in the old versions i was able to chat with others, now i can no longer do it with the new version. Does anybody know if it can be acheived still?

I know what you mean. It took me ages to find out how to chat in the newer versions. I think from memory there was a chat button on the main interface. Anyway, to learn how to chat & identify if other people have chat enabled see this: How to Direct Connect, Browse & Chat Hope that answers your question.