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Barbara, How well I know the feeling of sitting in an empty "Chat Room" My ISP does not haave a connection to the UNDERNET so I can only chat using a regular IRC connection. I have set up a Chat Room on a web site operated by a couple of my friends, but I think their design might be a bit intimidating to newe users. I also have run into the problem of newcomers not realizing that on any web page you have to refresh it to view any new messages. Another problem is one of getting a convenient time to schedule a meeting. There is a narrow window between the time the west coast gets off work and the east coast goes to bed. Besides the IRC and web chat rooms, there are several personal/group communications programs such as Powwow and NetMeeting which are available at no cost. These have the advantage that you can leave the program in a receive mode while you are surfing the net, so you are not just sitting there talking to yourself yet know instantly if someone is trying to contact you. (In fact, at least with Powwow, you can "Cruise" the net as a group!) Another intimidation factor is that when you get more than five or six people chatting at once it becomes difficult to follow the conversation. Being a HAM radio operator (KA6ZDY) I have participated in many "round tables", a group chat technique for radio where only one person can talk at a time. The trick is to having a good moderator who can keep order. Both Powwow and NetMeeting have a Moderated Conference mode. I have had Powwow for quite a while. The only problem is that because I use a SLIP/PPP emulator others cannot initiate contact with me. I have to call them. I have just downloaded NetMeeting and havae not yet checked it out so I don't know if it has the same problem. What I am going to try to do is setup a regular conference schedule using NeeMeeting or Powwow. I will get back with the specifics before the end of the year, In the meantime, anybody who wants to chat at a time that is convenient for them just let me know by e-mail. The easiest way to get to the chat room is to go to my home page and click on the PD Forum Chat link which will take you directly there. My home page URL is: http://umbc.edu/~warr In case it didn't print out, there is a tilda before the w in my last name. Bruce 55/8 [log in to unmask] * That which does not change dies *