View source for Chat services and pen pals

== How to find a pen pal ==

The newsgroup {{news|news.newusers.questions}} is not the proper place to hold general conversations. However, there are many other ways and places to find pen pals and chat!

* If you want to test your posting ability, and have real people from the world respond, try the newsgroup {{news|alt.test.hello-world}}.
* If you are looking for friends overseas to correspond, learn about cultures and practice languages with, you may find new friends in {{news|soc.penpals}}. There are posters there from around the world!
* If you're looking for a specific age group, you might try one of these groups:
** {{news|alt.kids-talk.penpals}}
** {{news|alt.teens.penpals}}
** {{news|alt.penpals.college}}
** {{news|alt.penpals.forty-plus-yrs}}

== Real-time chat ==

There are tons of chat services out there. One good place to start looking is the [http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Chat/ chat section] of the Google directory.

=== Internet Relay Chat ===

IRC offers a worldwide multi-user chat network where people meet to talk in groups or privately. Lots of people can participate in the real time discussions, and the number of topics covered on IRC is endless.

One of the best IRC clients for Windows is called [http://www.mirc.co.uk/ mIRC]. If you have a Macintosh, try the [http://www.ircle.com/ Ircle] program.

A more detailed [http://www.anta.net/irc/survival guide to IRC] is also available.