Copyright: Copyright © 1996 Microsoft Corporation
Citation: Copyright © 1996 Microsoft Corporation


Displays the name of the chat server that you want to connect to.


Provides a space to type a nickname that identifies you to other members in the chat room. Nicknames must start with a letter and they cannot contain any spaces.


Provides a space to type a backup nickname if your first nickname is already being used. All nicknames must start with a letter and they cannot contain any spaces.


Provides a space to type any username that you might need to log on to the chat server.


Allows users to log on to the chat server anonymously.


Controls whether a notification message is sent when a member joins the chat.


Controls whether a notification message is sent when a member leaves the chat.


Inserts a blank line between each chat message. You can use this option to alleviate eyestrain and make chat messages easier to read.


Displays a message when you exit chat that asks if you want to save the history of the chat. Chat histories record the content of a chat to files that you can view and print.


Blocks invitations from other chat users to join a different chat.


Displays a color palette that you can use to choose how you want URLs displayed in the Chat window.


Provides a space to enter the user name that you want to find.


Provides a space to enter a name for the chat you want to create. Names are high-level information used to identify a chat. For example, you might name your chat basketball and then choose Michael Jordon as the subject.


Provides a space to type a topic for the chat you want to create. Topics are specific information that are used to organize communication within a chat room. For example, if a chat name is basketball, a chat topic might be Michael Jordon.


Identifies that the chat is open to users who are using any client application that relies on the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) protocol.


Indicates that the chat is open to all users.


Indicates that the chat is private. When you are in a private chat, your name appears in the list of current users but the name of your chat does not appear in the list of current chats.


Indicates that the chat is secret. When you are in a secret chat, your name does not appear in the list of current users and the name of your chat does not appear in the list of current chats.


Provides a space to type the maximum number of users allowed in this chat room.


Designates that only authenticated members can join the chat room.


Designates that only members who are invited can join the chat room.


Blocks users from using nicknames. When this check box is selected, user addresses are displayed in the Chat window instead of nicknames.


Blocks people from whispering in a chat room. Whispering is when one user sends a direct message to another user that cannot be seen by anybody else in the chat room.


Blocks anyone but the host from changing the topic.


Indicates that the chat is moderated.


Provides a space to type a password for your chat. Passwords let you choose who can join your chat.


Provides a space for you to type the name of the chat you want to join.


Provides a space for you to type any password that you might need to join a chat. If a chat is password protected, you must supply the correct password before you can join that chat.


Provides a space for you to type the name of a chat you want to search for. You can type a subject of interest in this box to quickly locate a chat you want to join.


Provides a space to type a minimum number of users that you want to find in a chat room. The Minimum and Maximum boxes can help you locate a chat room with the number of users that you prefer.


Provides a space to type a maximum number of users that you want to find in a chat room. The Minimum and Maximum boxes can help you locate a chat room with the number of users that you prefer.


To connect to a chat server

Before you can use Microsoft Internet Chat (MIC), you must first connect to a chat server. You can connect to a chat server in two different ways. You can start MIC from your desktop and enter server connection information into the Connection Settings dialog box. You can also connect to a chat server directly from a Web site.

1	Double-click the Microsoft Internet Chat icon.

2	In the Server box, type the name of the server that you want to connect to.

3	Click the Nicks tab. In the Nickname box, type a nickname that you want to use.

4	In the Backup Nickname box, type a second nickname to use if your first nickname is already being used.

5	Click the Login Options tab. In the Username box, type a user name for the server that you are connecting to. If you don’t have a user name for the server, you can log onto the server anonymously using the Login Anonymously check box.

6	Click OK. The connection settings you just entered are displayed. Click Connect to connect to the chat server.

 Related Topics


To create a personal chat

Every time you connect to a chat server, you must create a personal chat. Personal chats are a great way to talk with your friends and organize a group discussion. When you create a personal chat, you can choose your own chat name and topic. You also have control over who can join your chat and how your chat is run.

