What are chat rooms, discussion lists and discussion forums?
Chat rooms, often referred to as online forums using IRC (Internet Relay Chat) protocol, are places on the Web where people can converse in groups or in private chat rooms. Chat rooms are set up for people with similar interests to meet and talk in real-time. Chat rooms, on just about any topic you can think of, can be accessed via search engines. One of the most popular is found via Yahoo . As well as being places to meet new friends with similar interests, many companies hold IRC sessions giving people all around the world the chance to ask questions about products or services. Be aware that in educational libraries, where computing facilities are limited, chat usually has a very low priority. Please check with your training organisations policy if you are using their equipment. Tip! Remember the saying about “on the internet nobody knows you are a dog”. Strangers in chat rooms may not be who they pretend to be. Pretending is half the fun but be careful with personal details. Discuss
