History of Chat

The term "chat" is also known as IRC or Internet Relay Chat. It actually began as a simple real time chat program in the 1960's before the Internet ever existed.
Internet Relay Chat was developed in the late 1980's and is the type of chat that all computer users are mostly familiar with. Internet relay chat started out with only an estimated twelve users on 38 servers. While chat may have began at a slower pace, it is now one of the most popular online activities to do using the Internet and text messages.

History

The first references of chat to ever take place actually was in the 1960's. While the internet hadn't been developed yet, there was a real time chat program that allowed users who were hooked to the same computer to chat with each other. Messages could only be sent to two users at a time. The computer users had to know what the address of the computer was, though, in order to send the message.
Internet Relay Chat was created in 1988 by Jarkko "WiZ" Oikarinen. He designed the first chat server while working at the University of Oulu, Finland in the Information Processing Science department. The first chat server's name was tolsun.oulu.fi. Jarkko then began contacting other friends to create servers as well. Other college universities soon then began to create their own servers too. Jarkko soon contacted the universities of Denver and Oregon so that they could connect the servers to make the first network. Once that network had connected, others began to create their own as well, which led to 40 servers throughout the world in 1989.

Types

There are a variety ways to chat in today's world of technology. Many younger Internet users like to use instant messenging through online tools such as Yahoo Messenger, ICQ,a AOL (American Online), or social networking websites such as MySpace or Facebook. Some users still would rather chat in a chat room or even on message boards where you can talk to many people at one time. Other ways that the younger generations are also now chatting are on their cell phones.

Function

Chatting can have a variety of tasks and functions within an individual's personal and business life. It can be used for entertainment to chat with friends, or even in some rare instances, movie starts or book authors. Businesses will use special networks or instant messengers for workers to communicate with one another. Help desk or business support staff use chat to speak with customers having trouble with their computers, money or store accounts, and more. Chat allows for so many helpful uses that it is a very important part of communication today.

Warning

Even though chatting can be a very useful tool amongst businesses, schools, family, and friends, it can also provoke dangerous situations. Young children must be monitored if they are allowed to chat. Child pornographers or predators often log into chat-rooms under false identities to grab the attention of younger Internet users. If not used properly, chatting can be turned into an easy target to kidnap children and those that you love. Also, be aware of any chatter in a room trying to download or send unreadable files that could container computer viruses.

Significance

Chat has become a significant use in every day internet usage and in this age of technology. Many businesses use it as a way of communication with their employees in large offices, students use it in the computer labs at universities to check with one another about homework assignments, and also many help desk staff use chat that is available via the front page of most large websites. Without chat, the lines of communication wouldnot be as open as they are now. It allows others to communicate with one another across the entire world. For some, it may be even cheaper than picking up the phone.

Resources

• History of Chat
• Chat