CHATROOM

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Chatroom Description
Log-In Variations
In-Chatroom Protocols

Jump To: This Week's Chat Schedule

To Log-In to the COPD Chatroom: •  PC users: click on logo on the left. •  Others: Click here.

Description

A Few Words About The Chatroom

1. Newcomers to chat should always be given priority. The host should take the lead in welcoming them promptly. Try to make them feel comfortable and settled in the chatroom. You will want to check if they have questions and try to answer them. If their questions are very complicated or technical, suggest they present them to the COPD-Support e-mail list. Always give the newcomer the COPD-Support website address. www.copd-support.com and encourage them to subscribe, pointing out the advantages of education about COPD. Advise newcomers that we are not medical professionals.
    
2. Try not to monopolize the screen with too much chat. Give others a chance to express themselves. Just as in other programs of COPD Support, in chat we avoid the topics of religion, sex, race and politics. No flaming or vicious gossip is allowed. The repeated use of caps (shouting) is offensive in most chat rooms and will not be tolerated. Offenders may be banned from the Chat Room.
    
3. Once you establish your nickname for the room, please stick with it and do not add any prefixes to the name. Name changes and alterations can be very confusing for the host and guests alike. Coming in and out of the room using different names is frowned upon.
    
4. There will be times when a moment of silence is appropriate in the case of the death of a member of the group or his family. Please be respectful of the feelings of others.
    
5. You can have lots of fun in chat, but please remember that the primary purpose is to help those in need. If someone comes in with questions, or needing reassurance or comforting, please give them your immediate attention. This applies to persons with COPD along with caregivers to persons with COPD.
    
6. Remember that we are not medical professionals. You should consult your medical team for your personal medical needs.
    

Sue Colmant is the Coordinator for all Chat Room activities. Use this email link to ask questions, volunteer to host, register a complaint, or recommend subjects which would be of benefit to the group.

Chat Schedule

Log-In
PCs	Clicking on: chat.copd-support.com will work for most folks. No password is required! Please sign in with a nickname - the preferred form is: yourname-state (such as Carolyn-MI). When in the chatroom, you can change your nickname by entering all by itself with only one space, such as: /nick Carolyn-MI
Web TV	From the homepage click on CHAT click on GO TO (upper right corner) Type IP:   168.215.196.24 Port:   6667 (erase the number that's there) Room:   copd You do not have to worry about choosing a name to use because for WebTV, the nickname is the same as your WebTV name.
MACs	Apple users may wish to use the IRCLE program to connect to the chat. This is an IRC (Internet Relay Chat) program designed for Apple machines and it works very well with our chat room. The connection is much quicker than normal Java because it uses IRC protocol vs. the Java applets. The trade off is that you do not get all the cute bells and whistles and sounds and such. For more information, do a search of IRCLE.
PCs - HTML	Try using the HTML link vs. the Java link as an alternative chat room connection method if you are having problems of slow loading, jumping screen, not able to send text, etc.  [In HTML you will not have all the color and sound choices of JAVA.] When signing on to the chat room and the chat room Sign On page opens, there is a click-link on the right side that says "Options." Clicking that link brings up the "Client Preference" menu. Clicking the bottom drop-down arrow shows Java and HTML as options. Select the HTML and click "OK" which returns you to the main Sign On page. When you click the "Sign On" link you will connect to the chat room in a very short time compared to the Java connection. You do not have all the bells and whistles of the Java connection but you can read and send text with no problems.
Last Resort	In the event that you have not had success in establishing a connection with the chatroom, contact Sue-NC. Include everything that you have tried and what the results are.

In-Chatroom Protocols

1. Special Protocols for Topic & Focused Chats.    (These do not apply to Open Chats)

The following special protocols may be called upon by the Host during Topic or Focused chat sessions. They establish measures so that the host can provide the maximum amount of information and answer the most questions during the time allotted. A non hosted free chat session will be held immediately after the close of any subject session for those who may want to visit with their neighbors. This protocol is similar to others used in online classrooms. Essentially, during subject oriented chat, the host has the floor at all times and no one is allowed to speak unless called on. There are no greetings to late arrivals nor are private messages to the entire group allowed. There is a system for indicating your desire to talk.

This is the way the protocol works:
The Host will advise when protocol rules are in effect and when they are lifted. During protocol, you must be recognized by the host to speak.

?   If you want to ask a question, type a question mark and send to the group.
 
??  If you want to make a follow-up question on the answer being given, type a double question mark and send to the group. (The host may not acknowledge your question at this time if they need to move on).
 
!   If you want to make a comment, type an exclamation point and send to the group.
 
    After being recognized, you may ask your question or comment to all participants and after that is answered, you may ask one more question or make one more comment regarding the original question. If you have an unrelated question or comment, you must wait until it is your turn again.
 
//  After you have directed your question or comment to the group, send a double slash to let everyone know that you are through.

(The following apply to all chat sessions)

2. How do I "talk" in the chatroom?

Talking in the chatroom is simply typing the text in the "Text" box at the bottom of the white board using the "ENTER" key on your keyboard.

3. How do I "whisper" to someone in the chatroom?

Whispering is done by clicking on the member's name (a red box will appear), click on "Options and Actions" at right of "Text" box and click on "To Member" to send text to the room again, click on the Options and Actions at the right of the "Text" box and click on "To Room"

4. The Chatroom shows me as "Guestxx".   How do I change that to my nickname?

In the text box at the bottom, type:   /nick nickname   and then hit Enter.

5. How do I exit the chatroom when done chatting?

The proper way to leave is to click the "Options" icon on the left side. Then click the "Quit" icon in the bottom center box. A new page will come up but you have quit the chat and can close the browser or go somewhere else.
Just clicking the browser closed or the "Back" icon or typing a new URL will get you out of the chatroom but your name will hang around for a while. If you decide to come back in immediately, you may have to wait a minute before you name disappears so you can use it again.