chit chat gas gas yankee doodle dandy (Internet Surfing)

Member Name: uncle_bob

Product:	Internet Surfing
Date:	20/09/01 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great to meet new people, Fun, Physical appearence doesnt get in the way

Disadvantages: can be dangerous, addictive

Well isn't this dandy.
Sorry about the title, I have no idea what it is about, I just couldn't think of a title.
I have a number of opinions sitting here in this 'opinion' folder, I have written over the last few months, yes months, I am new to dooyoo, but been writing opinions for over a year. Most of the opinions I write, never get posted. Either I just never actually finish them, or realise there is so many opinions, that posting another one on that subject would just be pointless. Then I came across this section. Digging into my archive of opinions, I found this opinion. Actually written for a different site, but never posted because I never actually finished it. So, change a few words, up date it slightly, and, as my name suggests, Bobs your Uncle.

Why this section?
Well the internet is something I have grown very fond of over the last 3 or 4 years. I read through other opinions on here and I see people who only started using the big old world of the Web last year, or a few months back, and I think, newbies. Yet a lot share my enthusiasm for the web, which I have built up over a few years, they have built up over a few months. Why?
Well from what I can figure out they 'surf' browse around the internet for nothing in particular, just clicking away on links etc and finding out new things fast, where as I only really used the internet when I wanted something. When I was at college I spent a lot of time on sites like boatdesign.net, and ribmagazine.com etc, because I was doing boat design these were pages of information for me.
However, in my second year at college (I say college, It was actually a university, but the establishment was a college, so I call it college, university was split up over various colleges and, well anyway, that's beside the point), in my second year, I learnt what college was all about, and realised lessons could be skipped, in favour of a good session out skiing. Yes, even the tut
ors would ask us the next day, if it had been a fine day, "good day out skiing?", my flatmates and I used to spend most our time out on the boat. However, it wasn't just the boat. That wasn't what took up most my time, no, what was it? Well, it was a little bit of software, which doesn't cost anything, and sits in your taskbar and flashes now and then. Yes, I am referring to good old Yahoo! Messenger. YM changed my Internet use drastically over the last 2 years or so now.
Before I never realised about chat sites, I always thought they were little rooms on sites, where computer hackers sat sharing tricks, or 13 year olds sat in talking about the latest Pokemon episodes.
But I ventured into Yahoo chat. At first just to mess around really, didn't take it serious, PM (that's private message) people left right and centre and just talk about anything really. It made a few friends, and kept me amused, but I noticed, that most of the time, people just didn't talk to me in PM, and actually put me on ignore. Then I realised, chat isn't just somewhere to go and mess around, these guys are actually true friends, and actually it is quite serious. OH! Hmmm, now I am a very shy person, speaking to people and making new friends, has never been my strong point. This was going to be hard.
One of the first people I had PM'd was in a room when I was, and I remembered her. So, I just said hi to her. She said hi back. Aha, getting somewhere. Then she PM'd me. Ohh result. (this isn't going where you may be thinking I am afraid) We started talking, finding out about each other, getting to know each other, I knew her name, age, location, hobbies, what she did for a living, etc. And she knew mine.
Now looking back, this could have turned out wrong. You hear all the stories about people on these sites, stalkers, paedophiles, strange men, even strange women. And to indulge in conversations like that could have turned out a mis
take. I was lucky, as I had hit on a genuine person.
Well, its just text on a screen, you may be asking.
And yep, it is. However. You will be amazed how close you can get to someone with just text on a screen. I was closer to her as a friend after a while, than anyone I knew offline. 2 years later and I still talk to her and still very close to her. And it is a true friendship, helping each other through hard times like you would an offline friend. And trust me, she had a few hard times, but that's another story.

But it is always going to be online? I mean she lives over in Ohio, I am in the UK, that's about 6000 miles with a very large fishpond in the way.
Well, this is overcome. With the help of Quip (see op) and good old Goonhilly (the largest satellite station in the world in Cornwall) I could ring her. Wow, talking to someone 6000 miles away, just like they were a friend down the road.

