StarOffice 5.1 is a fully integrated suite of productivity applications, including Web-enabled word processing, spreadsheet, presentation graphics, email, news, charting, and graphics programs. Users can create files in Microsoft formats or as HTML, to post on the Web or on newsgroup servers. Here's an interesting review to get you started. You can chat with any number of people and see up to 6 of them at a time. If you have a microphone, you can even speak to them.
Images are jerky and the sound quality is spotty.
Some people like to chat naked, so be prepared for that possibility. Versions is a service for Macs and PCs that keeps track of 85,000 different software programs. After registering with the service, it notifies you when an upgrade is available. Liszt is a searchable directory of all of them. Type a keyword and we'll bet your interests are covered by a mailing-list somewhere.