Closed down this year after 27 yrs. I didn’t even realise it had still been a thing. Brings back memories of my first Desktop PC, dial up broadband & chatting to people all over the world. Also the chat rooms
First instant messenger I used back in ‘97. Had a feature that you could connect to a random person and just have a chat.
Yahoo Messenger was always lots of fun where you could join differently themed rooms and then either group chat or start private conversations. I talked to people all over the world and never felt at risk from anyone and, in fact, one long running American chat friend put some work my way during my couple of years of exec driving after I had left the MOD. She put me in touch with her brother and his wife who were visiting London as part of one of those European tours they love so much. I arranged to pick them up from their posh hotel and drive them around for two days. I wrote an itinerary which they agreed and they ended up seeing a lot more than they would have done without me as their personal guide. At the end of day two they surprised me with a payment in dollars way above what I had asked for. Nice people and all through chatting on line. Those were the days!
Yes, it was a good craic. See who’s online, send chat request and off you go. My old boss met woman from Kendray on there and had a long affair