1	On the Chat menu, click Create.

2	In the Name box, type a name for your chat. Names should be broad areas of interest, such as basketball, cooking, and camping.

3	In the Topic box, type a topic for your chat. Topics should be more specific interests that relate to the name of the chat. For example, if the name of the chat is basketball, you could create a topic on Michael Jordon.

4	Click the Chat Type tab and choose whether you want the chat to be public, private, or secret. By default, all chats are public.

5	To set additional options for your chat, click the Advanced tab. Advanced options can be used to control who can access the chat and how the chat is run.

 Related Topics


To join an existing chat

If you know the name of the chat you want to join, you can use the Join command on the Chat menu to quickly join an existing chat. As you look for a chat to join, keep in mind that some chats have restrictions. For example, some chats are set up to only allow people who are invited to join. If you can’t get into a specific chat, try a different one.

1	On the Chat menu, click Join.

2	In the Name box, type the name of the chat you want to join.

3	If you know that the chat is password protected, type your password in the Password box.

 Related Topics


To search for a user

Chat rooms are a fun place to talk with friends. If you want to locate a specific person on the chat server that you are connected to, you can use the List Users command in MIC. You can search a list of all users that are connected to the chat server to quickly identify whether your friends and colleagues are online.

1	On the User menu, click List Users.

2	In the List Users With Name Containing box, type the name of the user that you want to find.

 Related Topics


To search for a chat

With thousands of different chat rooms on a server, it can sometimes be difficult to find a chat you want to join. If you don’t know that exact name of a chat, you can search existing chats to identify one that interests you. You can use the List Chats command on the Chat menu to quickly find a chat to join.

1	On the Chat menu, click List Chats.

2	In the List Names With Chat Containing box, type a subject that interests you. For example, if you are a person who likes the outdoors, you could search for a chat about camping.

Tip

•	You can also search for a chat based on its size. Use the Minimum and Maximum boxes to identify the size of the chat you want to find.

 Related Topics


To set user options

To make working in chat easier, you can customize user options. User options include ways for you to insert blank lines between messages, to change the color of a URL in your message window, or to set notification messages when new members join or leave your chat. You can also use options in this dialog box to block invitations from other chat users and to display a reminder message to save chat history before you exit a chat.

1	On the Settings menu, click Options.

2	Select or clear options in the Options dialog box to change user options.

 Related Topics


To send a URL

Uniform Resource Locator’s (URLs) are addresses to specific places on a network or the Internet. Microsoft Internet Chat gives you an easy way to share URLs while you are chatting. You can type a URL in the message box and send it to other members of the chat room. When it appears in the message window, it appears as a link that people can click to go to the designated address.

1	In the message box, type the URL that you want to send. The URL must include the service protocol, such as http. For example, to share a Web site with other chat members, type http:\\www.microsoft.com.

2	Click Send.

Tip

•	You can use the Insert URL command on the Edit menu to quickly send someone the URL of your current chat.


To view or change chat properties

Chat properties define the settings for each chat. You can use chat properties to control who can join the chat and how the chat is run.

1	On the Chat menu, click Properties.

2	Select or clear options in the Chat Properties dialog box to change chat settings.

Note

•	You can only change chat properties if you are a host. To identify whether you are a host, look at your name in the member list. If a gavel icon appears next to your name, you are a host. You can also click Properties on the Member menu to view your current status.

 Related Topics


To change default connection settings

Connection settings define how your computer connects to the chat server. Use the Connection Setting dialog box to identify a chat server, a nickname, and any log on information that you need. The first time you start Microsoft Internet Chat, you are asked to enter connection settings. After you’ve defined connection settings, those settings are then saved as the default settings. You can change connection settings from the Startup window or you can change them within the Chat program. Use the following steps to change default connection settings from within the program.

1	On the Settings menu, click Connection.

2	Enter your new setting information in the Connection Settings dialog box.

The next time you start Microsoft Internet Chat, the new connection settings are used.

