[Jezebel]

We've had a chatroom for almost as long as we've had the forum, and while it has been consistently active with between 30 - 40 users, I don't see many familiar names from the forum come in. I've had some feedback from members about trying it and not liking it for various reasons, and the administrators have seen some issues first hand. We're currently working on creating a new and improved chatroom on a new server, and I'd like some feedback about why some of you didn't like the old chatroom and what would motivate you to try the new one.

For those who would like to give the new chatroom a try, it can be found here.

[Storm]

I've been using the new chatroom. The last chat room I didn't use because I didn't recognize anyone and the conversations were typical boring chatroom banter. In the new chatroom, people are using their forum names and the conversation is much higher quality. If only because people are avoiding chatspeak and on-upping.

It's great. I hope more people join it.

[Synamon]

The new chatroom is a horrible, horrible thing. I go in there and poof 4 hours are gone. Save yourselves! Don't click on the link. Don't do it!

[phej]

There's no option for me to say that I occasionally haunt the chat room.

[Amphorian]

I couldn't vote for more then one option so I picked the last.

When I enter the ads block my view of things, and I have to keep clicking a certain area to view the chat again. Many others don't use it so I don't normally go there either. It also feels very constricting (the layout). I personally also have a harder time keeping up with many people compared to a few (I don't like being stretched mentally, but focus on conversations).

[firebee]

	Originally Posted by Synamon
	The new chatroom is a horrible, horrible thing. I go in there and poof 4 hours are gone. Save yourselves! Don't click on the link. Don't do it!

I have not gotten anything done this week. At all. And that was just during the uber-secret testing period.

The couple times I went by the old chat, there was nobody there that I knew and nothing interesting going on. Plus which I was using the web gateway and that annoys me. Getting a proper IRC client is worth the bother, and having good conversations is a major improvement.

[SelfMadeBum]

I went in quite often for a few weeks or so over the holidays when the board was slow. Not terribly stimulating.

I'll take a peek at the new one.

[Jezebel]

	Originally Posted by phej
	There's no option for me to say that I occasionally haunt the chat room.

First option? Or is haunting in its own category?

	Originally Posted by Amphorian
	When I enter the ads block my view of things, and I have to keep clicking a certain area to view the chat again. Many others don't use it so I don't normally go there either. It also feels very constricting (the layout).

I agree that the old mibbit client that loaded as the default left a lot to be desired. We have upgraded to a premium client and the ad banners have been removed. You can also now expand the client to fill its own window so you can resize it how ever you like without anything else constricting the view. For those who still don't like the mibbit client or want more features, the main chatroom page lists alternative clients that can access our chatroom.

[phej]

	Originally Posted by Jezebel
	First option? Or is haunting in its own category?

you caught me. Your question tricked my stupid brain into ignoring the first option somehow.

[BrooklynBoy]

I don't use it out of fear of getting addicted to it.

[Silverity]

I went in once and though I recognized a couple names, the conversations were held by people I didn't know, didn't seem to have much substance to them and... it seemed like there was a tight community of friends that I wasn't sure I'd be able to penetrate. I'll try the new room.

[daydreamer]

i used to go in there a while back but i never recognized anyone, and not much was being said. i'm quite chatty but i can get a bit self-conscious if i'm the only one chatting lol. maybe i should try it again if people are using it.

[Seriously]

Rudy did a chat room push one time and I tried it. Didn't recognize anyone and on one in there seemed very inclined to chat. I'll give the new one a try though. I usually enjoy chat.

[Elfrun]

Any way of having someone's forum name their automatic chat room name? nm, apparently so *facepalm*

While technical issues stop me from going there now I have used it in the past. I didn't love it because chat rooms aren't really my thing and time zones limit conversation partners but the reason the technical issues don't bother me is cause the conversations often seemed to be taking place between 15 year olds and there were many people who I didn't recognise as they didn't use their forum name.

[Latro]

1. I've been to the old channel; didn't recognize hardly anyone and didn't see much interesting conversation.
2. Didn't know about the new one.
3. I probably have enough IRC channels to waste away my entire day as it stands.

[Thinker]

I have enough problems dealing with the "pace" of the forum given my time constraints.

Time zones is another reason which was mentioned above.

[JustMel]

	Originally Posted by Storm
	I've been using the new chatroom. The last chat room I didn't use because I didn't recognize anyone and the conversations were typical boring chatroom banter. In the new chatroom, people are using their forum names and the conversation is much higher quality. If only because people are avoiding chatspeak and on-upping. It's great. I hope more people join it.

I haven't tried the new chatroom yet, but I will today or tomorrow. I didn't like the old one for the same reasons that Storm stated. I didn't recognize any of the users.

[Cygnus]

Same reason I avoid the "member blog" section, I do not like wanding in to someone personal conversation. Plus is easier to take being ignored on a forum..in chat..the sting is a bit more immediate. I can barely compose legible posts, chat sessions are even less forgiving...written word is not an easy form of expression for me. It is harder for me to reply at appropriate times in a fast passed chat. I get plenty exposure to chat channels in the online games I play and easier in them to initiate discussions since you always have a common context to start with.

I have noticed many site, "I did not recognize anyone" as a reason. I wonder why that is more important in a chat channel than it is in a forum context?

[True Rune]

Never really thought about it. I probably have wandered in a few times..

[LionsPride]

I wandered in once or twice to the original chat room and in addition to some of the comments here, I felt uncomfortable because it didn't seem like a forgiving environment to learn chat in. I didn't know the commands and felt awkward asking strangers to help me. Not having familiar names made it seem less like an INTJf chat room and more like walking into the kitchen when you are looking for the bathroom in a restaurant.

[ClydeB]

	Originally Posted by Jezebel
	We've had a chatroom for almost as long as we've had the forum

News to me. Going to give it a try.

[Synamon]

	Originally Posted by ClydeB
	News to me. Going to give it a try.

Yay! New chatroom is fun.

[Night Runner]

I just don't like chatrooms. Haven't been to one since 2002. Chatroom conversations are even more ephemeral than those that take place on message boards. That, and it takes up a lot more time than browsing the forum.

[Warrior]

Chatrooms just aren't my thing. The pace of the conversation doesn't match my typing speed, so I feel like I am always playing catch-up in the discussion.

[ya lyublyu tebya]

Well, I did score 100% on introversion, once. Chat rooms wear me out!

Hmm... that could actually help me with my sleep problems, if I go before bed... I'm not saying that you guys are boring, of course! I just get really physically drained from lots of socializing.