Gay.Com

This is web site located at (http://www.gay.com) has chat rooms where you choose the 'floor' (where you are or what you are into) and then the language you speak.

PRO:
~This is HTTP based, so is accessible at work where they only allow HTTP access, but nothing else. It still maybe blocked by a Proxy Server system such as CyberPatrol.
~Has wide coverage, and has just the one server protocol, no concept of 'net splits' or being in a different network.
~Has maybe a hundred of channels to choose from.
~Is HACKER proof
~Your Nickname is unique for that room only.

CONS:
~Has maybe a hundred of channels to choose from.
~The channel/room is limited in size, often to 16 people.
~The Java Component sometimes crashes, and takes a while to start up

 

IRC

This is a application, using a standard Internet Relay Chat protocol.
The most common Windows software is MIRC (http://www.mirc.com)

PRO:
~The channel has no apparent limit to the number of people that can be on the same channel - there is just a practice limit - the "cannot see the  wood for the trees" problem.
~Has wide been in use for many years and allows file transfer, is easy to use (dependant on the client software used.
~Much faster than Gay.com
~All Languages mix together, so good to practicing your language skills, and working out where to fly for your weekend break.
~Has thousands of channels to choose from.

CONS:
~Has thousands of channels to choose from.

~Your Nickname is unique for all the network. That is you will get the Nickname in use message is you come on with a nickname like "ME" or "slave", so can be hard to think of one that someone has not laid claim to. Often people add a bit of their Zip or area code to their Nick not only to meet people locally but to have a unique name.

~Is not HACKER proof, and is often under attack from anti gay hackers in Finland for sport.
To this end 'Robots' have been put on channels to stop abuse. On some Politically Correct channels, they will bar people that have an age under that of an adult.
For example a nick of "steve16" might be blocked if they were on a channel of adult content.

~Ease of use is easy to use is dependant on the client software used.

~Net Splits, is where the network splits (is a break in total connection) where you see people disappear  the come back again. This may also break the Nickname that you are using, so you might have to change it.

~There was a split in the standard which meant the USA went their way and everybody else with the other. This results in you being on a given channel, but not seeing anyone, even if they consider themselves to be on the 'same one'.
This means that you need to chose the correct Server as well as the correct channel.
So you can think of "Channel" being like the radio station name, and the server being the radio band (LW/MW/FM etc).
Some servers only allow their own customers to connect in (a server costs money to run, and requires bandwidth). Some example servers are IRC.AOL.com (for their chat rooms).
That is people using /Server=efnet.demon.co.uk cannot see people using /Server=irc.stealth.net
In Europe some sample servers  used by #GayDogSlave are:

» ircnet.demon.co.uk
» irc.stealth.net
» chat.bt.net

Many of the Channels have a home page of channel members do you can know more about them. Where as on Gay.Com a lot of people use FaceLink.com to put up a photo and a brief comment about themselves.

#GayDogSlave - Channel (homepage)

This is the channel for people into SM Dogslave role play.

 

#GaySkinhead - Channel (homepage)

This is the channel for people into Skinheads, and having sex with them.

 

#GaySM - Channel (homepage)

This is the channel for people into SM role play.

There are many more... if you do a /List you will see them, but this might result in a flood and you get disconnected.