First of all, there are many places on the World Wide Web at which you can chat with other Internet users without any special software other than your browser. Large web communities such as Yahoo and TalkCity offer chat "rooms" that appear right in your browser window.

However, much of the chat on the Internet takes place on IRC, short for Internet Relay Chat. Tens of thousands of people around the world are using IRC at any given moment, and it isn't that difficult to join them.

Many Internet users also use pager/chat programs, such as AOL Instant Messenger or ICQ, to send instant messages and keep track of friends and family.

Below are some links to help you get started with chat on the Internet.

Web Chat Sites:

TalkCity

Yahoo Chat

General Info on IRC

The #IRChelp Homepage

Chat Software

MSN Messenger Service

mIRC Resource Center (Windows)

The IRCLE Home Page (Macintosh)

Yahoo Pager

ICQ

AOL Instant Messenger

Many chat programs exist. There are entire sections for them, with reviews, at general download sites such as Tucows and Download.com.