Introduction

The ICQ Chat With A Friend feature allows you to find other online ICQ users who have made themselves available for random chats. This feature also allows you to make yourself available to other ICQ users. Use these features to find a chat partner to discuss similar interests, to make a new friend, or just when you feel like chatting and the users on your Contact List are not available for a chat.

Use ICQ Chat to make new friends and to keep in touch with old ones. See ICQ Chat in the Main Help File. Exchange messages with people on the other side of the world. See also Messages – Receiving in the Main Help File.

This Help File including Help Cards is provided as a convenience only (See * Welcome to ICQ version 2000a) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

* Access the Main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then choosing Help Index.

Copyright © 1996-2000 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat With A Friend - Opening

To request a Chat With A Friend:

1.	In the ICQ Window, click on your Status [image] bar (in the bottom right corner of the ICQ Window) to display the pop-up menu of Availability-Status modes. Select Chat With A Friend to display the pop-up menu of options.

2.	Select Find a Chat Partner to display a Chat With A Friend dialog and begin your search for a random user.

You may also click on the Chat With A Friend button at the bottom of your Contact List.

Alternatively, from the ICQ button, choose Add/Invite Users and select Chat With A Friend.

Enter whichever of the following personal details you wish, to enable other users to learn about you and your interests and request chats with you.

•	Click on the Select Group arrow to display the pull-down menu of chat groups.  Select the group within which you want to find a chat partner.

•	Enter your first name or nickname in the Enter Name field.

•	Enter your age in the Enter Your Age field.

•	Select your gender from the Gender pull-down menu.

•	Select the language in which you would like to chat from the Select Language pull-down menu.

•	Select your country in the Select Country pull-down menu.

•	Enter the URL of your ICQ Personal Homepage or other homepage in the Home Page field.

•	Enter a few words to describe your interests or hobbies, or describe the topic of your chat, in the Chat Topic/Interest field.

Please note: Providing any information about yourself on the ICQ Service is voluntary. The more information you provide about yourself the easier it is for your friends to locate you on ICQ. Information you do provide is visible to, and may be obtained and kept by other people.

3.	Choose the Finding tab.

4.	Click on the Group arrow to display the pull-down menu of chat groups.  Select the group with which you want to be affiliated. (You may select only one group.)

5.	Click on the Find an Online Chat Friend button to begin your search for a chat partner. Click on the Stop Search button if you wish to interrupt the search.

When the ICQ server has located a random chat partner, the user's details will appear in the Information on Random User pane of the dialog (if the user entered details in the Details tab).

You may choose from the following options.

•	Click on the Request Chat button to request a chat session with the random user.

Please note: Sending a chat request will enable the recipient and any other user who joins the chat session, to view your IP address.

•	Click on the Send Message button to send the user an ICQ message.

•	Click on the Send URL button to send the user a Web page address.

•	In addition, you may choose from the following options on this dialog before, during, or after your search.

•	Click on the Chat With A Friend button to access the ICQ Web site, via your browser, for online information about Random Chat.

•	Click on the Close button to exit the Chat With A Friend dialog.

This Help File including Help Cards is provided as a convenience only (See * Welcome to ICQ version 2000a) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

* Access the Main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then choosing Help Index.

Copyright © 1996-2000 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat With A Friend - Responding to a Request

When a user sends you a Chat request, the user's ICQ# or name will appear in your ICQ Window under the heading Random.

To respond to a Chat request:

Double-click on the flashing icon of the user in your desktop tray or beside the user’s ICQ# or name on your Contact List to accept his or her incoming event.

See: Messages – Responding and Chat – Opening in the Main Help File.

Please note: Accepting a chat request will enable the sender and any other user who joins the chat session to view  your IP address.

This Help File including Help Cards is provided as a convenience only (See * Welcome to ICQ version 2000a) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

* Access the Main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then choosing Help Index.

Copyright © 1996-2000 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.