Chat FAQ's

• What is an online chat?
• How do I login to chat?
• Which chat nickname should I use?
• I've logged in and entered a chat room. How do I chat?
• How can I see who is online?
• What chat rooms can I use?
• How do I move to a different chat room?
• How do I send a private message?
• What other options and functions does the chat plugin feature?
• What is a Moderated Special Event?
• How do I send a question to a Special Events Moderator?
• Sometimes when I log-in I get a blank screen and can't chat.
• I've installed the Globalchat plugin - now how do I connect?
• I can't get the plug-in to work! What should I do?

What is an online chat?

An online chat occurs when two or more people anywhere in the world communicate with each other by typing back and forth in a common area (a chat room) in real time.

Chat brings large groups of people - business executives, students, missionaries, and enthusiasts from all walks of life - together in a way that makes the exchange of information and ideas easier than ever before.

But we understand that your first chat experience can be a little unnerving. That's why we've put together the following helpful tips. Print them out and keep them by your side until you're comfortable with the chat environment.

How do I login to chat?

• Go to the chat login and read the Chat Disclaimer. If you agree click the "I Agree" button and the Guest Login will load.
• Type a temporary chat nickname you would like to use for the chat session. Leaving the nickname field blank will assign you the nickname Guest1, Guest2, etc.
• Choose a chat client (chat interface). We recommend using the Globalchat plugin. If that is not possible than try the Java Lite plugin.
• Press the XXXXXX button and you will be taken to the chat lobby.

Which chat nickname should I use?

We ask you to pick a chat nickname when you are logging in. Use whatever chat nickname you want - it will be the name that people will know you as in the chat room community.

I've logged in and entered a chat room. How do I chat?

Here are some features and commands commonly used in chat:

• Locating the Chat Area - Once you enter chat, the middle section of the page where the dialogue appears is called the chat area.
• Sending a Message - The thin long box below that is the text box where you type your messages. Click once here to set your cursor and then you're ready to start talking. Type what you'd like to say and then hit enter or click the send button.
• Moving to a Different Chat Room - click the name of the room you'd like visit in the navigation area located in the top portion of your browser window.
• Exiting the Chat Server - type the command "/exit" (without the quotes) in the text box. You will be returned to the chat login page.
• Send Private Messages - click "Send Private Msg" in the navigation area. In some chat clients you can double click the name in the user list to send a private message.
• Ignore Private Messages - If you encounter someone whose chat you don't want to see, type "/ignore" followed by a space and the chatter's name in the text box and press the enter key or send button. Example: "/ignore johndoe" (without the quotes)

How can I see who is online?

To see a list of chatters in your current room look for the list to the right of the chat area. Your screen name should be displayed there as well.

What chat rooms can I use?

We have numerous chat rooms, such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, and RLS. Our chat rooms are open to everyone for the purpose of discussing sleep related topics.

How do I move to a different chat room?

We understand wanderlust and short attention spans, so we've made it easy to change rooms. To move to a different room, click the name of the room in the navigation area in the upper third of the page.

How do I send a private message?

Hit the "Private Message" icon, and a message box will pop up. Type the intended user chat handle and a message, then press the "Send" button. The user you specify will see your message, but others in the room will not. You may select multiple users to recieve the private message.

What other options and functions does the chat plugin feature?

We encourage you to explore on your own the numerous options and functions. Browse the chat options by clicking on the "Main Menu" icon (the down arrow at the top of the chat area), and start experimenting. We explain below one of the most popular functions.

What is a Moderated Special Event?

Moderated chats are held regularly in our Special Events room. Everyone is invited to attend our live moderated events. You can just observe, or you can actively participate by submitting questions to our guests.

How do I send a question to a Special Events Moderator?

To ask a question, type it in the text box then hit Enter or the Send button. The Moderator will recieve your question pass it on to the featured guest speaker. The participants are able to communicate with each other using the Private Message feature.

Sometimes when I log-in I get a blank screen and can't chat.

You may not have specified the proper client for your browser type. Try the chat login again and make sure you have the proper client software selected. We recommend downloading the Globalchat Plug-in for the best performance. If you need further assistance or troubleshooting tips for the chat client software, see our chat technical assistance section.

I've installed the Globalchat plugin - now how do I connect?

The first thing you must do after you've installed the globalchat Plug-in is exit and restart your browser. Once you've restarted your browser, you should be ready to chat.

Note: To use the Globalchat plugin you must allow ActiveX controls to be downloaded and run. To enable ActiveX we suggest you set your browser to prompt you before downloading or running ActiveX controls from any website.

I can't get the plug-in to work! What should I do?

If you can't successfully download or use the Globalchat plug, we recommend that you select "Java Lite" or "HTML" as your chat client when logging in to the chat server.