Unless you've been residing underneath a rock for the past several years, you've undoubtedly heard of the major social networking sites: MySpace, Friendster, Xanga, et al. Social networking sites were designed to keep you connected with your friends and family, allowing you to chat, post messages and photos, leave comments, meet new friends, and a whole lot more.

Before MySpace skyrocketed the popularity of social networking, on had to build their own webpage to get the same effect. With social networking websites such as MySpace, all the mundane work is taken care of for you. No knowledge of HTML or javascript is required to construct your online profile, as most social networking websites take the cookie cutter approach, allowing one to simply fill in forms with their profile information, and by selecting from a wide array of templates, you can customize your home page to your heart's content.

Since all of the techie stuff is taken care of, users the world over--from teenagers to the elderly--have discovered how easy it is to meet new people, get in touch with old acquaintances, and post blogs, all without having a degree in computer science!

Now, it's pretty much a cliché to have a MySpace page today. You have one right? In this article, I'd like to introduce you to one of the lesser known social networking sites that goes by the name of WireClub. WireClub pretty much has all the bells and whistles of the more popular social networking sites. You can post blogs, write comments and messages to your friends, prettify your profile with all your latest and greatest photos, and enumerate your hobbies and passions in your profile so you can connect with others with likeminded interests.

There are various ways to make new friends on the wire. Joining one of Wire's Clubs is an excellent way, for nothing draws individuals closer together than common passions and interests. If you can't find a Club that's to your liking, take the initiative and create your own. If anyone shares your hobby, they'll have an incentive to join.

One of the coolest things about WireClub is its Chat Rooms. Usually, when one hears the term "Chat Room", one thinks of a separate chat application that one downloads, installs, creates a new username and password for, and generally runs it as a standalone program. WireClub takes full advantage of your web browser through the magic of Web 2.0 coding.

What's Web 2.0 you ask? Well, put simply, Web 2.0 is a new wave of thinking; things unheard of during the nascent days of the world wide web. Basically, Web 2.0 allows your browser to act more like a desktop application, rather than just a program that processes and displays boring, static web pages. Bearing this in mind,

WireClub lets you chat with other members inside their many chat rooms, all within the comfort of your web browser! That's right: no separate chat application is needed. If you've a fairly modern browser that supports Flash--a technology used for animation, games, and programs embedded in web pages--then you can begin chatting with members from anywhere as soon as you setup your account.

Let's Begin!

Creating a new WireClub account is fairly easy and straightforward. Surf on over the their homepage, and you'll be greeted with a Create Account panel on the upper left side of the page. Once you've a new profile, tap on the Edit Profile link on the upper left side of your account; here you'll be able to enter in miscellaneous information such as your gender, birth date, country of residence and others. At the bottom, in the profile section, is where you can write a little about yourself so other members can get an idea of who you are.

User Interests Section

The User Interest section is where other members can read about your favorite movies, books, and hobbies. Do you have a passion for snowboarding? This is the place to put all your winter activities down. Do you enjoy cold pizza straight from the fridge? List this in the food section for all to read. The User Interest section on your profile is where other members can get a compact, terse introduction into your world.

Have a hobby? Join or Create a Club!

In your profile, tap on the Clubs link at the top of the page. WireClub is the home of many user created clubs that encompass everything from music to outdoor activities. The Club Category list is a useful way to get a bird's eye view of the multitude of clubs one can join.

For instance, if you're a book aficionado, you'll notice that, as of this writing, there are currently 9321 clubs under the Books section. Select the Books link, and you'll be taken to a list of clubs that reside under the Books category; here you'll find clubs that worship horror author Stephen King or clubs that cater to the historical fiction lover in you.

Chances are that if you've a hobby or passion, and you'd like to find similar members with like minded interests, you'll find a club that's perfect for you!

WireClub's Chat Rooms

Select the Chat link at the top of your profile will place you inside the Waiting Room, which is Wire's default chat room. Inside of the various chat rooms, you'll be able to converse with members in the traditional chat rooms style, all within your web browser.

There's a handy listing of all the rooms and its occupants in the left side panel. If a user catches your eye, select their name in the room list, and you'll be presented with a window that'll allow you to view their profile, chat with them on IM, or block them if they begin to annoy you. As of this writing, the IM feature is pretty much useless, but hopefully Wire will rectify this in the near future.

WireClub is a fantastic way to meet new friends and to stay in touch with old ones. If you've grown tired of MySpace's popularity acquisition vibe, give WireClub a try. Wire's Chat Room feature alone is worth creating an account!

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