ITIS 1210 Introduction to Web-Based Information Systems Chapter 14 How Internet Chat and IM Work

Introduction  Advantages of the Internet include  Live participation via computer  Multiple participants online at once  IRC – Internet Relay Chat  Multi-user chat system  Many topics (channels) available worldwide  Some servers host a few channels, some many  Joining a channel enables you to post messages and see other’s messages  “Side” (private) conversations possible too

IRC in Use  1991 Gulf War  LA earthquake LA earthquake LA earthquake  Russian coup Russian coup Russian coup

Instant Messaging  Typically private one-on-one conversation  User identifies “buddies”  Individuals to communicate with

Chat Rooms  Virtual gathering place  Multiple participants  Real-time interaction