Abstract: In a method for real time network chat, TCP/IP connections are established between a plurality of clients and a host. Respective real time communications protocol connections such as telnet or IRC are established over the TCP/IP connections, and a message is sent from one of the clients to at least one of the other clients through the host using the respective real time communications protocol connections therebetween. The message, which includes one or more instructions in a markup language such as html, for example, is parsed in the receiving chat client, which displays the message in accordance with the markup language instructions contained therein. Where the markup language instruction is a hyperlink, the telnet chat client receiving the message from the host communicates the URL associated with the hyperlink to a Web browser under user control, and the Web browser requests and receives the desired Web document.