Chat feature suggestion

[Remmy]

Hi everyone

I'll preface this by saying I have no idea how complex this sort of system is to implement since I have no experience in web design, and very limited programming experience, so just tell me if it's too much hassle to even consider.

I was thinking some kind of IM chat feature would be nice on the forums, much like the chat window feature on sites like Facebook. I think it would have its own distinct use over alternative methods of communication between members, i.e. private/visitor messages and forum threads.

The chat feature would be useful if:

• There is a topic people would like to chat about that is not particularly worthly of its own thread.
• You would like to chat directly to a specific member/group of members (the private/visitor messaging system feels too clunky to hold a conversation with multiple people chipping in their inputs all at once).
• You would simply like to converse with other online members at the time, even just for small talk while you are online to pass some time.
• Members with common interests could chat in their own group with like minded people.

I have thought of a few features that may be handy for such a chat system:

• Open, or private chat windows.
• Individual, or group chat windows.
• Chat windows restricted to certain members, e.g. a chat group for moderators to easily discuss issues in.
• Moderators perhaps have access to closed group chats to keep a check on things, although with the chat not being published on the website, this may not be necessary.

A few benefits I could think of:

• General chat between members would help build better relationships between members, producing a better feeling of community.
• Pass time by chatting with forum friends.
• Makes group communications much simpler, and tidier to handle.
• Help people to find other members with similar interests.

I personally can't think of many drawbacks:

• May be time consuming or difficult to program and implement.

I'd like to hear what people's opinions are on this type of system, and I'd be grateful if people could point out any more points they feel are relevant in terms of pros and cons of such a system, and perhaps even suggest your own features you would like to add to the idea. Thanks for reading guys, it was just an idea I came up with when I should have been in bed, but let me know what you think!


Cheers
Remmy

 

[MrKambo]

i asked for this before for the exact same reasons Tom and Sub both said its too much work and it will take attention away from the forum thread, which i quote 'is bad for for stats'

 

[Dark NighT]

One of the forums i go on has such a system, and while it can be nice to have, it does as MrKambo pointed out, subtrackt from the quality of the forums, there is a lot of people asking questions in chat and even more people giving the answers, while thats not a bad thing for the community, it is a bad thing for the forum as a whole as there is less threads being made and thus less posts which is what you dont want in a forum such as this.

We as members of this enthousiast forum all have a passion for what we do with our hardware and we love the controlled envoirement that is the forums. A chatbox is often uncontrolled, sure there are mods, but even mods have a life and cannot be online all the time, which is when chatboxes often turn in a shitpool of rage, swearing and it attracts the trolls in a big way.

I think chat in forums is a bad idea every time, just stick to posting which keeps this forum in good shape.

 

[Remmy]

i asked for this before for the exact same reasons Tom and Sub both said its too much work and it will take attention away from the forum thread, which i quote 'is bad for for stats'

Oh okay, I didn't see that thread, fair enough.

One of the forums i go on has such a system, and while it can be nice to have, it does as MrKambo pointed out, subtrackt from the quality of the forums, there is a lot of people asking questions in chat and even more people giving the answers, while thats not a bad thing for the community, it is a bad thing for the forum as a whole as there is less threads being made and thus less posts which is what you dont want in a forum such as this.

We as members of this enthousiast forum all have a passion for what we do with our hardware and we love the controlled envoirement that is the forums. A chatbox is often uncontrolled, sure there are mods, but even mods have a life and cannot be online all the time, which is when chatboxes often turn in a shitpool of rage, swearing and it attracts the trolls in a big way.

I think chat in forums is a bad idea every time, just stick to posting which keeps this forum in good shape.

I suppose to combat the fact that questions get asked in chat as an alternative to posting on the forums there could be a limit on who can access the chat, e.g. number of posts or something, but this still requires the rules of the chat to be enforced.

I guess the only way for it not to turn sour like that is to rely on the maturity of members, which isn't something you can always ask for unfortunately.

Thanks for your input guys.

 

[tinytomlogan]

Yeah its too much work to moderate - chat is for chat not questions etc.

We had it for a bit before and that gets used more than anything else - this is a forums not facebook chat or skype

 

[Remmy]

No worries Private messaging it is