Module 2 - Chat Tasks

3. TASK OPTION - Other chat options:

MSN, YahooChat, SecondLife or imvu (sign up is laborious in Second life but the dedicated can give it a try) imvu is a virtual chat space and fast to start, download and learn. MSN and Yahoo chat both are text based systems which are very easy to implement and learn. Please do not purchase an account from any site for the benefit of this unit - all virtual sites have guest account systems for non paying customers - please use that for now. For any of these options you choose Arrange with other students in the unit to meet up for a chat Record your answer and reflections in your learning log

LOG ENTRY:
Record your outcome and reflections of your experiences and thoughts on this task in your learning log (Allen et al. n.d.)

GROUP TASK ~ all students :
All students regardless of the chat method and option you chose you must now: Using either ICQ, yahoo chat, Messenger, virtual or Blackboard chat, arrange a discussion with a group of your peers. You may do this in small groups if you like. Talk about which chat service you prefer, and what forms of communication chat is most useful for. Think about the following question: how does the method you are familiar with appear to differ from other chat or messaging such as ICQ, MSN or AIM? Which system do you prefer? (Allen et al. n.d)


LOG ENTRY:
Record your outcome and reflections of your experiences and thoughts on this task in your learning log (Allen et al. n.d.)

This is my first time to download and registered to ICQ for my personal use, I usually just borrow it from my friends and chat with our friends for fun and I never feel like want to registered one account for my own because I do not really chat online. I rather call and talk or ask what I need to know and that is all.

Unfortunately I am having a problem with ICQ. I have downloaded the latest Mac version (ICQ 3.4) to try, when I fill up all the information and try to connect, it keep telling me registration failed (please refer to the attachment). I have been trying for many time and restart my computer and modem, it is still telling me the registration fail so I have to give up.



Then I try IMVU and it is not available for MAC so I have to try other again.

Beside ICQ most of the classmate use MSN so I get one for myself. This is my first MSN too : ). Like above mentioned I do not register to any of the chat programs before except Skype. I use Skype to call and chat with my families and friends quite often.

Actually MSN and Skype are quite similar to me. Except Skype can call online and MSN not.

First I meet Mike on MSN and he said he is having some problems for his google chat with other NET11 classmates and I also told him I am having a problem to register with ICQ too, later he said he have to fix the google chat problem, so we have to stop here. Then I saw Glenn online and we chat, he asked me is 2 of us consider a group and I am not sure so I add Mike in, so I guess 3 will be a group.


Mike joins in later and we start to chat about the group task. We all don’t really have any experience of these chat programs, me and Mike have been use Skype before so we chat a little bit about Skype, which Glenn said he have no idea how MSN work and he need to study and learn more. So Mike suggested he will find a group and we will chat again next time.

Next day Mike is busy on MSN but I did drop him a line to say “Hi...!” and Glenn is not online. The rest of the people which I add on my MSN are offline. Glenn told me later the same thing they never online, I guess they all using chat programs like ICQ, Yahoo and Google, so I have no choice I have to wait and continue to study others.

Few days later me and Glenn finally go as a group and discuss about the task. He told me he have try IMVU but he doesn't like it and he feel creepy. Even-though I do play computer games but I don't really like the graphics, this is my personal feeling only. I told him I use to have MSN in office which is for work purpose not for personal fun, and the MSN is install by the previous person. I also told him I prefer Skype because it can call, video, chat and send file.

Overall, I believe most people will like to use the chat programs like MSN, Yahoo, ICQ and Google, the reason is they are popular, friendly user for everyone and easy to manage. For the virtual based chat like Second life, Entropia and IMVU you need the latest computer to run the programs and I believe this is suitable for young people.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved July 3, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1