Instant message with friends online

my version of it has a "refresh" button, with 5 minutes refresh instead of the 10 seconds most people use to save resources (and it worked very well). could be an annoyance for people used to the other ones, but they get used to it.
 
5 minute refresh would be useless when discussing a live action event such as a race.
Refresh on mine is set to 5 seconds.
 
5 minutes refresh has nothing to do with live chat in my opinion. You could also use a normal discussion thread in this case.
 
I agree instant messaging on a forum (like for instance support forums) might help one user quicker, but it does not help the community...
A moderator would be busy all day trying to keep up with the chat, where he would normally post replies on the forum that would benefit the whole community...
So I'm not pro standard inclusion of a real-time chat feature...
maybe a real-time admin/mod/user chat-request system that would send a chat request to online admin/mods/user who could then ignore/decline/accept the chat request?
 
A flashchat chatroom is one of the most loved features of my forum. It's not particularly server intensive, even with 20+ people in it at one time, but I still hate it. It's not particular well written and it's so overly complicated.

I'd ultimately like a basic jQuery chatroom (perfect as xF already uses jQuery) but I do like this idea as well. Not as a core feature in xF, of course, but it'd make a great modification/addon.

There is a Facebook-like chat script floating around somewhere, it uses $_SESSION if I remember correctly. I can't find it right now, but it shouldn't be too difficult to convert or replicate. All depends on how xF is coded really - session and database integration, and the like...

As with anything else I need, I'll probably end up coding a chatroom myself when I get my hands on xF.
 
Not all forums need a CMS or blog either. Still chat is more frequently requested than those. (at least for vb)
IRC does not provide any of the suggested functionality.
 
Not all forums need a CMS or blog either. Still chat is more frequently requested than those. (at least for vb)
IRC does not provide any of the suggested functionality.
CMS/Blog are likely to be add-on's.

IRC is likely to be an add-on.

Why would 'facebook' chat be any different?

I'm not saying its pointless, because I have CometChat installed on a forum, but as a core feature, it doesn't make as much sense, especially seeing as there is already Private Conversations (Which update live according to a post by either Kier or Mike), and profile comments.

Adding more functionality that is basically the same that is already provided is overkill.

Not saying its not a good mod or anything, just seems to be clutter for a core system. 
 
I'm not saying its pointless, because I have CometChat installed on a forum, but as a core feature, it doesn't make as much sense, especially seeing as there is already Private Conversations (Which update live according to a post by either Kier or Mike), and profile comments.
Private Conversations are nothing like live ajax chat.
I would have to invite every forum member to a conversation and it would have to auto refresh to even come close to chat.
 
Private Conversations are nothing like live ajax chat.
I would have to invite every forum member to a conversation and it would have to auto refresh to even come close to chat.
I didn't compare them in functionality, but more in their use.

They're all used to talk between users, and adding in a 3rd system seems pointless in the core. 
 
I didn't compare them in functionality, but more in their use.

They're all used to talk between users, and adding in a 3rd system seems pointless in the core.
Use and functionality go hand in hand.

No way could Private Conversations ever be used to discuss a live event in real time amongst members of a forum, of which some will come and go during the event.

The conversation starter would have to constantly monitor the online list and add any members who sign in, whether they want to be added or not.
 
Use and functionality go hand in hand.

No way could Private Conversations ever be used to discuss a live event in real time amongst members of a forum, of which some will come and go during the event.

The conversation starter would have to constantly monitor the online list and add any members who sign in, whether they want to be added or not.
My point was that not all forums, and probably not the majority, would need a live IM system.

It is really better off as a mod. 
 
My point was that not all forums, and probably not the majority, would need a live IM system.

It is really better off as a mod.
Sorry, but that is not a valid reason to not include it as a built-in feature. You have nothing to back up "probably not the majority". If you don't want to use it...turn it off. I don't see the point in shooting down other people's feature requests just because you don't feel they are important.
 
Not all forums need a CMS or blog either. Still chat is more frequently requested than those. (at least for vb)
IRC does not provide any of the suggested functionality.

I think some people have something like Facebook's chat and IRC confused. They serve two different purposes, and the user experience is generally different.

That said, "chat" does not kill discussion on forums -- poor implementations of such systems do.
 
Sorry, but that is not a valid reason to not include it as a built-in feature. You have nothing to back up "probably not the majority". If you don't want to use it...turn it off. I don't see the point in shooting down other people's feature requests just because you don't feel they are important.
Please tell me how its a valid reason to add it in, and that you can prove the majority of people would use it then?

Most sites I have seen (Communities) do not use either of these features. The forum I do use it on has maybe 3 members use it, and the only reason I keep it installed is because one of those 3 paid for it to get it added. I use it occasionally to talk to another administrator who does a lot of the backend work on that community, so he can keep window tabbing to a minimum, but thats about it. 

And my reasoning -why- I don't think it would be as used as everyone seems to think it is; forums aren't facebook. Most forum goers are either going to be casual, or there for a specific reason. Facebook is a network built around keeping in touch with people, and people spend much more time there then they would spend on a forum (In most cases).
 
Again, I see no reason it should be a core feature. For most people it will be considered bloat and thats one of the things most of us do not want. Features that most specifically fit the add-on category shouldn't be used in the core.
 
 
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