Normally communication in the Internet takes place in Chatrooms. These rooms have become very popular after the start of an uniform Internet Browser and the Hypertext- Markup- Language, which made the Internet open for the general public. Simple talking with other Users, whether on public or private Modus. But of course these interactions limit the User only on a lyrics level of communication. In some MUD’s (Multi- Unser- Dungeon) you can choose in the moment of entering an optical description, which form an imression about the relevant person.
Today there are a lot of Chatrooms in the Internet and quasi on every homepage. But before you can start chatting you need to choose a nickname, a password and then you must be registrated. Center of the most conversations are job, hobbies, freetime- the “standardthings”, like a chatter calls it.
An Internet- chat is about synchron exchange which takes place over a distance, what means it happens indirectly. By the fact that it’s an indirect conversation the participant is not able to see or to hear anyone by talking. In a bodyless world, like a chat, the User only shows his/ her nickname, everything else is rest with him/ her, he of himself stays anonymous. By this anonymity it is possible to show the other person a comletely different image of himself or lie with the identity. Principally you can only draw a conclusion about the other person with the information he or she grants you.
Another specific feature in the Internet is the escape. Nowhere else like there it is possible to ignore a question without any consequences. This makes it easier for many people to go towards someone, which speeds up the exchange of messages.
I think for the most people chatting is more a thing passing the time. On the one hand it’s a nice opportunity to get to know people from all over the world but on the other hand it’s a very superficial way making friends and let be honest, are they “real” friends or only someone you talk to, from time to time?