Homepage Embedded IM Client

[Aaron Z]

Eh hello, I was just thinking of what could turn out to be a great addition to the communication factor of D.ca, a Home-Page Embedded Chat Client!!!

Simply, it'd be great for the site manager to add a simple window in the forum home page that allows logged-in members to instantly chat to each other globally.

This would be great to reduce the number of unnecessary and useless topics/threads made from people asking simple or short questions that could instantly, and effectively be responded to by other members via. a chat window.

Opinions?

[William]

Alright idea. But I think it would be easier to bring back the off topic forum. AICMFP 

[Alex!]

I like the idea, is similar to the chat thingy of IJDB, could be hard to do though

[Eric Moffett]

Alright idea. But I think it would be easier to bring back the off topic forum. AICMFP 

Maybe you should donate, become a mod, or submit a VOTW?

Yes this seems to be a good idea, but I'm not so sure of it's reasonableness. You can just look at the people that are currently online and send them a PM.

[Squiggle]

Yes from me.

Nice to chat with D.ca people without having to go through MSN/Aim/Etc.

Maybe you should donate, become a mod, or submit a VOTW?

I would but..

To poor, Lol not going to happen, And not good enough.  ^_^




I'd say yes..Why not?
Unless it is a bandwith issue.

[Aaron Z]

I personally don't think it would be incredibly difficult to download one of the reasonable, free quality scripts and just embed it somewhere in a page or otherwise...

Of course people could go through the process of checking who's online already and send a PM, but then there are several moments wasted waiting for one another to check their PM's, type out a more in-depth response and wait for the other person to receive their reply and so on...

Having a Chat window would/could allow people to instantly send a global message to all those online and involved in the chat session to give group opinions, information and such much faster, and would then leave PM's to be used for lengthier and more detailed matters.

It's just for the sake of communication and convenience.
If an admin or mod would like me to, I could give a search for a suitable client myself when I have the time.

[Duncan]

I have a particular problem with this idea - how do we keep under 13s from using that space? We (admin and mods) do our best to keep them from signing up and divulging their information on the forum for their safety (hopefully), but there will be no way to control that information in a chat room. There are a lot of access issues still to be considered before we should be seriously thinking about a chat room idea.

-Duncan

[William]

Perhaps logging into the chatroom with your username/password?

[Aaron Z]

Perhaps logging into the chatroom with your username/password?

Spot on 

The chat window *would* be a members-only function, and users who've created an account and written their age down as 13/under would perhaps be given restricted access    maybe they can only read posts, not post themselves, only post when a moderator is surveying the chat etc.

But I honestly believe a simple disclaimer could be shown up in the chat window after logging-in, clearly saying "Please refrain from detailing personal information within posts, or your ass will be kidnapped."

[-Leo-]

This idea has been mentioned before. I see some benefits it could have but it does mean even more work for the mods, which probably isn't something they'd be too pleased about.

I guess you mean something like this:

http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=611

[William]

Thats awesome. It couldn't be that hard.

[Aaron Z]

That looks great, pretty much what I'm suggesting.

I don't think it would actually be necessary for mods to have to patrol the chat... 'room' (?) and advise people of the rules and such- that could be left to whoever's already there.

[Duncan]

I still think you guys are missing the point - if an under 13 person wants an account badly enough, they'll lie about their age and become a member. Then, how are we supposed to protect the information they put it on a live chat section, if they happen to divulge sensitive information? Sure, we can put a line that says 'no personal information'. However, when has our 'posting ettiquete' line been proven to be useless at times in the past?

I'm still unconvinced. I realize some kids are smarter than others and won't give out the information, but there's always one dumb one waiting to get themselves in trouble.

-Duncan

[Squiggle]

Somehow make it only if you have certain posts/join date/votw/donate etc.

Not sure if this would help much, but yeh..Would stop new kids to the forum signing up and just chatting in there.   

[tipiphil]

Somehow make it only if you have certain posts/join date/votw/donate etc.

Not sure if this would help much, but yeh..Would stop new kids to the forum signing up and just chatting in there.   

I don't think any of this would help much:

Certain posts could possibly encourage impulsive postings in order to get their count up.

Join date is irrelevant as there are people who are relatively new who would be excluded regardless of age etc..

VOTW is not a thing that not everyone wants to, or is able to achieve.  Also there are only 52 spots a year, and nearly 2000 members of the forum.

Donations is the only one I could see working as it may encourage more to donate to the forum, but again there will be those that are not in a financial position to do this.

[Alex!]

If an under 13 person wants an account badly enough, they'll lie about their age and become a member. Then, how are we supposed to protect the information they put it on a live chat section

You wont need to. If they have lied about their age and there is plenty warning around the site saying you must be at least 13 (maybe a message appears on the chat to you persoanlly when you log on stating the terms) then its thier own fault if they are offended by the material as they have subjected themselves to it. They can't sue you if they lied about their age even after reading the warnings.

[seán_]

It's not 'they' that sue you. It comes under COPPA and the US FTC, people we'd rather not get on the bad side of.

[Aaron Z]

Bluntly, I don't think a small chat client embedded on a juggling forum's home page is where 'dangerous' characters are going to go looking for children's personal information. The forum simply has too many deterrents for people to be bothered with it: a globally spread fanbase, plenty of responsible adults and other members who'd usually also be hanging around the chat box, and either way- what diabolo-related subject in the chat box would really need anyone to divulge their age or location?

The general group of people around the chat box at any one time would be sufficient to moderate it and keep it safe for the not-so-aware children that would occasionally flop by.

'We' could employ members that are always on the forums to check on the progress of the chat, and if he/she sees any inappropriate information being given out, he/she could kick/ban/block the person or... click a button next to their name which would send an automated warning to that person via. PM or something   

Endless solutions and endless problems, but I think the community here could handle it.

[Nahxela]

Perhaps you could use an embedded Java IRC client?
For the bit on protecting the young'uns, you could set up a chatroom that's that's accessible by invites only, and on opening the client, you would be noticed/PM'd to PM an admin/mod for an invite with some veritable to proof that you're of age?
Not sure, exactly :/, perhaps you could just have the chat client heavily monitored, although that may prove to be obnoxious on the moderators' parts...

[-Leo-]

Isn't this just getting a bit too much hard work. I don't see it happening and I don't think the mods/admins do either.

If you really want to chat; some of us have been using #Diabolo.ca on quakenet recently. (IRC)