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Chat...Chat...Chat

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Chat... Chat... Chat, by Julie Komern

This 88-page book is a guide to "special on-line language" with 9 chapters and a Glossary. It was written in 1999. Chapter 9 is about "Safety" and should be read first. "Don't give out your name, password, mailing address, phone number, or school's name to strangers." Actually, you should never give out your personal information to anyone, since it is so easy to pass this information along. There are some people who are looking to make trouble for anyone they can. Some call them "trolls". "Never download a file unless you know who it is from. It could be a dangerous virus." Still true, and even visiting a site on the Internet can do harm. No mention of the danger from shared public computers. "Don't believe everything your read." This applies even to hard copy. If it seems too good, it is likely a hoax or fraud. Missing is the advice to get out in the fresh air and walk around; sitting for hours isn't all that safe.

"Smileys" (or emoticons) are listed in Chapter 1. [I have almost never used them myself.] Those who create them may have too much spare time. Chapter 2 has "TLAs (Three-Letter Acronyms". This can be useful when space is limited or typing skills are low. Some of these abbreviations are over three letters. "ASAP" and "PDQ" were used by your great-grandparents. The early telegraphers invented these codes for faster communications. "SNAFU" is there, but not "FUBAR" There is no "RTFM" (read the full manual). Does "LOL" mean "laughing out loud" or "lots of luck"? "SOL" isn't there (short on luck). Chapter 3 has "Text Art". This goes back to printers that used fixed characters, like a typewriter. Chapter 4 "On-Line Jokes" may amuse you. Or maybe not.

Chapter 5 has "Games and Quizzes". Would you recommend this book to a friend? Chapter 6 has "Friendship Stories". Would you follow this advice? Chapter 7 asks "What's Your Personality?". Ever hear of a "tree sign"? Does it apply to you? [Any scientific evidence for this?] Would anyone want to receive an "interactive e-mail chain" (p.63)? Chapter 8 has emotional "Pack-A-Punch Stories". Ever read any of them before?

This book is interesting for anything that is new and useful to you. But if you missed it, you will survive.

This book is very fun to read. If you and a friend have the book you can wright codes to tell them something instead of writting it all out