L'Etrangere

If you are of Brahminical disposition and cautious of strangers, do not, in any circumstance, visit www.chatroulette.com.

This phenomenon, just seven months old, has already spun so many clones of itself, and evolved into more complex versions, strains of Escherichia coli BL21 de3 should be ashamed of themselves. And this fever started in November 2009, by which you start your webcam and get into a videochat with some utterly random stranger, with no idea where in the world, what gender, how much clothing, or what behaviour to expect in the next 30 seconds. Open to such risks?

Once upon a time, all you could do with random strangers was kill them in large numbers (also called war), or do things in country bathrooms (aka cottaging*). Now, you can chat!

Direct clones

http://www.chathopper.com/

http://www.onlychat.com/: can select gender. Meant for Deobandis and all those people in South India who segregate women and men into separate compartments in public buses.

http://www.hey-people.com/

http://flirtspin.com/

http://www.iddin.com/

http://strangerchat.net/Stranger/index.php: No videos (This one is for orthodox priests of any religion)

http://www.gettingrandom.com/

http://dontalk.com/

http://www.anybodyoutthere.com/: ask a question and find some random answerer. This is especially for Funda Da.

http://www.imeetzu.com/: also available on iPhone.

http://zupyo.com: here you can search people with common interests through a keyword. Type #ihateusa to catch OBL.

http://jaydoe.net/: This is even more complicated, as you have to create a profile and you will be matched with "like-minded" people. No videos.

http://www.kittehroulette.com/ and www.catroulette.com: My personal favourites. Pairs you with a cat chosen at random.

http://randomchat.free.fr/: multilingual chat site.

http://tinychat.com/: chatting for groups. Sorted into different chatrooms.

Downloadable softwares:

http://www.download3k.com/Internet/Instant-Messengers-Chat/Download-Stranger-Chat.html

http://www.brothersoft.com/stranger-chat-291441.html

http://www.dodownload.com/communication/chat/stranger+chat.html

http://www.ievolution.ca/iphone/cydia-app-stranger-chat/

iPhone App:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stranger-chat-free-photo-receiving/id355044203?mt=8: iPhone app for stranger chats.

Other links:

http://www.camcarousel.com/: software for anyone wanting to set up their own clone.

This is a(n Emily) post on chatroulette etiquette: http://www.ehow.com/how_5386591_use-omegle-chat-strangers.html

(Sorry about the pun. But Etiquette and Emily Post, get it?)

This is a compendium of stranger chat sites: http://mashable.com/2010/04/12/12-chatroulette-clones-you-should-try/

[This has since been upstaged as the mostr comprehensive compendium by, ahem, this blog.]

This is an article on 'stranger chat': http://www.squidoo.com/strangerchat

This is a transcript of a random chat: http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/off-topic/31/chat-with-strangers/236549/

One second thoughts, I'd rather post the whole transcript here:-

"Connecting to server...
You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

You:

Is it happening?

Stranger:

emily?

You:

Yes!

Stranger:

yes

You:

heyy

Stranger:

hi

Stranger:

what happened last night?

You:

kelly is such a biatch...

You:

did u talk to kyle for me?

Stranger:

ugh i know

Stranger:

yeah he said that kelly gave better bj'

Stranger:

s

You:

hope he luvs herpes

Stranger:

but he wants to stay with you because you can bounce

You:

skank is loaded

Stranger:

fuck i know

You:

lol bounce?

Stranger:

spreads it around like butter

You:

what do u mean?

Stranger:

bounce on his dick

Stranger:

she's too damn fat

You:

omg he told u that

Stranger:

yes

Stranger:

but you can

You:

fukk him n his herpes.

Stranger:

so now i'm a little turned on

Stranger:

is it true?

You:

he got a small dick. fuk that dude.

Stranger:

sit on mine?

You:

omg wut a fag he told every12

You:

no u perv

Stranger:

fuck you

Your conversational partner has disconnected."

To repeat the disclaimer at the beginning, ff you are of Brahminical disposition and cautious of strangers, do not, in any circumstance, visit www.chatroulette.com or any of its clones.

* I don't endorse this. I don't endorse anything except hermetic monkhood at Mt.Baekdu.