Cafe LaTe Chat Lounge

Internet Yuntaku for Language Teachers

Chat with Foreign Language Teachers in Okinawa

   Using the chat room is easy. Just type in a user name, click the [OK, Connect] button, and wait for the chat room to appear. You don't need to type in your full name, password, or email address.
   The names of all people currently in the room will appear in the list at the left. To chat, just type into the edit box at the bottom, and hit the [Enter] key. Your text is not sent until you hit [Enter]. When you are finished chatting, just click the [Logout] button.
   Go ahead. Don't be shy, give it a try.
ps. If you have other questions about using this chatroom, see the FAQ below.

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Double-click any word on this page to check it in an English-English dictionary.

Chat Room Users' FAQ
1.	I don't have a user name or password. Do I need to apply for one?	No. Just type in any user name you like. You don't need a password. Only the chat room manager needs a password.
2.	I'd rather not type in my full name. Do I really have to?	No. The full name, password, and email boxes are optional. All you need to enter is a user name.
3.	Can I use an alias for my user name, or must I use my real name?	You can use as many different aliases (nicknames) as you like. However, since this is a teachers' lounge, not a singles' hangout, we recommend that you use either your real name, or an alias which can be identified by other members.
4.	Can more than two people use the chat room at one time?	Yes. As many as fifty people can be in the room at the same time.
5.	Is there a way to check to see who is in the chat room before logging in?	No. You must login in order to see the list of connected users. Likewise, the only people who can know you are in the chat room are people who are currently connected.
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6.	Some people in the chat room never chat with others. Who are those people?	People who connect to a chat room, but just watch what others are saying and don't join in the chat are called "lurkers." Although lurking sometimes makes the people who are chatting uncomfortable, it is not against the rules. Chatting in a foreign language is not easy for most people. Many people who are too shy to participate in the chat often lurk until they build up enough confidence to join in the conversation. If you are not confident enough to join in a chat, feel free to lurk until you are ready to take the plunge.
7.	I never seem to find anyone I know in the chatroom. How can I know when my friends are in the chat room?	You have to connect to the chatroom to see who is there. If you never seem to be in the chat room at the same time as your friends, try contacting each other by email and arranging a meeting time. Another strategy is to arrange a regularly scheduled time to meet in the chat room. That could be daily, weekly, or monthly, but stick to your schedule. To schedule your own chat event, join the Cafe LaTE mailing list and post your event on our web calendar.
8.	The animations are annoying. How can I stop them?	Just click your browser's [Stop] button.
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9.	The advertisments are annoying. Is there any way to get rid of them?	No. This chatroom runs on a server at Parachat^TM. Parachat is able to provide this service without charge thanks to advertising. However, Cafe LaTE has no control over what ads appear in the chat lounge. The appearance of ads in the chat lounge imply no endorsement by Cafe LaTe. But remember, without the advertising this chat lounge would probably not exist.
10.	What does the [Float] button do?	The [Float] button moves the chat room to a new window which floats above the page. This is handy for collaborative browsing, allowing you to keep connected to the chat room, while continuing to browse other web pages. For instance, one chat user could lead the other members of the chatroom on a tour of other web sites while continuing to chat.
11.	Can I chat in Japanese?	Yes, but you must use rômaji. At this time CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) and other Asian language characters are not supported in this chat lounge. You may chat in any language, but you must use Latin alphabet characters (rômaji). Hanji/kanji/Š¿Žš, Hangul, Thai or other non-Latin characters may display properly on your screen when you type them, but will not display properly on the other person's screen, even if the other party is using the same OS language as you. Also, when chatting in Japanese, don't forget to use spaces between words so other people can read what you have written.
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12.	Is any special software or hardware needed to use this chat room?	No. No special software is needed to use this chat lounge, but your browser must be Java-enabled. There is no charge for using this chat lounge. Although it is maintained by the OIU Foreign Language Center, the chat lounge runs on a chat server at Parachat^TM.
13.	Can I change colors, or customize the chat room in any way?	Yes. You can change the font color, background color, and other features of the chat lounge. Try typing "*chat" (without the quotation marks) for a list of special chat commands. Experienced users who want to learn more about how to customize the chatroom should check out Parachat's online help.
14.	I have been having trouble with someone using foul language and bothering other members in the chatroom. What should I do?	Report all trouble by unruly users to the Cafe LaTe Chatroom manager.
15.	When I am chatting in a group, is there a way to chat privately with one of the group members?	Yes. Just use the [Private Chat] button.

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