship and wanted to use the chatting as an outlet.
In Spring 2005, I found WIChatNow.com, now known as USAChatNow.com. I immediately received a different response than in all the other chat rooms I had been in before. This new chat room was so well moderated, and the chatters were so polite, I felt at home immediately.
I think the high quality chat environment and the respectful nature of USAChatNow.com draws higher quality chatters. It took days for the other chatters to start to get to know me and hours to begin to cement friendships that I hope last for years to come. Chatting left me with a renewed sense of identity.
My new friends at USAChatNow.com helped increase my self worth, and ultimately I was able to leave the abusive relationship I was in and start a new life. I never would have been able to do it alone, and my chat friends have been there ever since.
USAChatNow.com is not only the best chat site out there but I have the opportunity to help run it. I have the privilege to voice my opinion about my chatting experience. The owners and moderators look for all chatters to participate in the gradual evolution of the site. This is the only chat room I've ever been in that provides that opportunity.
The USAChatNow.com chat room is now a Chat Site, hosting multiple chat rooms with a variety of topics. There are new chatters every night or day I enter, and I know I will always see lots of chatters I already know and love. I am happy to be a part of it.
Thank you to all my wonderful chat friends!!
Jenn
~Blaze~
What is Chat?
Internet Relay Chat, or Chat, is a method of conversing with other internet users, in real time, using a chat software program, or a Java plug-in which operates in your current web browser. There are many different chat channels, or rooms, covering every subject imaginable.
Rather than posting a message on a bulletin board, and reading other postings, you are able to post your message in a chat window, and watch others post their messages.
This makes for some lively dialogue, and a conversation that is much more enjoyable than simply reading messages. You will interact with other chat channel users, and also be able to send and recieve files, such as pictures, using the various IRC chat servers. Most of the Java plug-in chats do not allow you to send or recieve files, however, if you have ICQ, you can exchange files through ICQ.
A word about file transfers. When you are in a chat channel, and someone tries to send you a file, a warning box will pop up on your screen, asking if you accept or reject the file transfer. Many internet viruses are transmitted this way, so if you are unsure of the person sending a file, reject it. The files are usually marked .exe or .ini. These are program files, and can contain a virus. If someone is sending you a picture, be sure that the file is an .gif or .jpg file. These are extensions used for graphics. If in doubt, just reject the transfer, it won't hurt your computer unless you download and run the file.
Go ahead and download the chat program that is designed for your operating system, and log into a chat server, and have fun!!
Internet Abbreviations
The Internet is full of cryptic shorthand that makes a point, without having to spell out every word. This can be very useful in a chat channel that is fast moving, other chatters can see your message in an instant. Some of the more common abbreviations are:
LOL-Laughing Out Loud. Mild Amusement At A Remark By Another User. Or, you could do LOL at the end of a remark, to show your remarks are in humor, not to be taken seriously. Or, use a smile, :-)
ROFL-Rolling On Floor Laughing. Strong Amusement At A Remark.
LMAO-Laughing my ass off. Pretty powerful laugh, use sparingly.
BRB-Be Right Back. Indicates The User Is Away From The Keyboard For A Short Period. Perhaps Getting A Cup Of Coffee.
BBL-Be back later. No set time period, could be weeks, LOL!
AFK-Away From Keyboard. User Is Still Online, And In Channel, But Is Taking An Extended Break. Usually Means "Too Much Coffee", Or Perhaps A Phone Call.
CLICK-Used In Yahoo Chat and elsewhere, This Means The User Is Ignoring Someone Who Is Offensive. When you put someone on ignore, you "click" them.
Chat Room Etiquette
Is this your first time chatting...well below are a few rules to follow when chatting on the Internet:
1. Be respectful ot other chatters. If someone is disrespectful to you, ignore them istead of argueing with them. Avoid the use of language or attitudes which may be offensive to others.
2. When entering a new room, take a few minutes to get a feel for the climate of the room before jumping in. If you do not like the room, simply go somewhere else.
3. Remember that you are not anonymous. Most chat rooms keep files of all interactions. When you log on the chat server has a record of who your IP is. In many rooms, your IP is displayed to the other chatters in the room.
4. No chat is private. The chat server keeps files and can identify your IP. They can forward the files to your IP who can pinpoint the PC that generated any individual post.
5. Address the person by their nickname or handle when chatting. People cannot make eye contact in these rooms so it can get confusing if you are not clear about who you are directing the post to.
6.Use caps only for emphasis. Constant "shouting" can be annoying.
7. Do not use your real name or reveal your address or any other personal information in a chat room.
September, 2005
Companies are taking an increasing interest in what employees are saying about their jobs and employers when the employees are away from the workplace. A growing number of employees are taking advantage of the instant worldwide communication available through the internet. Employees unhappy with their employer may choose to vent either through an on-line diary (known as a "weblog" or "blog") or during a discussion in an internet chat room. Employers are discovering they need to be aware of what their employees are saying in such a forum.
Why should an employer care? There is an increased risk of betrayal of company confidential information, defamation of the company and its leaders, and disparagement of products and services provided by the company. The effect on employee morale and cooperation can be dramatic if one employee is discussing their negative opinions of their co-workers and supervisors in such a public forum.
Microsoft fired an employee after he took pictures of a shipment of Apple Computers arriving at the Microsoft campus and then posted the pictures on his blog. Google fired an employee after he started talking about a soon-to-be released new product. Both of these employees arguably were just relating interesting things they learned through their work; it just didn't dawn on them that what they were sharing might be considered confidential information by the company. The firing of employees for what they share on their blogs has become so common that a term has been coined for it: "dooced". The term came into being after the author of the "dooce.com" blog was fired for sharing her feelings about her employer and fellow employees. She did not share confidential information; she simply vented about and spoke candidly (and negatively) about her impressions of her co-workers, supervisors and workplace.
Is your company ready to withstand the scrutiny of being discussed on a blog or in an internet chat room? Employers can discipline or terminate someone for inappropriately discussing the workplace in a public forum, so long as the statements are not otherwise protected.
What should you do? Without a policy that lets the employees know of the company's expectations regarding such public communication, the company risks an employee challenging such an action in court. Remember, policies are an effective way to communicate the c ompany's expectations regarding the employee's behavior. If you aren't ready to be discussed on the internet, or if you want to have some control over how much is shared, then it is strongly advised you consider adding a public internet communication policy to your handbook.