Flyingcursor wrote:I never catch anyone in chat. I guess I'm just too early.
Actually once, years ago I entered chat and it was a negative experience. Someone was going to Ireland and someone else kept posting names, individually, one per post, of places in Ireland in all caps as if to prove they could spell Irish place names with a broken shift key. The entire room seemed dominated by a small clique waxing sophmoric about whomever's upcoming trip, ignoring all other comers. I was disappointed to see nothing more than loathesome AOLism where I'd expected enlightening conversation.
Well, well, well. You might give it another chance. It was probably MurphyStout planning Willie Week with Eldo (they did go on about that experience)... I can't ever remember anything like you're describing go on at length beyond one interval.
But anytime a newcomer enters into a familiar situation there is the potential to feel like it's "dominated by a small clique." This is a universal, not dissimilar to trying to join a session for the first time. If your ego is bruised by that, re-think the dynamic.
But if one try has you calling it loathsome, well, maybe, don't bother. You need to lighten up a little and respect other people's prerogatives.