I've never been in a chat room, and would not like to say I had as I'm not sure what goes on in them (worried they are like chat lines where sometimes anything goes) can anyone tell me in a nice way what they are all about, how many go in - is there a minimum or maximum, please tell

See that thing on the left?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Says "Live Chat Room"?

Says "1 user"

Click on "Join/Start" and see who it is and say "Hello"!

See that thing on the left?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Says "Live Chat Room"?

Says "1 user"

Click on "Join/Start" and see who it is and say "Hello"!

I want to know what they are like before I venture in (if I ever do)

You'll have to suck it and see to find out if it's to your taste. I find that there are often too many conversations going on at once to respond to without losing track, so on the very few occasions I've ventured in there, I've usually just lurked.

I want to know what they are like before I venture in (if I ever do)

They are harmless.

When you see that there are a few people in there, click 'join/start' and just read what drivel is going on.
You can just sit and read without posting until you feel confident to do so.

Do what I did once, read the drivel and get insulted for no reason by strangers for a while and never go back.

You'll have to suck it and see to find out if it's to your taste. I find that there are often too many conversations going on at once to respond to without losing track, so on the very few occasions I've ventured in there, I've usually just lurked.

yes I thought there would be too many conversations going at the same time,
perhaps it would be easier to wait until most people are in bed

Do what I did once, read the drivel and get insulted for no reason by strangers for a while and never go back.

I'm sure if anyone can handle insults it would be you.

Our chat room has a much friendlier vibe than many, mainly because the average age of the people who go in there is much older than in most chat rooms.

Most people who use our chat room just use it in the same way as they do with the main forum- talking to other forum users. The difference is that it's in real time, and only the people in the chat room see what you're saying, rather than the whole world on the web.

whatever you want to go on goes on, as meds said this ones more laid back and easier going than larger more public ones.
same as forums some people can be ok, some can be nasty.
the trouble with real time chat is there can be a few conversations running at once, so can be confusing, i normally lurk and do other things at the same time and jump in when i understand the convo :P or want to join in

Mel was the first person who spoke to me when I first went into the chat room. Its strange at first, you have to type realy quick,but everyone in there says "hello" in turn.

Mel was the first person who spoke to me when I first went into the chat room. Its strange at first, you have to type realy quick,but everyone in there says "hello" in turn.

thanks pattricia, check out the five things topic:hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

thanks pattricia, check out the five things topic:hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

O.K. I will check it out.:cool:

Mel was the first person who spoke to me when I first went into the chat room. Its strange at first, you have to type realy quick,but everyone in there says "hello" in turn.
i wouldnt be lately, i have real bad lag, prolly take 10 minutes for my typing to appear :P

i wouldnt be lately, i have real bad lag, prolly take 10 minutes for my typing to appear :P

Why whats the matter ?

Chatroom is like being in a room with several conversations going. You learn to zoom in and uses typing techniques which allows you to talk to one person only. I normally uses the person's nickname in front of the conversation, and also type in a different colour to identify myself.

i.e.
Bago - "Hi, how are you?"

Don't expect to follow manners and ettiquette styles like those in real life, because you need to adapt it for the medium that it is. Well, I don't know whether users on the SF will follow this kind of method, but it's what many "chatroom" users across the world has adopted. It does bring out you to follow some kind of "nettiquettes". Most people just chat rubbish really, and you have to be quick on the ball.

Chatroom is like being in a room with several conversations going. You learn to zoom in and uses typing techniques which allows you to talk to one person only. I normally uses the person's nickname in front of the conversation, and also type in a different colour to identify myself.

i.e.
Bago - "Hi, how are you?"

Don't expect to follow manners and ettiquette styles like those in real life, because you need to adapt it for the medium that it is. Well, I don't know whether users on the SF will follow this kind of method, but it's what many "chatroom" users across the world has adopted. It does bring out you to follow some kind of "nettiquettes". Most people just chat rubbish really, and you have to be quick on the ball.
I feel it doesnt work if there is a big age gap in the people in there.The young ones want to talk about heavy metal(naturally) and the older ones dont know what they are talking about.I tried to get some older members to go in once, but they wouldnt.

How do you get into the Forum Chat Room? I am not very technologically minded.

I have clicked on the Join/Start, it has "loaded", but then what. Yes I do have Java. There is nowhere for my curser to go and thus nowhere for me to type. When I look at "Who" I am not amongst the people in Chat Room.

Where am I going wrong? Please type slowly for me and use layman's terms. I really am this thick with anything with a plug attached to it.

Thanks.

Our little chat room is great, usually friendly and approachable, best thing to do is go in and just dive in where a conversation interests you....don't worry about butting in it is a chat room after all :D

How do you get into the Forum Chat Room? I am not very technologically minded.

I have clicked on the Join/Start, it has "loaded", but then what. Yes I do have Java. There is nowhere for my curser to go and thus nowhere for me to type. When I look at "Who" I am not amongst the people in Chat Room.

Where am I going wrong? Please type slowly for me and use layman's terms. I really am this thick with anything with a plug attached to it.

Thanks.

Sorry i don't know wht this would be i sugest you conact help desk i am sure they will be able to help.
Good luck with it :)

Our little chat room is great, usually friendly and approachable, best thing to do is go in and just dive in where a conversation interests you....don't worry about butting in it is a chat room after all :D

there was one person in earlier, was he talking to himself, he had a long wait till someone else went in. Thanks for the info. anyway

there was one person in earlier, was he talking to himself, he had a long wait till someone else went in. Thanks for the info. anyway

Havent you been in yet. Have you got Java ?

