Chat 3–group task

I've now used both ICQ through Meebo and the internetstudies · NetStudy Netizens list group on Yahoo and found both to be useful in different directions.

ICQ is great just to catch up and have an informal "chat" with friends and relatives and keeps the phone costs down. I found it particularly useful just having the browser run in the background with Meebo going and seeing from time-to-time small automatic pop-ups when messages came in. I could react quickly to the messages and continue the conversation unlike email. However the conversations tended to be a bit ephemeral and esoteric, much like talking to one's mates, still a worthy experience. This was a new for me and it's a big YES, I will continue to use this service. The only criticism I have, and it's only small, I couldn't always keep up with the typing and some of the conversation tended get a bit jumbled (thread order was mixed), especially if it's a group session (maybe voice control would be good). Also, I would NOT use this method of communication if I required the message I sent to be kept on record or I required the receiver to action the information and I wanted proof that I had sent the information on.

I found the list group on Yahoo to be a bit cumbersome and slow when I tried to use it in the same manner as a chat room. I quickly came to the conclusion that this service was more to keep groups updated, information that I may like to act on, but more importantly, I could contribute and feel part of the community that it was trying to embrace. I found that the success of the group greatly depends on the contributions and, even at this early stage the group looks likely to fail (not the NET11 unit), but die off into cyberheaven where all the calculators and photocopiers rest in peace and in pieces.
Still, there is a place for this type of asynchronistic communication although I don't see myself keeping up with it as it requires strength of character, perseverance and discipline to continually contribute to such groups. Me, I'm a bit lazzzy (Yes that with 3 z's).

On the other hand the Uni Blackboard messaging system is entirely different again and for communication in another direction. Messages can be posted and then responded to while maintaining the "thread" of the conversation for all to see in the group. This works well in the learning environment as questions are asked and answered and displayed for anyone who has similar questions. (You know the type, the 'frequently asked questions'). It's not for general chatter although people tend to abuse it for this and what happens as a result is the discussion area gets over crowded with pointless banter. People get frustrated if they are search for answers and all they see is a pseudo chat room.


How is it different from the methods I normally use?
As I indicated above, I have only ever used emails up to now for communication over the web—obviously when I was just chatting with email I was abusing it. But now I know differently.

emails uses:

1. messages that need to be kept
2. messages that require the receiver to action (do something)
3. messages for when people are away from the chat room (I wonder if I can access the chat room by mobile)
4. messages when I don't want to get caught up in the chat (I can waste a lot of time chatting)
   

chat rooms use:

1. quick and easy talk (honey, I'll be late home tonight)
2. no proof of conversation, hopefully! (come down to the pub and play pool with the mates tonight)

Blackboard use:

1. ask questions and receive (correct) answers
2. general information that I can use at a later date, "Asynchronous electronic communication is not the opposite of real-time, synchronous communication: rather it describes forms of communication that appear differently 'located in time' depending on the perspective of the sender and receiver."

Caution
I still have major concerns over the type of people using the chat rooms although I have read somewhere, can't remember where, that the CIA scan these types of services and look for key words to catch terrorists and others. I feel safer that big brother is watching, but it's not me that I worry about, it's my kids.