Forum Instant Messenger?

[Wooden Mechanic]

Hi,

I would like to make a suggestion to the moderators and Neil of course.

I would like to suggest the forum incorporate an instant message feature when communicating to members.

It could work on a sort of confirmation based acceptance or initiation in which a Private message is sent to the member you wish to communicate with, providing they are online, outlining that you would like to chat via Instant messaging. They can either except or decline. If a decline is given then the members continue to chat through PM's. If an accept is given, members each have a window pop up on their screen where they can see a reply instantly, and reply just as fast. Sort of like Windows Messenger, but a confirmation must be given to start a conversation.

Is this a good idea or would it be just another server crasher?
It could make communications far quicker and easier between forum members.

Just putting it out there.

Harlan

[funkychicken]

It would probably just be easier to use Msn Messenger or Google Talk. I've got both and talk to other forumites through them.

[munruben]

Or Skype.

[Lignum]

We need a general chat. Be nice to have a single page everyone comes to shoot the breeze. But it will never happen. Take away from the advertising dollars individual viewing posts make. Shame.

[ubeaut]

If a chat service were ever to be implemented, it would only be available to members only and not the general public. It could also be implemented as either a paid subscribers bonus or for those who had a certain number of posts as privilege not a right. It's the general public who pay to keep this site running for the members because it's mainly them who click on ads and visit the sponsors sites. So, even if we did get our revenue from individual ad views (which we don't), it would make no real difference.

The main problems with chat and the reasons why we don't have it yet are:

• chat isn't supported by vBulletin
• it can only go on here as a mod/hack to the original program
• almost all integrated chat rooms so far seem to have inherent problems
• most are a major drain on bandwidth and (at best) will slow the forum to a crawl.
• to date it appears the only real alternative is non integrated, off site chat which defeats the purpose

I have looked at several times it in the past and have shied away from it because of the above. Fine for a small forum but can cause major problems with a large forums like this.

There really hasn't been much improvement in integrated chat programs for the last few years. But I'll have a look for updated versions, after the new version of vBulletin is released which is not too far away. Waste of time putting it on until after we do the update to this site as it could bring everything crashing down around our ears.

Cheers - Neil

[ubeaut]

But it will never happen. Take away from the advertising dollars individual viewing posts make. Shame.

Lignum - You have no idea what the hell you're talking about. For starters, we don't get paid for individual views of ads.

If these forums were run purely for the revenue then they would have shut down years ago as the revenue they generate isn't worth it. I can make more in one days work at the factory, than I have from these forums in the 10 year they've been running. It isn't about the money, believe me.

These forums cost 10's of thousands of dollars to run and until 2006 all of it came out of my pocket. My money, not yours, not the advertisers, mine. The ads largely paid for the forums from 06 till mid 2008 when they dropped off so dramatically that I again had to pay out of my own pocket. The sponsors banners now help to make up the short fall in revenue. But if they all pulled out tomorrow I would still continue to pay to keep these forums running.

Don't bother trying to second guess what I will or won't do with the forums. You'll never get it right.

Neil

[Wooden Mechanic]

If a chat service were ever to be implemented, it would only be available to members only and not the general public. It could also be implemented as either a paid subscribers bonus or for those who had a certain number of posts as privilege not a right. It's the general public who pay to keep this site running for the members because it's mainly them who click on ads and visit the sponsors sites. So, even if we did get our revenue from individual ad views (which we don't), it would make no real difference.

The main problems with chat and the reasons why we don't have it yet are:

• chat isn't supported by vBulletin
• it can only go on here as a mod/hack to the original program
• almost all integrated chat rooms so far seem to have inherent problems
• most are a major drain on bandwidth and (at best) will slow the forum to a crawl.
• to date it appears the only real alternative is non integrated, off site chat which defeats the purpose

I have looked at several times it in the past and have shied away from it because of the above. Fine for a small forum but can cause major problems with a large forums like this.

There really hasn't been much improvement in integrated chat programs for the last few years. But I'll have a look for updated versions, after the new version of vBulletin is released which is not too far away. Waste of time putting it on until after we do the update to this site as it could bring everything crashing down around our ears.

Cheers - Neil

I understand.

In the long run I guess as Andrew said using MSN messenger would be a benefit to the forums. I knew it would slow the forums, but not to a crawl.

Thanks for the reply Neil, has sorted many things out.

Thanks,
Harlan

[ubeaut]

Still not completely off the plate. I keep checking from time to time to see what's new and there are a couple that are coming close to being the goods but not until after the update to the newest version of vBulletin sometime soon (in the next few months) I hope.

From what I read, their not too slow on a small forum with less than 100 on line, medium forums with a few hundred on line are slowed considerably and larger forums like this one hovering around 1000+ on line slow almost to a crawl.

I like the idea of a chat-room and have done for ages, because it means we could have a guest (experts in their field) online and people can ask their questions first hand.

Cheers - Neil

[Grumpy John]

Neil, has anything happened over the last 12 months that would bring a chat room any closer to reality?

[ubeaut]

Not really, but there is a major upgrade of the forums planned for some time in the next couple of months. Been working on it for over 6 mth now and just waiting for the most stable version of the program to be released.

There will be a few changes that will make conversing member to member a lot better and a bit easier, plus lots of other stuff.

[Grumpy John]

Thanks for the quick response Neil .

[Rattrap]

A chat feature would sure be great but the last thing any of us want to see is the site slowing down badly. 1 of the great things about this site is that it is so quick - at least for me it is