The Dark Web simply refers to servers/sites that aren't mapped through the robot page sniffers that put things into Google, etc...
 
It is where lots of folks do mysterious and many times illegal transactions and where lots of hackers hang out and communicate.  Generally, everything - both incoming traffic and the sites themselves - use multiple layers of encryption techniques so that it's all anonymous.
 
Whip dee doo - it's like the Dark Web is a secret tree-house club, and most folks aren't invited.  I'll be fine missing out on that experience.  I used to play Call of Duty Blacks Ops 2 with a seriously major hacker, before the FBI took him away, and we used to talk quite a bit about that whole side of things.  I used to develop code to counter vulnerabilities in corporate and government web sites.  I'd like to take 99.99% of the hackers out there out behind the woodshed and beat them senseless.
 
Bob Bone
 
 

Bob,
 
Threatening anyone on these forums is considered a no no. 

Forums that have chat use some form of this. It's like a web plugin now.  I use to like it. You could chat and PM people at the same time.
It's really not a bad idea.  The OP probably assumed people knew what it was.

bapu
Bob,
 
Threatening anyone on these forums is considered a no no. 

Sorry, Bapu, I have had a word with myself, and I will try to do better.
 
And to be honest, I don't actually HAVE a wood shed, and I also have nine herniated discs, so if I cut a switch, chances are I will need to use it to stagger back inside to lie down for a while.  I don't think I am much of a threat these days......
 
And oh yeah - they are hackers, and anonymous, so any beatings would be virtual in nature at best, plus I haven't had to actually fight anyone since about 1976 (and I didn't start it).......
 
And sorry if you or anyone felt threatened by my fictitious beating of any hackers I have or ever will come across.  
 
Bob Bone
 

IRC was used and popular in Yahoo Messenger too. Not sure if that still in operation.

Wow I haven't use Irc in 10 years . It used to be my goto place for sharing music . I remember It was so hard to get into some groups such as Tronik but once in you had all the best music for Djing . such a blast from the past.

ICQ any juan?

The PG Music Forums  ( http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm ) have something like this. They call it the "Shout Box" and it sits beside the forum lists and is live chat with other forum members.