 Related Topics


To send a message

1	Click in the message box at the bottom of the Chat window.

2	Type the message that you want to send.

3	Click Send.

Your message is displayed in the message window under your nickname. When you send a message with the Send button, all other Chat members can see your messages.

 Related Topics


To ignore a chat member

Chat allows you to ignore messages from one or more chat members. If you choose to ignore a chat member, their messages will not appear in your message window.

1	In the member list on the right side of the Chat window, click the member you want to ignore.

2	On the Member menu, click Ignore.

To stop ignoring a Chat member later, click the member name in the user list, then on the Member menu, click Don't Ignore.


To send a private message

As you talk with members in a large chat room, you might want to send someone a private message. In MIC, you can use the Whisper button to send a private message to another member. Only the member you select can see your message.

1	In the member list on the right side of the Chat window, select the chat member that you want to receive your private message.

2	Click in the message box at the bottom of the Chat window.

3	Type the private message that you want to send to the selected chat member.

4	Click Whisper.

Note

•	Some chats might not allow private messages. Individual chat members can also choose not to receive private messages. If the Whisper button in your chat window is disabled, then you cannot send private messages. To check if an individual member can receive private messages, look in the Member Properties dialog box.

 Related Topics


To customize the Chat window

To make working in Chat easier, you can customize the Chat window. You can hide or display parts of the Chat window, including the toolbar, status bar, and chat browser.

On the View menu, click a command to place a check mark next to the window items that you want to view. To hide an item, click the command again to remove the check mark.


To get more information about a member

You can view additional information about chat members, such as whether they are authenticated or not and whether or not they accept private messages (whispers).

1	In the member list on the right side of the Chat window, click the name of the member you want more information about.

2	On the Member menu, click Properties.

The Member Properties dialog box displays the member's nickname and status (either Host, Speaker, or Spectator). It also displays whether or not they are authenticated, if they accept whispers, and if they are using a program based on the Microsoft Internet Chat protocol.

3	To view a member's real name, on the Member menu, click Get Real Name.


To cut, copy, and paste text in chat

To make working with text easier in Microsoft Internet Chat, the program includes Cut, Copy, and Paste commands. These commands let you manipulate text from the message window or within the message box. For example, if you want to repeat something another user says, you can copy text from the message window, paste it directly into the message box, and then send it.

1	Select the text that you want to cut or copy by highlighting it. To highlight all of the text in either place, on the Edit menu, click Select All.

2	To copy the text, on the Edit menu, click Copy. To cut the text, on the Edit menu, click Cut. You can only cut text from the message box.

3	In the message box, click the place where you want to put the information.

4	On the Edit menu, click Paste.


To save chat text

Conversations in Chat can sometimes contain memorable or useful information. With Microsoft Internet Chat, you can save text from the message window to a separate file that you can view and print. After you have saved a chat session to file, you can click the Save command to update that file at any time as the conversation continues.

1	On the File menu, click Save As.

2	In the Save As dialog box, identify a name and location for the file.

3	Specify whether you want to save text from the message window as a Rich Text Format document with an .RTF extension or a Text document with a .TXT extension on the file name.

Note

•	To save updated text to the file that you just created, click Save on the Edit menu at any time. The previous text in the file is replaced with new text from the message window.


To change the chat topic

Topics are a great way to focus the conversation in a chat room. They provide a loose framework for discussion. The topic of a chat room appears next to the name of the chat in the title bar of the Chat window. If you are the host of a chat or a member of a chat where the host has allowed it, you can change the chat topic by clicking the Change Topic command on the Chat menu.

1	On the Chat menu, click Change Topic. If the command is unavailable, the host of this chat has not allowed changes to the topic.

2	In the Topic box, type a new name for the topic, and then click OK.

Tip

If you do not want anyone other than yourself to change the topic of a chat you are hosting, open the Chat Properties dialog box by clicking Properties on the Chat menu. Then, on the Advanced tab under Do Not Allow, check Non-hosts To Change The Topic.