I used to use a chat program that was used by about 1000 people worldwide
There was a graphical interface, sort of the very beginnings of "virtual chat room" programs where you could create and modify a character, collect items, own space, etc. I can't recall the name of the program, but there was a good community in the free rooms.

It was the summer of 1999 and I met my dad in Amsterdam to start a 3-week driving tour of northern Europe. I wanted to check my email, so I popped into an internet cafe and there, I see someone using the very same chat program. I walk up to him and mention I use the program and it turns out that we had actually chatted online before. In person, he was actually a very tall, lanky, smelly person who looked like he had been sleeping outdoors frequently.

We ended up talking more for the rest of the time I was at the internet cafe, but from across the room at our respective computers, in the chat program. It was weird.
( intesvensk can't recall when I last checked the newsletter, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 23:45, 2 replies)

Worldsaway?
I remember that being an early one.
( gone, Wed 26 Oct 2011, 10:29, closed)

IMVU?
(Avnas dosh!, Wed 26 Oct 2011, 13:20, closed)