Lately we've had several people who seem confused by ICQ-Chat vs the "old icq chat" and such. I suspect some of them are just trolls, but some may genuinely be confused about what's what, so here's the best explanation I can give.
ICQ - an instant-messenger program (like MSN messenger was, or like WhatsApp or TeamSpeak is) is a downloadable program where you can send text messages (like when you use your smartphone to send a text) to other people who use the same program. You can get it from icq.com
IrCQ-Net - the name of the chat network that was associated with ICQ. ICQ closed the chat network on Dec 1, 2015. While ICQ still provides the ICQ messenger program, it does not connect to a live-chat network. Some people refer to it as "icq chat" however the official name was IrCQ-Net.
instant messenger program - allows you to text other people who use the same program if you have their ID nickname or number. You text out a message and the other person or persons you send it to get the text and responds back with a text message.
IRC - stands for Internet Relay Chat - this is the Type of software that is used to run a live-chat network.
Chat Network - a network that runs an IRC-based software that allows people to live-chat in real-time with many other chatters who connect to the same network. A Chat Network usually has many Chat Rooms, where you can go and chat with other people on various subjects/topics. Think of a Chat Network sort of like going to a club where many people hang out and talk to each other.
The difference between an "instant messenger" program and a "chat network" is that an instant messenger is like texting someone on your mobile phone.
When you connect to a chat network, you are in contact with many people at the same time, and you post your message into a "room" and everyone in the "room" sees it at the same time, and many people can "talk" (text) at the same time.
ICQ-Chat - this is our chat network here. We not affiliated or connected in any way with the old IrCQ-Net chat network, other than most of us chatted there. We took this name to make it easy for the displaced IrCQ-Net chatters to find us, and thus find a new place to chat, because many did not believe IrCQ-Net would really close, so we knew some would be a bit "lost" after chatting there for years and suddenly not being able to connect there. We use the same software, and therefore most of the commands people were used to using there are used the same way here.
[Note: It seems there is another chat network with a very similar name: icqchat. I don't recommend it, as they have been falsely claiming they are associated with the former IrCQ-Net (they are NOT), and that some of their admins are from IrCQ-Net (again, they are NOT), so be sure you are connecting to the network you intend to, by checking whether you connect to the one with the hyphen (ICQ-Chat) if you intend to visit us here.]
I hope this clears up some confusion.
TNTease
Co-Owner, ICQ-Chat
Thanks for the info TNT. Now all we have to do is convince the people that this is an entirely different network. Some are starting to listen, so hopefully the others will understand as well.
Inca
Very informative. Thank you
is this the old ICQ??? im confused
now i shall run before i get smax off TNTease