Freeserve are and have always been my ISP. On the whole Freeserve/Wanadoo is a very informative easy to use server. My Review concentrates on the Chatroom as that is what I have most experience in. I first used the chatroom's in the year 2000.
Getting to Freeserve/Wanadoo Chat:
When you ... Read review
Advantages: Make Friends, Easy to Download. Disadvantages: Addiction and Idiots!
Freeserve are and have always been my ISP. On the whole Freeserve/Wanadoo is a very informative easy to use server. My Review concentrates on the Chatroom as that is what I have most experience in. I first used the chatroom's in the year 2000.
Getting to Freeserve/Wanadoo Chat:
When you log onto the Freeserve/Wanadoo home page you are met with a huge quantity of options. First go to the left hand column and select 'chat ... ...and select 'chat'. You are then met with several options on this page. These are to do with what age group or peer group you'd like to converse with. Select say for example '40 somethings'. This takes you directly to the log in page, for the first time ever you'll have to register a nickname and your email address this enables Freeserve/Wanadoo to send you a password.Once equipped with these you can log in straight away. If you have no Java configurations ... more
Freeserve are and have always been my ISP. On the whole Freeserve/Wanadoo is a very informative easy to use server. My Review concentrates on the Chatroom as that is what I have most experience in. I first used the chatroom's in the year 2000.
Getting to Freeserve/Wanadoo Chat:
When you log onto the Freeserve/Wanadoo home page you are met with a huge quantity of options. First go to the left hand column and select 'chat and forums' then go again to the left hand column and select 'chat'. You are then met with several options on this page. These are to do with what age group or peer group you'd like to converse with. Select say for example '40 somethings'. This takes you directly to the log in page, for the first time ever you'll have to register a nickname and your email address this enables Freeserve/Wanadoo to send you a password.Once equipped with these you can log in straight away. If you have no Java configurations on your pc this is the point where you will be invited to install them. Which doesnt take too long. Once in the chatroom there are various options of font colour and avatars to put beside your name. The simply put your text intot he long box at the bottom, send, and you're away. You also can make yourself a profile page and a facelink to show members in prvate your picture if you so wish.There are various rules and the rooms are moderated. The main rules being no swearing (supposedly) and no advertising. These can result in an instant ban varying in length.
My personal experiences are as follows:
I found astounding the fact that you could chat to strangers in any guise you chose. So I started to fill out the registration form with some trepidation (after all I'd heard all about these places). I found it ridiculous to have to have a nickname, of course now its obvious to protect anonimity. So I typed 'Me'. Of course Me wasnt accepted so I typed 'Mine' of course that was and I was saddled with a daft nickname then.
I logged on for the first time and got largely ignored but was fascinated by the names and comments and strangely drawn back for more. The second time I got brave and spoke. My name seemed to draw attention 'what did it mean?' So I felt a plonker explaining. From there on I didnt look back, on the chatroom as often as I could be. The rooms used to get very full and of an evening flew with everybodies comments which was quite hard to keep up with. It consisted of members some of whom obviously knew each other. There were profiles you could fill in all about yourself and the common question was A/S/L (Age, Sex, Location)You would spend time on line thinking of witty comments to get the lol factor (lol (Laugh Out Loud) was a comment put by other members meaning what you'd said was funny )Made some great friends. Of course met the idiots 'are you wearing any knickers?' But a few wise quips soon cut them into shape. I felt my confidence rising along with my self esteem. Oh I was hooked well and truly. I found astounding the fact that you could chat to strangers in any guise you chose.
Pros & Cons:
So the Pro's and Cons are self explanitory the Room basically is what you make of it. Don't allow yourself to become a ' victim'. People can take these rooms far too seriously and take to heart what's said to them. Its worth pointing out that whilst it may be people typing the comments thats all they are comments on an internet chatroom and much can be taken with a pinch of salt. Some people use the room for just that reason to attempt to wind people up! The majority however like to use it as a way of relaxation and to meet new people. Unfortunately this can be a highly addictive site as can many Internet sites. It does have the power to grip you and take over your life. Particularly for the vunerable and for the lonely. It can fast become their 'life'. It sounds a ridiculous claim to make but it is a fact. Used sensibly it can be a wonderful experience. It can be an enjoyable medium not everyone's cup of tea...... But hey I met my Husband on there so thanks Freeserve. I'm living proof these chatrooms aren't all bad.