But you are never going to meet these people, lets be honest.
Well, that's what I always thought. I never let myself get carried away, as in reality, most of my friends were thousands of miles away and I couldn't just hop into the car and take a trip to them.
However, I met a lot of people online, once you know one person, you meet others through that person, and your contact list soon grows. I got into a very elite group in chat, and we dominated Chat Central 1, before moving to CC3, then CC7. I don't to this day know how many people are part of our 'family' but I would hazard a guess that it exceeds 100 people. Now obviously you don't talk to them all at the same time, but they are from all over the world, and I can go into Chat Central 7 almost any time of the day or night, and I will know most the people in there. All friends, however, I am very close to a few of them. And I have met a few of them too.
Yep, I have done the 'online dating' thing, and it doesn't work! Distance is always a
problem, however one friend, cookie is her name, actually got on a plane and flew from Tennessee to here to meet me. That is a strange thing. To meet someone from about 5000 miles away, never met before in our lives, and you build up a trust and friendship, to the point where one is willing to save and splash out a fair amount of hard earned $ to fly over into the unknown. And its amazing, I have spoken to her for about 2 years, she came over about 4 months ago, yet when she got here, it was like I had known her for years, didn't need to worry about the formalities of getting to know each other etc, because we had already done that. Went on holiday, and did all the things friends do (your not hearing anymore :op )
But now, what was a little box on my screen, is now a life, not an online life, but a real life, because now, I ring her a lot and visa versa, and even spoken to the parents, and moving over there in the next few months, to hopefully live. (although the latest attacks may delay that slightly)
She is not the only one I have met, I also have friends in the UK, not many, but a few. One recently moved to Cambridge, which is just down the road from me, and now I can just hop in the car and we can go out for a session Saturday nights easily, yet all started from a little box on my screen. She rings me when she has problems, and I have even taken her to Tescos so she can do her shopping.

Wow, I'm going into chat and seeing what I can pick up!
Well hold your horses there partner. Chat was then, and still is, a very dangerous place for new comers. It is used by dangerous people to find easy targets. They can pose as anyone really, and lure you into a false sense of security. There isn't a rule book for chat, and isn't a right way or wrong way. Chat is meant to be a fun place, and if you don't trust anyone or to scared to talk to people, in case they are dangerous, then there is no fun in it.
So here is my guidelines to h
aving fun in chat, and avoiding the dangers.
Make friends. That is, after all, what it is all about. However, pick your friends carefully.
If, for instance, you went into Chat Central 7, on Yahoo, you would probably find a large group of people talking to each other, me included. If you just PM one of them and try and talk to them, your likely to get a slating and put on ignore. It is just like walking into a pub, and seeing a large group of people in the corner, if you just walked up to them and started talking to them, it likely would end in trouble. I don't except PM from people I don't know anymore. And anyone who PM's me, gets put on ignore. If you want to make friends, you have to be careful around large groups. Don't talk to one in particular, try and get involved with the conversation going on, but follow these simple do's and don'ts
DO:
Be sensible
Try and keep up and not fall behind
Realise, at the moment, your not their friend, so they may not talk back to you straight away
Only make relevant points about the topic, or humour, that's a powerful tool, if you have it, it is what made most my friends. I'm liked because of my ability to turn any bad situation into a funny situation.
Remain neutral, although it may seem they are arguing with someone, it is likely that person is a friend, if you start slagging them off, it will backfire

DON'T
Insult them. Coming in and saying "your all losers" wont make you any friends, even if you meant it as a joke, it wont work
Assume you are going to be friends. Chat is a mixture of loads of different people, all like different things and different people, maybe this group isn't for you, there is plenty of others to choose from.

If you don't fancy getting into a group of people, then meeting single people is a way forward, as like me, you often find you will meet a lot of people through this person. But you are d
icing with danger with single people. A group is often a close group and every member is known and trusted, you are usually safe with a group, but single people is uncharted territory.
DO
Find out about the person, simple questions like, age, sex, hobbies, etc, will build up a general profile of that person.
Remember their answers. If they are making it up, next time they may slip up and change their answer, if that's the case, it's a no no and time to leave.
Try and talk to someone of the opposite sex. That's not to be flirty, or pervy or anything like that, it is simply because you often find, you will have less conflicts in interest. If 2 males started talking, and one likes Man U, and one is a keen Arsenal fan, it is likely to cause tension, and you wont get far.

