A group of users can create their own chat room, and congregate there to discuss the topic of their choice. All participants would essentially have video cameras pointed at themselves and connected to their computers. This technique mimics live television in that all participants can see and hear each other through their computers in realtime as they speak. Java chat clients that allow for web-based text chatting. Synchronous methods of conversation are undeniably more dynamic and interactive.
Participants engage in the closest thing to a true, in-person conversation that the Internet allows.
However, almost inevitably, new software will need to be installed o n each participant s computer. If some participants have older computers that are not compatible with the software or the hardware required, they are essentially prevented from taking part. Some server-based installation may be required, making the who le process more complicated. The bottom line is that if you are targeting a large audience, then generally the asynchronous e-mail or web bulletin board is best. If your audience is smaller or you are unwilling to lose out on interactivity, then consider the real-time chat.