I used to tak IC when with RPer\'s and OOC when not. The problem with this strategy is that right now, OOC chat is the rule instead of the exception. For newbies, this is understandable; you finally get the game working (after, in some (my) cases, six months of trying), you\'re just excited to finally be on, you haven\'t read the rules, and it hasn\'t occcured to you that you should probably be talking in character. Fine, that\'s forgiveable. But there are plenty of oldbies who still speak OOC all of the time, without even bothering with parenthisis. Moreso than not, I\'d say. Which is why I now strictly adhere to the strategy of using paranthesis when OOC, but most of the time just speaking IC. This means that most of the time I\'m speaking IC when no one else is, in the hopes of encouraging newbies and oldbies alike to follow my lead.
I am defenitely not a great RPer either, but staying in character is simple enough, and, I think, greatly enhances the PS experience.