DON'T
Give out your address, phone number, surname straight away. On first meeting someone, if you tell them your address, phone number and surname, that is all the information a stalker, or dangerous person needs to be a danger.
Agree to meet. I know I have met a few people, but I have known them for a long time, and built up a trust. Meeting someone for the first time, and then arranging to meet up that weekend for a drink, is dangerous, and a big no no. don't do it

Above all, have fun. You are not in danger, as long as you use common sense. Like giving out addresses or phone numbers. If they ask your name, by all means give them your first name, but avoid the surname, until you know them much better. As with the surname, a few chosen words on 192.com for instance, gives this person your name, age, address, phone number, DOB, mother maiden name, and what you had for breakfast almost. So be careful. If they ask it that soon, then they are obviously keen to find out more about your location, and its time to avoid them.

What about love?
I am sure a few of you are wondering about all this 'online love' thing. Well, let me
tell you, its not all it seems. Chat is a great place to meet new people, and even meet new loves of your life, like I have, however, it is words on a screen, and its hard to have a relationship with someone you have never met.
It also ruins friendships.
Going back to Chat Central 7, this group has now split, between CC3 and CC7, and the 2 halves do not like each other. Why? Because people got serious, and got into relationships. Jealousy, lies, all that comes into play. And because it is all on computer, it is easy spread. My time in chat rooms has since dropped a lot, because I couldn't be bothered with the continuous fights between people over what their boyfriend said to some girl, or stuff like that.
I know a lot who are in relationships, I was even in one myself, and most have now either ended nasty, or are still going, but in doing so, lost most of their friends online. I wont go into the boring details of mine, but lets say, when you can't see them, and be in their lives, its hard to know where you stand, and you don't know what goes on away from the computer screen.
My advice, wait. I known my love, for about 2 years, but until she came here, she was always a friend, but now it has gone beyond just words on a screen and personal contact has entered into the equation, it can be more, because it becomes reality.
So don't go into chat looking for love, you will do better looking down your local pub.

Cyber sex?
What you asking me for? I'm innocent!
No, seriously, I don't know much about it, but yet I know people want to know about it. If you just want to get pervy with someone, and maybe get off on it, then there are people on there who would gladly oblige, especially places like Yahoo! Who seem to specialise in porn. But personally, I don't see the point in it. I am pervy, and can get very pervy, but that's just messing around, some people do get serious, but I will leave that for you to fin
d out about.

So interested?
Well, where do go.
Yahoo.com or yahoo.co.uk is probably the biggest one. Com and co.uk are the same chat rooms, and don't split into UK and US rooms. However there are rooms especially for UK people, Irish, etc.
From what I know: Down The Pub is a UK area (shesh, what a reputation we have)
Chat Central is mainly American, although I think it is intended to be world wide.
There are regional rooms, like Dublin, most American states, London etc, but there is thousands of rooms, so sure you will find one to suit you.

AOL:
Well, AOHell is not my first choice, however I do know people who use it, and claim it is good, I never tried it, apart from there AIM, so I don't know what it is like.

Mirc
Allegedly the largest chat community on the Web, again, I never been in there, but it is meant to be very good, and a lot like Yahoo.

That's about it. Be safe, but above all, have fun, and you will get on just fine.
Oh, and a final point, to all you mums and dads out there. I would strongly advise, you do not let your children into chat rooms, if they are under the age of 16. I know, trying to stop a teenager from doing something is like trying to stop a bus with a stick, but it isn't censored, in Yahoo at least, and so a lot of swearing, porn, and all the other bad stuff, which to older people, is just ignored, but younger people may pick up on. I know my history folder was full of very strange porn sites, from where my computer had been used by people to go into chat. Porn bot flashes through the room, click that link, and before you know it you have a page with a lady and a horse, and well, you get the general idea I am sure.
Just my advice.

Summary: