---
type: source
title: "URZ: Instant Messaging Chatrooms"
tags: [xmpp, chat, communication]
related: [xmpp-chatrooms, pidgin]
created: 2026-06-30
updated: 2026-06-30
sources: ["output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_allgemein_instant_messaging_chat_chatrooms.md"]
---

# URZ: Instant Messaging Chatrooms

This source provides a technical guide on using chatrooms within the XMPP instant messaging service provided by the Universitätsrechenzentrum (URZ) at the Universität Greifswald. It specifically details the creation, configuration, and management of multi-user chat spaces using the Pidgin client.

## Key Information

### Chatroom Functionality
Chatrooms allow more than two people to communicate simultaneously, functioning similarly to a telephone conference. All users are authorized to create their own chatrooms and invite others.

### Room Types
- **Public Chatrooms**: Accessible to any user without a password.
- **Private Chatrooms**: Restricted access requiring a password for entry.

### Technical Constraints and Configuration
When creating a chatroom (specifically in [[pidgin]]), the following requirements apply:
- **Room Name**: Must be specified and **cannot contain spaces**.
- **Nickname**: A short identifier for the user's contact name must be set.
- **Password**: Optional; used to convert a public room into a private one.

### User Interaction
- **Invitations**: Users can be invited to a chatroom via a drag-and-drop action from the buddy list into the chatroom window, which triggers an automatic invitation from the client.

### Support
Technical issues are handled by the [[universitatsrechenzentrum-urz]] via the [[groupware]] ticket system or the URZ hotline.