| Section: |
Email is good for deliberate long - term conversations, but if both parties are currently attached to the Internet, there must be a way for them to connect a little more immediately. There are a number of protocols and programs designed exactly for that purpose. In general, talk programs are those that are used between two people. There is another related class of programs which is designed to allow many people (even hundreds) to communicate simultaneously.
New forms of these programs are coming along all the time, as transmission speeds increase and technology improves. Current chat programs allow real - time sound transmission, drawing on remote screens with a mouse, and even real - time video!
If Heather is sitting at her computer, and wants to invite Chris to lunch, she could send email to him, but he may not get the message in time. If she has a talk program, she can invoke it and tell it to notify him she is calling. If he is online, he will get a message that Heather is trying to reach him. If he chooses to make the connection, they will both get a screen on which they can type simultaneously. They can interact directly and determine where they will meet.
Chat programs illustrated their relevance during several recent world emergencies. Notably, during the war in Chechneya there were few formal communication channels open. There were, however, people sending messages worldwide on chat lines. Similar communication occurred during the Russian coups attempt and other major crises. Less dramatic uses of the technology have been used to have on-line conversations about sporting events and political debates as they occurred, and simply to waste long evenings. There have been a number of romances over chat groups, and at least one wedding which occurred on a chat line.
Talk programs are a little bit less complex, so we will start with them. All they really need to have is a way of contacting the recipient, a way of answering when you are called, and a way of tracking the conversation as it is going on. Most talk programs divide the screen in two windows. One window represents the local machine, the other window is the remote machine. As you type, you see your comments in the top window, and your recipient simultaneously sees that message in his bottom window.
Chat programs are pretty much the same, except there may be many more people on at the same times. Usually you will connect to the name or location of a group, rather than a specific individual. Once you are connected to the group, you will see a screen with the conversation scrolling along, and often you will have some way of determining who else is taking part in the conversation.
Unlike email, chat offers no record of the transaction. If you say something profound, it will not be automatically recorded.
Chat requires that both parties be using Internet connected computers at the same time.
There are a number of distinct protocols being used for chatting and talking. If all interested parties are not using the same protocol, they may not be able to connect.
As usual, your selection of programs depends on the type of computer and connection you are using. Most of the relevant programs will contain the term chat or talk in the title. Some talk programs are integrated into web pages, so you do not need a separate program. Many of the web browsers have a real - time talk feature built in so you don't have to get a separate program, but they often require that both parties have exactly the same type of software installed.