"it has windows 98 and all the usual stuff"
I assumed those are the 'standard' setup for your laptop.
For IRC based chatroom, you need IRC client such as mIRC:
http://www.mirc.com
Also, you can opt to use a Java based IRC client, such as JPilot:
http://www.jpilot.com
(and click on 'chat now' link on the left, and enter your info)
Shortcut: http://www.jpilot.com/java/irc/chat.html
For those both, you need to know your IRC server addresses.
For Web based chatroom, most likely you just need to have Java
enabled.
If you cannot access it correctly, then you didn't have Java enabled
browser, or maybe your security setting filtered out Java applets.
About discussion forum, it depends on what kind of forum:
For newsgroup kind of discussion forum, you can use Outlook Express
included with Internet Explorer. From the Outlook Express menu bar,
choose 'Tools' -> 'Account' -> and then [Add]->[News].
You need to know your Newsgroup Server address. Usually the
instruction came with your ISP, or you can try to find public news
server.
For web-based forum, like Yahoo Groups or WebBoard, you just need to
browse using your browser. If it doesn't work, probably your
JavaScript and/or Cookie was disabled.
If nothing works, then it is probably from the way you connect to the
Internet.
If you connect using Proxy, or if you are behind Router/NAT/Firewall,
then you have to contact your IT guys to tell you about the correct
setup and probably to open some ports.
Hope this helped. |
