Talk:Online chat

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I've looked around at various sources and found that "online chat" is often used to mean instant messaging, but can sometimes refer to any kind of synchronous conferencing, typically in chat rooms. Is "online chat" really a clearly defined concept that differs from these other concepts? Helpful Raccoon (talk) 08:18, 20 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

This isn't exactly a standard merge proposal, but I'm not sure what to do with this article. "Online chat" does not have a clear definition, and nothing in this article seems to cover what Instant messaging and Synchronous conferencing do not. The article's current state is a jumbled mess that mainly focuses on instant messaging, but also includes synchronous conferencing and computer-mediated communication in general.

This article is also a level-5 vital article, so it would also have to be removed from the list if it is merged.

Side note: this article was created at a time when "instant messaging" primarily referred to private messaging on commercial apps such as ICQ, excluding IRC and similar anonymous, group-based chat services. This definition is outdated, and instant messaging now refers to any kind of real-time text-based computer communication. Online chat encompassed what is now called instant messaging. Helpful Raccoon (talk) 18:01, 7 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I agree that this article is currently very unclear of what it's about. I do think Synchronous computer-mediated communication is probably the right article to merge it to. However more needs to be done to make it easier to read (WP:TECHNICAL) and elements of the current introduction of this Online chat article will have to be in the synchronous article after merge. I agree with your definition of IM today although as mentioned on this Online chat article, MUDs and online games is a perfect example of something that is synchronous conferencing but is not normally considered an "instant messenger". These points will have to be clearly explained in a simple way and also it must have links to related articles like IM, videotelephony and text messaging (I am happy to assist with that after a merger is done). Sucrehypsy (talk) 14:00, 4 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Support the idea of a merge (for overlap), but suggest that Online chat is the better target because it is the more natural English term - the one that readers would be least surpised to see. Klbrain (talk) 11:11, 16 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]