[Air-l] History and architecture of chat rooms/spaces

[Amanda Lenhart]

Hello AoIR list-ers:

I am trying to find some background materials on the history and origins of 
chat rooms, as well as some more technical information about their 
architecture/software. To my mind this includes IRC, MUDs, MOOs as well as 
your standard AOL-style chat room, but I am open to expansions or 
contractions of this definition. At the moment, I'm leaving out IM, but I 
could be convinced otherwise.

Anyway, if anyone has any articles, web sites, books, or other resources 
that they know of, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks,

Amanda Lenhart
Pew Internet & American Life Project
alenhart at pewinternet.org