Advantages: Not many, it's free though Disadvantages: Quite a few, see op.
Freeserve chat?? Well if that's "chat" I must have the wrong dictionary! The way I perceice chat to be would be along the lines of a continued exchange of sentences to get a point across. *NOT* a continued row of abuse, name calling, swearing, flirting (big style!), yet more abuse, oh and don't forget a few "private messages" with, dare I say it, "frank" note's wanting "cyber sex" from 50 year old blokes!! If that sounds like its up your street then ... ...I don't want to put freeserve down as a whole. If you're a parent reading this with younger teen's that use the internet, then I really wouldn't let them use freeserve chat. (She say's after years of using it!!) Although I used chat rooms sensibly, I never met up with anyone, nor gave phone numbers out etc. although the chances for me to have done were readily there. There were, and probably still are, some sick people using this chat. (As with all ...
Sarah_Louise 17.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of freeserve
After all, Freeserve have not bothered providing any decent chat rooms.
Freeserve had recently implemented changes into the chat system which theoretically improve the service no end. Unfortunately for them, the changes will make no difference to the majority of idiots that frequent the rooms. Previously when logging into Freeserve Chat you would give yourself a nickname. You would then enter a room right away. This means that there is no garuntee ... ...time you went in. And to make matters worse the choice of room was made, but limited to 30 members. After logging out and trying to rejoin, well the prospect of getting back into the same room within your selection was minimal. However, in the interests of 'Child protection' the old rooms have gone. The new rooms require you to register with a Screename and an email address. This measn you now have a fixed alias to use. And rooms are unlimited for ...
laserquester 05.01.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of freeserve
Advantages: Good design and images can be used Disadvantages: flooding and swearing by people in the site
Freeserve chat looks good on first appearances it has many and various chat communities so you can speak to people of a similar age or people with the same interests. It even loads quite fast.
When you enter the chat site you have a list on the right of users and the chat down the left. You are highlighted in red so you can follow private messages to yourself and find yourself on the list. The private messaging is a good option where a new box opens ... ...while to go away.
There are no sensors in the site so anyone can type anything they like and there is very little booting for bad behaviour.
For a chat site no many people actually seem to want to chat. The site cannot be blamed for this but everyone sits around flooding the page with obsenaties and pictures.
The pictures are quite cool icons and images can be placed amongst the text but this is often used to flood the site.
While I was there ...
Ethak 10.11.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of freeserve
Freeserve chat??? If that's what you call insulting, swearing and just plain boring, then freeserve chat is the place for you! I don't want to put freeserve down because it's the users not them and after actually using their isp for a while we found them ok. But freeserve like other chat rooms is not one i could recommend you or young teens to visit. After using it a few times you realise that most chatters? know eachother by now anyway so you most ... ...a while to load. If you want to try it out and form your own opinion well that's your choice but i'll warn you. I wouldn't expect a descent chat from anyone and maybe it would be more interesting if it was worldwide. As at the moment you can only speak to people in the UK and Ireland. ...
biker2000 09.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of freeserve
Advantages: Lots of rooms to choose from Disadvantages: Can have occasional technical problems
I have been using freeserve chat now for quite some time and find it a great place to meet people from a whole range of various chat rooms from 20 something to webmasters there has to be a room to suit you so you can chit chat, or mix and match your friends or On-line lurrvers! The only thing I do find annoying about freeserve chat is the fact that occasionally you keep getting some people who keep flooding the network, however freeserve have a facility ... ...so it isn't a big problem. The only other problem that I have found is sometimes if there site isn't working properly you can get senario's like you can't see all the people in the room, or your can't send a personal message to someone. However saying this I still enjot the service, adn you can also enrole in the 3D talk area, where you can communicate to each other in a visual cyberspace environment. ...
