Talk:Online chat

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was Keep

Instant messaging merge

This article should ne merged with (the better) Instant messaging. Marc Mongenet 22:30, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

• Merge. Not certain which way. Online chat seems to be the better title, but Instant messaging is much better written. Bring all Instant messaging here and redirect? – edgarde 05:47, 27 September 2006 (UTC)
• Strong Keep. Better or not, these are two entirely different articles. Online chat is a little poor, yes, but it is an article which should covers more than one format. Though Instant messaging seems to imply the term includes all forms of instantaneously delivered messages, in practice the term "IM" only covers some. Instant messagers are based around a contact list, where a user has a specific log-in account. That account connects to a server where there is a list of friends with whom one communicates. Online chat is not at all required to have an account based system, or to have a list of contacts. Online chat can be as simple as connecting to a server (IRC) or website with an anonymous name, never 'logging in', never using the same nickname/handle, and never forming complete, permanent friendships or a contact list. An IM is not "chat" by definition, but it can be USED to chat. (like any instantaneous communication medium) When IM went mainstream with programs like ICQ it's appeal originally was, in my experience, that it added this contact list feature, and it could be run in the background without paying attention (you have to pay attention to chat), and you could even get messages popped up on your screen while you were out (if you had a dedicated connection). Oline chat, if anything, INCLUDES Instant messaging, but definitely isn't synonymous with it. This merge is no go. - BalthCat 06:54, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Addendum: Other articles which are a part of Online chat but conflict with Instant messaging are: Voice chat, IRC, Chat room, MUD - BalthCat 07:11, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

• Strong Keep. IM overlaps with online chat, but they are not equivalent and there is plenty to say about each. Viveka 10:29, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
• Oppose. These are not exactly the same. It's like saying running is the same as walking. 142.58.206.114 23:12, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

Discussion closed. Not merged. Thanks everyone. – edgarde 23:39, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

Chat room merge

It seems that these two articles address the same things, but that the other goes into greater detail of one aspect. -- MCG 20:25, 11 November 2006 (UTC)

Both of the articles are kind of poorly written, so there might be some benefit to doing a thoughtful merge. But I think the terms Online chat and Chat room really do refer to different things. Online chat can refer to any kind of real-time text-based communication. Chat rooms are one kind of online chat, and the other major kind is Instant messaging. There are also some more technical, jargon-laden articles that could be merged here. Online discourse sounds a lot like Online chat, and a Synchronous conference sounds a lot like a Chat room. -- Afolentes 20:41, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

Information on IP banning someone from chat

Hi, I'm looking for information on how a permanent ban can be implemented in a chat room? There doesn't seem to be any information on the wiki page. I understand that you can ban someone by IP address... but can the user not simply call their ISP and receive a new IP address?

Protocol Listing

I have a feeling this listing is once again redundant with similar listings in similar articles and even with Category:On-line_chat as such. was about to fix the alphabet and add missing candidates, but is it worth it? Ha! And now somebody even added Meetro TWICE. SPAM! SPAM! --lynX

Adding a link

I work for the America's Most Wanted Safety Center, a new department of America's Most Wanted getting away from the capturing of criminals, and branching out to all aspects of safety. I feel a link to our post about keeping kids safe online would be appropriate and mutually beneficial, particularly because an interesting video narrated by John Walsh is prominently featured. The link is http://www.amw.com/safety/?p=48 please consider it.

ALSO, we have a post about chat lingo that could be helpful to parents, or really anyone curious about chat lingo. The link is http://www.amw.com/safety/?p=35 please consider it as well. Jrosenfe 15:55, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

What is this, a promotion? 66.91.215.97 11:26, 14 October 2007 (UTC)

I believe this is a well intentioned attempt to be constructive, however Wikipedia is not a handbook, and so the links are not really appropriate especially for this article. Small sections on security/risks in online chat, as well as links to articles about online lingo are not a bad idea though, and fit in with the idea that this should be a super-article from which others like IM and IRC "branch off". I think this should be a much bigger article. (Though, off-topic, insisting on branding a "general safety" organisation with the AMW brand is pretty lame. America's Most Wanted Bike Safety?) - BalthCat 15:58, 14 October 2007 (UTC)

new article

Please visit Webx forum software, and help prevent this article from being deleted. i am trying to add some refernces. hopefully that will address any issues. thanks. --Steve, Sm8900 15:37, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

It does not appear to be a notable protocol. One of the references cited on that page doesn't even mention Webcrossing OR Webx. - BalthCat 16:10, 14 October 2007 (UTC)