# What is the best place to chat online? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748 "2002-12-24T18:36:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EraserRazr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@EraserRazr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EraserRazr)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/1 "2002-12-24T18:36:33Z")
I was wondering if there are any good places to chat online. I mean places where you can have real conversations(text-wise) with people. What are your favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/2 "2002-12-24T18:47:40Z")
directly behind your keyboard,usually in front of your monitor. heh,sorry I couldn’t help that one. I’m sure someone will come along to help ya… ---
**Author:** ![IGJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/igjoe/32/5420_2.png) [@IGJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IGJoe)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/3 "2002-12-24T18:49:52Z")
I don’t like chatting, so I’ve never been there… but I hear rumors about this mysterious IRC channel called #straightdope… ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/4 "2002-12-24T18:57:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr Pud \* > \*\*I don’t like chatting, so I’ve never been there… but I hear rumors about this mysterious IRC channel called #straightdope… \*\* Really? ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/5 "2002-12-24T22:15:17Z")
I have a hotmail account and I like MSN chat. I don’t do it often and I often end up in a room with regulars. But it’s fun if I’m board. ---
**Author:** ![the\_duke\_69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@the\_duke\_69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_duke_69)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/6 "2002-12-24T22:16:46Z")
yahoo and irc kick ass ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/7 "2002-12-25T00:01:03Z")
[deafchat.com](http://deafchat.com) Or to be PC, [Deafchat.com](http://Deafchat.com) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/8 "2002-12-25T00:10:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*Really? \*\* Yes, really. #straightdope is on undernet, on IRC. It’s pretty good. Sometimes great, sometimes slow and boring. It is totally unaffiliated with the SDMB, Cecil Adams, etc., etc. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/9 "2002-12-25T02:50:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\*Yes, really. #straightdope is on undernet, on IRC. It’s pretty good. Sometimes great, sometimes slow and boring. > > It is totally unaffiliated with the SDMB, Cecil Adams, etc., etc. \*\* There’s also #sdmb, also on undernet. same disclaimers. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/10 "2002-12-25T03:30:35Z")
bwahahahahaha! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/11 "2002-12-25T05:30:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Cynical \* > \*\*bwahahahahaha! \*\* Tell me what’s so funny, or I’ll kick your ass. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/12 "2002-12-25T17:48:02Z")
I prefer the EFNet Internet Relay Chat network. It’s the oldest, largest, and most stable network, with over 100,000 users simultaneously connected. It’s also one of the least complex from the user’s point of view, as there’s no registration to mess with. Download the mIRC IRC client from [mirc.com](http://www.mirc.com), and follow the directions at [efnet.org](http://www.efnet.org) to get connected. You can also use the same program to connect to Undernet, which is where the (unofficial) #straightdope channel can be found. You can find more information on anything at [irchelp.org](http://www.irchelp.org). ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/13 "2002-12-25T20:50:35Z")
Since when does one have to register to connect to an IRC network? I mean, you can register your nickname if you want, but that’s optional and actually quite nice, as it keeps others from impersonating you. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/14 "2002-12-26T18:04:17Z")
That was what I was referring to. Dalnet and other networks require you to register to keep nicknames or channels, which IMHO is a very bad thing. Hence why I’m on EFNet, primarily. I also like how IRCops don’t interfere with the user experience. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/15 "2002-12-27T06:00:09Z")
Since I don’t like being at the mercy of pimply faced teenage channel operators acting like hall monitors on speed, on the rare occasions I chat at all outside of my existing, close circle of ICQ and Yahoo Messenger chat friends (most of whom I’ve known for years), I’ll take the plunge and venture into web-based Yahoo chat. Sure, Yahoo Chat is tedious and full of people called **hard\_one\_4\_U-kewl** staying up past their bedtimes, but so is IRC. If you just go in there, ignore the idiots, use ackshual grammar and spelling, and act politely, you’ll probably find yourself in a Private Message conversation with a similarly minded individual before too long. Then you can ignore the dreck in the main room, and you’ve got a new internet friend to keep in touch with by other (non Yahoo chat room) means in future. It works for me. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-place-to-chat-online/144748/16 "2002-12-27T06:27:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FDISK \* > That was what I was referring to. Dalnet and other networks require you to register to keep nicknames or channels, which IMHO is a very bad thing. I don’t understand. If you don’t register your nick, how else can you keep others from using it? Are you referring to the (somewhat recent) practice of requiring a valid email address to register? Also, IME, IRCops tend to be fairly even handed - when you can find them at all. I remember once or twice on Dalnet trying to track down an IRCop and finding only three or four online, all of whom were idle. I’m also having trouble understanding how an IRCop would ruin the experience of a well-behaved user. If you were spamming, trying to hack channels, or otherwise being an ass, I can see how they’d be the bane of your existence. If you’re just minding your own business, though, they tend to leave you alone.