We see each other in the game. That's the part we get online as good as otb. We do not meet the people, don't share a set, the moves are transmitted live, which is to say dead, they're animated. But the game, if it's a game between people, with all that loss, is direct communication. The chat box is totally good. But only to chat, not spammed by 'hellos' and 'good games' from buttons. They water down communication. The best language is the game itself. But if you want to chat, you maybe want to say hello, or open the chat in a way that implies friendliness.. you certainly don't want to say hello only. If we just wanted to say hello and good game to have the polite stuff in place, that is not polite. And to install buttons! I'd love it we had live typing, so that typing in the chat box were coming out as entered, without pressing the enter key. Thus we'd know the voice is not from a tin can and could feel addressed and free to answer.
