System and methodology for video conferencing and internet chatting in a cocktail party style

A method for allowing multiple users to communicate electronically with one another, comprising:

• providing an electronic video conference room adapted to allow a plurality of computers to be coupled thereto;
• providing a plurality of graphical images representing users of the plurality of computers;
• allowing each user of the electronic video conference room to move their respective image to different locations within the electronic video conference room and to form small groups;
• providing each user with a visual communication medium for communicating with others within their respective group;
• and
• providing each user with the ability to receive visual background communication including captions from other groups,
• wherein the system reduces the size of the captions based on an interface distance between the other groups and the user's respective group.

A system for providing an electronic forum for allowing multiple users to communicate simultaneously with one another, the system comprising:

• means for providing an interface;
• a plurality of computers coupled to the means for providing an interface;
• means for providing each user of the plurality of computers with a graphic image representing the user in an electronic video conference room;
• means for allowing each user to move their respective graphic image to form small groups with other graphical images;
• and
• means for communicating with other users within the respective small group and for receiving visual background communication including captions from other groups,
• wherein the interface system reduces the size of the captions based on an interface distance between the other groups and the user's respective group.