by Robert Asgeirsson <rja@pennan.ca>
There are numerous ways you can chat with Icelanders and people in general on the Internet. Each of the following five methods requires a small Internet program of some sort to carry out your chat. Most of these programs are freely downloadable from the sites listed throughout this article.Method 1 - The Icelandic Web Chat Channel
Method 2 - Internet Relay Chat, IRC
Method 3 - One to One personal type chatting
Method 4 - Use Your Computer Like A Telephone
Method 5 - The Video Phone - see while you talk
Method 1Web Chat Channels
Using a web browser like Netscape (highly recommended) you can go to the following URL addresses and type-chat with those who are also in the virtual chat room.
| INL of NA | Iceland | Yahoo | Samkoma |After entering the above chat rooms in your browser (or simply click the link) you will be taken to a registration screen where you are required to enter your name/nick name. In some cases you will be asked to also enter your e-mail address. Click the button marked "Onward /Áfram" or "Log on" or "Enter" and you'll be taken to the chat room. You'll see a small window on the screen where you can type in your comments. When you hit the return key or click the send button, your comment will be posted to the screen. The screen is automatically refreshed with comments by those also in the chat room.
You can find Icelanders in these chat rooms as well as others from around the world. Subject matter is up to those in the room. Some chat rooms are monitered so inappropirate language may get you banned from the room.
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Method 2.Internet Relay Chat, IRC
PC COMPUTERS: mIRC program
MACINTOSH COMPUTERS: IRCLE program
"IRCLE" allows for Icelandic characters where "HOMER" does not.
If you have an IRC program, you can join the ever increasing throng of netizens and chat with people from all over the world. You launch your IRC program while being connected to the Internet. The IRC program will automatically connect you with an IRC server. You then log in with your name and a nickname you like. Type in the name of the channel you wish to join and in a blink your in. Choose "#Iceland" and you'll be taken to that channel if its available to the server. Your comments will be seen by everyone in the channel or you can privately carry on a chat with someone there.
Create your own private chat channel
Using your IRC program, you can also create your own private chat channel (very easy to do) and arrange to have your friends come for a visit at a pre-arranged time. This is quite a popular activity. You can password protect the channel if you wish. There are thousands of private chat channels established every day on the IRC servers. The channel you establish will disappear when you log off.
The IRC method of chatting seems to be quicker at showing people's responses and is much more versatile than method #1. However, it means familiarizing yourself with an IRC program. It may seem a little difficult at first but take heart - there are practice channels that you can join to get the hang of things. Once you've learned the basics, you'll find that its a lot of fun and easy to use.
The "#Iceland" channel seems to have many young people on it.
Method #1 definitely has adults and is dead simple to use.
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Method 3.One-to-One personal type-chatting
Laurel's Internet Guide To Finger and Talk
includes downloads for PC's & MACINTOSH
Using a program called "Talk" (a live two-way type messaging program) you can directly link to a person on the Internet who is also "Talk" capable. After launching the program and connecting with someone, you are given a screen with two windows: one is yours where you type in your remarks and the other window contains the remarks of the other person. There is little or no delay in sending and receiving comments. The only delay may be in composing and typing out your thoughts.
The way you connect with each other should normally be a simple matter*. After launching your "Talk" program, you simply type in the e-mail address of the person with whom you wish to type-chat. An alert request for a chat is sent to the screen of the targeted person (they must also have the "Talk" program). The person alerted by the request has the choice of ignoring or accepting your request for a chat. To accept a request to chat you simply launch your version of the "Talk" program and start typing your response greeting.
*When the e-mail address doesn't connect you...
Some Internet providers do not have their server software configured to route calls to your computer using your e-mail address. When your e-mail address doesn't work, an alternative approach exists. The caller needs to type in the current IP address of the person being called. What this means is that the person being called will have to e-mail their current IP address to the caller prior to the call. Although this is not the "user-friendly" method intended, it is a workable solution for those occasions when an e-mail address doesn't work.
Contact your local service provider and ask them how you can make note of your current IP address while you are connected. Your current IP address changes every time you connect to the Internet.
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Method 4Use your computer like a telephone
WEB PHONE reviews and downloads sites
There are numerous Web phone programs now available. Some are commercial and some are free. These programs allow you to actually voice communicate with someone over the Internet. You need to have a microphone attached to your computer to pick up your voice. The web phone program you are running digitizes your voice message and sends it to the person you're talking to. The other person's computer undigitizes your voice and plays it. This process is something like a CB radio where you speak your message, ending with the word "over", so that the listener will know when he/she can reply. The audio quality is not great but you can easily make out what the person is saying. There is a slight delay while the voice messages are digitized and sent back and forth. This is a truly amazing way to voice communicate over long distances.. AND ITS FREE ! ... except for your basic Internet connection fee, of course. Sound quality seems to be improving with each new program upgrade.
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Method 5See your friends while you talk to them
VIDEO PHONE - CU-See Me program site
This fifth method involves having quite a powerful computer, a video camera and the program called CU-See Me. Although still in refinement stages, this method actually allows you to see the person you're talking to. Click on the CU-See Me link to find out more information and to also download a free full working demo version good for one month's use.