Did you ever think of adding a live chat room to the site? I think it would be really cool to chat with other devoted MPI fans. I don't know the mechanics of it all, but I think it could be hosted off site, and accesses through a link on the site. Just a thought. Let me knoe what you think.
Thanks,
Mike (N1095A)
James, Ever think of...
Moderator: Styles Bitchley
-
N1095A
- World Class Private Investigator
- Posts: 1574
- Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:03 pm
- Location: A log cabin in the mountains.
James, Ever think of...
"But Higgins, I can explain."
There's a live chat feature on another BB that I participate in. (I believe it takes java to run it.) However, even though that board has a larger membership (1200) than this one, the chat room is still mostly empty all the time. The chats work best if it's scheduled around a special event, and then it should be set up to last for several hours so people can pop in and out at their convenience. And someone ought to be in there at all times, otherwise people will pop in, see no one around, and leave -- and then no one sticks around long enough to actually meet and chat with anybody else.
Having said that, we could give it a whirl. I suppose as long as Tom Selleck is appearing on Las Vegas, we could make that the main event around which to schedule a chat session. It's not like the show is so engrossing the people are too preoccupied to chat. Besides, it would be a fun excuse for getting snarky.
For only a trial, James wouldn't have to set up a special chat feature, either. We could just use IRC, and a server like irc.chat4all.org and simply open a #MagnumPI room. After all, IRC is the grand daddy chat format of them all, and still works well for many people.
On the other hand, getting an IRC chat client (why do they call it a client, when it's really software that allows you to chat -- it causes no end of confusion) installed and set up can befuddle some computer newbies. The chat clients are free, but set up takes some detailed explanation. If James would like to seriously consider this on a trial basis, maybe he could look into what something like Meebo has to offer. Unlike Yahoo, or AIM, which also offer conferencing features for groups, no one would have to sign up and register for anything or install and set up anything on their computer.
Meebo
Meebo Rooms
Having said that, we could give it a whirl. I suppose as long as Tom Selleck is appearing on Las Vegas, we could make that the main event around which to schedule a chat session. It's not like the show is so engrossing the people are too preoccupied to chat. Besides, it would be a fun excuse for getting snarky.
For only a trial, James wouldn't have to set up a special chat feature, either. We could just use IRC, and a server like irc.chat4all.org and simply open a #MagnumPI room. After all, IRC is the grand daddy chat format of them all, and still works well for many people.
On the other hand, getting an IRC chat client (why do they call it a client, when it's really software that allows you to chat -- it causes no end of confusion) installed and set up can befuddle some computer newbies. The chat clients are free, but set up takes some detailed explanation. If James would like to seriously consider this on a trial basis, maybe he could look into what something like Meebo has to offer. Unlike Yahoo, or AIM, which also offer conferencing features for groups, no one would have to sign up and register for anything or install and set up anything on their computer.
Meebo
Meebo Rooms
-
J.J. Walters
- Founding Father
- Posts: 4196
- Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:54 pm
- Location: Suburbia, USA
- Contact:
N,
I'm pretty much an "anti-chat" kind of guy. I don't even use an IM. I also barely have enough time to keep up with the forums, emails and site updates. If somebody else wants to set up an offsite chat room, I can certainly add a link to it here in the forums, though.
Sorry man.
I'm pretty much an "anti-chat" kind of guy. I don't even use an IM. I also barely have enough time to keep up with the forums, emails and site updates. If somebody else wants to set up an offsite chat room, I can certainly add a link to it here in the forums, though.
Sorry man.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!