Havent you been in yet. Have you got Java ?

who or what is Java? I am not going in I would rather chat to Darbees by pm

that wouldve been graz?
hes a lurker, sits in there all day while doing other things (out, downloading, surfing etc etc)

who or what is Java? I am not going in I would rather chat to Darbees by pm

Really ? ;)

does he talk at all?

there was one person in earlier, was he talking to himself, he had a long wait till someone else went in. Thanks for the info. anyway

Yes probably talking to himself :hihi: i do it all the time :suspect:
As i said sadly at times the chat room is under used which is a shame it can be really good fun :)

does he talk at all?

Have you actually tried to get in ? I tried tonight but couldnt. I was going to meet you in there.

I used to go on Chatrooms when they were at their peak a few years ago almost every night at around 11 for an hour or so - I think forums and chatboards have taken over now as they are easier to moderate. :)

The one I used to frequent was Freeserve movies chat and it seemed there was a gang of us who all started going on at the same time and we just clicked.

It was incredibly cliquey, as most chatrooms are, anyone else came on and started talking about anything not to do with films (or The Simpsons) and they got ignored usually, whereas those of us who went on regularly were allowed to talk any old rubbish and people would converse with you. I tried other chat rooms and I experienced the same thing or got the sex chat ones (even when they weren't!)
A few things happened which caused people to stop going on my favourite chatroom. There were some huge arguments... one girl thought she was proper dating this guy as he'd flirted with her online - she was furious with him when she found out I'd been seeing him in real life!
I do miss it sometimes as I met up with quite a few of the people off there, (went away with one woman!) and we'd also be chatting on msn loads (which kind of killed it a bit as noone new could join in) but we've lost touch recently - just get the odd email off them all and it's weird to see the group names all come up.

If you are a slow typer or slow witted, chat can be incredibly hard work. :rolleyes:

P.S. I've often toyed with the idea of the Sheff Forum chat room but only been in once.

most of the things that are talked about in chat rooms like films can be done on a forum, can admin or mods listen in?

Yes probably talking to himself :hihi: i do it all the time :suspect:
As i said sadly at times the chat room is under used which is a shame it can be really good fun :)



Yes you do dont you manni :P
SF Chat is COOL :R when you can get init
:banana: :roll: :roll: :banana:

Have you actually tried to get in ? I tried tonight but couldnt. I was going to meet you in there.

no there is this man called graz in there, that's whom I meant when I asked if he talked, can the mods listen in?

no there is this man called graz in there, that's whom I meant when I asked if he talked, can the mods listen in?

Medusa is a mod, and is in there sometimes, but lately it seems empty.

no there is this man called graz in there, that's whom I meant when I asked if he talked, can the mods listen in?

only if you shout loud enough :R :P

only if you shout loud enough :R :P

You will take cressida in, wont you BB ?

You will take cressida in, wont you BB ?

I have been forbidden to go in but I'm not saying by who - pattricia if you have a good guess don't say it on here- er which mods are on tonight?

The mods can't listen in to the chat room unless they're in there, but all chat is logged so that if there are any complaints or queries about conduct they can be referred back to by the admins (and only the admins).

Yes you do dont you manni :P

Cheeky little toad Trolls :hihi:
Come on then cressida come in now me and Trolls....er B1 will keep you company won't we Trolls?
Going in now come on leap in :hihi:

You will take cressida in, wont you BB ?

:rolleyes: I would If i could BUTTTT i cant !!!:rolleyes:
DaMn JaVa

I have been forbidden to go in but I'm not saying by who - pattricia if you have a good guess don't say it on here- er which mods are on tonight?

I dont have a clue who it might be ? :huh:

Cheeky little toad Trolls :hihi:
Come on then cressida come in now me and Trolls....er B1 will keep you company won't we Trolls?
Going in now come on leap in :hihi:

no can't promised I won't go in, pattricia will won't you?

OMG looks like i'm yet again doomed to talking to myself then :hihi:

<<<<<<<<<<<< Watches the tumbleweed roll accross the room :hihi:

no can't promised I won't go in, pattricia will won't you?

I couldnt get in last time I tried.Anyway I have more interesting things going on here. ;)

I feel it doesnt work if there is a big age gap in the people in there.The young ones want to talk about heavy metal(naturally) and the older ones dont know what they are talking about.I tried to get some older members to go in once, but they wouldnt.
Well, that depends on what you want to get out of the chatroom, and see whether it is for you. When I started using chatrooms in my uni days around 1997, people just go into generically titled room and chat and "meet" people virtually. You don't tell people what you don't want to them know, of course. If you want banter, you start bantering. I think it really tests your social skills in a way, but you do learn a lot. Both about yourself, and about others too. At the end of the day, any socialising is about meeting people, so... I guess it's what it's there for.

There's no standard rules, and the dynamic can change, spending time on it whilst online means you will get some decent conversation out of it.

I think it's how I met Moonbird in there. She's a witty lady. :hihi:

If you see anyone in there who is on all the time and don't talk to you, they may be a typical geeky person who is also doing something else until someone frequents the room. Or they keep the room open by being in there.

I honestly must say, that even if I havent been interested in what they have been talking about, they have all been very polite. Greeting me on coming in, and saying goodnite when going out.

The chatroom on SF is there for all users to use and was put in place to help reduce the 'chatty' threads that sometiems occur on the Forum and that can appear very 'excluding' to new users, as well as wasting bandwidth and disc space with material of transient interest only to those people posting on the thread.

There are some users who use chat all the time, others who rarely use it, others who use chat and never the main Forum.

Tony and I have access to the chat logs which we only go through if there has been behaviour reported to us from other users of chat.

We appreciate that a couple of our users find it difficult to use chat for eyesight reasons, but most users find it quite straight froward and we would genuinely prefer people to use chat rather than chatter on on these threads.