Below we're dealing with Forums & Chats. We'll be dealing especially with the many ways in which these two forms of Net-activity differ from each other.
As already referred to, the basic difference between Forums and Chats is that the latter goes on live--or, in computer jargon, in real time. From this basic contrast, a few others ensue.
The transience vs. permanence factor
While the the texts (messages) you write remain right where you have placed them, on a Bulletin Board, and you can see your message(s) every time you log on again, the texts that you place onto a Chat-window will keep rolling up (as new texts are written in), and will eventually disappear.
This means that, a certain message that you feel ought to remain available for a while, you should then consider placing this particular message onto a Bulletin Board. If, in contrast, it is irrelevant to you that a message that you write eventually rolls off the reach of other Netters, then the topic of this message may well go into a Chat Room. This of course does not mean that you could not place a message on the same topic onto a Bulletin Board!
What's important to consider is that whenever chatting, whatever you write bears a rather transient character. Conversely, what you place on a Bulletin Board remains there for a good while.
The immediacy factor
Whereas you get immediate answers while logged into a Chat Room, whatever you may say/inquire while posting to a Bulletin Board may take its time to be responded to.
So, if you have some urgency, regarding the response you are seeking for with your message, then choose to post it onto a Chat-window. Of course, you will always depend on one important detail: that someone who may be able to provide you the response you are after is logged on to the Chat, at that very same time you are.
Suppose you have a complex question regarding a frame lay-out you are trying to work on in order to give your Web Site a new look. As this requires fairly advanced HTML knowledge, you may or not find someone who can answer you right away, as you log into the Chat Room.
Of course, it is always worth a try!:) One never knows...
Now, suppose you don't get your answer...or manage to get just a partial answer... Then rush to the Bulletin Board, log on, and place the same query there! This way, the query will be waiting, so to speak, for the advanced HTML user who will log on and will be able to post a proper answer for you.
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