View source for Communication software

{{Refimprove|date=November 2009}}
'''Communication software''' is used to provide remote access to systems and exchange files and messages in text, audio and/or video formats between different computers or [[User (computing)|user]]s. This includes [[terminal emulator]]s, [[file transfer]] programs, chat and [[instant messaging]] programs, as well as similar functionality integrated within [[Multi-user dungeon|MUD]]s. The term is also applied to software operating a [[bulletin board system]], but seldom to that operating a [[computer network]] or [[Stored Program Control exchange]].

==History==
[[E-mail]]  was introduced in the early 1960's as a way for multiple users of a [[time-sharing]] [[mainframe computer]] to communicate. Basic [[text chat]] functionality has existed on [[multi-user]] computer systems and [[bulletin board system]]s since the early 1970s. In the 1980s, a [[terminal emulator]] was a piece of software necessary to log into [[Mainframe computer|mainframe]]s and thus access [[e-mail]].  Prior to the rise of the Internet, computer files were exchanged over [[dialup]] lines, requiring ways to send [[binary file]]s over communication systems that were primarily intended for [[plain text]]; programs implementing special transfer modes were implemented using various [[de facto standard]]s, most notably [[Kermit (protocol)|Kermit]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.multicians.org/thvv/mail-history.html |title=The History of Electronic Mail |author=Van Vleck, Tom |date=February 1, 2001 |work=Describes the history of electronic mail and instant messaging |accessdate=November 9, 2009}}</ref>

== Chat ==
{{Further|Online chat}}
In 1985 the first decentralized chat system was created called [[Bitnet Relay]], whereas [[Minitel]] probably provided the largest chat system at the same time. In August 1988 the [[Internet Relay Chat]] followed. [[CU-SeeMe]] was the first chat system to be equipped with a [[webcam|video camera]]. [[Instant messaging]] featuring a ''buddy list'' and the notion of online [[Presence information|presence]] was introduced by [[ICQ]] in 1996. In the days of the [[History of the Internet|Internet boom]], [[web chat]]s were very popular, too.

Chatting is a [[Real-time computing|real-time]] conversation or message exchange that takes place in public or in private groupings called [[chat room]]s. Some chatrooms have moderators who will trace and block offensive comments and other kinds of abuse. Based on visual representation chats are divided into text based chat room just as were [[IRC]] and [[Bitnet Relay Chat]], 2D – supporting graphic smilies; and 3D the conversation in which takes place in 2D graphic surrounding.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://epubl.luth.se/1402-1552/1998/02/HTML/3.html |title=Internet Relay Chat (IRC) Discourse |author=Jonsson, Ewa |date=March 4, 1998 |work=A document discussing internet "chat" and the history of IRC |accessdate=November 9, 2009}}</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

{{Computer-mediated communication}}

[[Category:Communication software| ]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:New media]]
[[Category:Multimedia]]