Talk:Online chat
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 | The content of Chat room was merged into Online chat on 27 January 2026. The former page's history now serves to provide attribution for that content in the latter page, and it must not be deleted as long as the latter page exists. For the discussion at that location, see its talk page. |
| The content of Synchronous computer-mediated communication was merged into Online chat on 27 December 2024. The former page's history now serves to provide attribution for that content in the latter page, and it must not be deleted as long as the latter page exists. For the discussion at that location, see its talk page. |
| This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Online chat article. This is not a forum for general discussion of the subject of the article. |
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Imprecise terminology
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)
Merge to Synchronous conferencing and move usable content to various articles
- The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section. A summary of the conclusions reached follows.
- Merge for overlap, merging Synchronous conferencing to the more commonly-used term (Online chat) on the grounds of least surprise. Klbrain (talk) 12:40, 27 December 2024 (UTC)
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 This definition is outdated, and instant messaging now refers to any kind of real-time text-based computer communication.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)
- 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)
- 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)
Merge completed
Merge proposal
I propose merging Chat room into Online chat. I noticed no mention of EMISARI in this article's history section, but that one has it. Why try to synchronize two articles' history sections if they have the same history because they are the same thing? Everything on that article could go here and it'd be on-topic.
I feel like I'm trying to prove that 1 = 1... it's obvious to me and if it's not obvious to others, then let's not. Keith (Hypergeek14)Talk 12:42, 19 September 2025 (UTC)
- Support.
- According to the article's current version: "The term can thus mean any technology, ranging from real-time online chat and online interaction with strangers (e.g., online forums) to fully immersive graphical social environments." They are the same. RandFreeman (talk) 08:13, 20 September 2025 (UTC)
- Sure, why not. Let's do it. Will probably be easier trying to do whatever needs to be done for a single article than it is to update two articles on the same thing. Alpha3031 (t • c) 13:37, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
- Since it seems there's consensus, I've tagged both articles as ready to be merged. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 🛸 23:46, 4 December 2025 (UTC)
- Looking at the lead of Online chat, chat room is linked over "group", so I believe that the distinction being articulated is that chat rooms are a type of online chat where there are many people, whereas "online chat" can include e.g. you messaging one other person. That said, neither of these articles are bursting at the seams (see WP:TOOBIG), with plenty of room to condense the existing material into summary style. There is also plenty of overlap in scope between the articles, which is a WP:MERGEREASON. Therefore, I support the merge presently. However, there should be no prejudice against spinning it off in the future if it proves there's too much to say specifically about group chat to adequately fit in the online chat article. Sdkb talk 21:46, 14 December 2025 (UTC)
- I have now performed the merge, and removed the duplicated information between the two articles. GearsDatapack (talk) 17:09, 27 January 2026 (UTC)