Instant message with friends online

[Zachariah Boren]

Something that facebook has. The option to instant message your friends that are on-line.

Something you can enable and disable per user, usergroup.

 

[jmurrayhead]

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?

That's not my dispute to prove. I never said the majority of forum owners DO use it. I only said that you have no facts to back up your claim.

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.

I've visited plenty of communities that have some sort of chat feature and it's quite popular among the members.

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, where are the facts to this claim? Yes, some people visit a forum for a specific reason: the information that it provides. And if that's the case, they might not even register anyway. Others come simply to ask questions. And in the past 6 years, I've seen forums develop friendships. And these people like to chat with each other.

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.

Are you just saying it's bloat because you've heard other people say it? The only reason this fits into the add-on category is because it's never been implemented as a regular feature.

 

[Forsaken]

That's not my dispute to prove. I never said the majority of forum owners DO use it. I only said that you have no facts to back up your claim.



I've visited plenty of communities that have some sort of chat feature and it's quite popular among the members.



Again, where are the facts to this claim? Yes, some people visit a forum for a specific reason: the information that it provides. And if that's the case, they might not even register anyway. Others come simply to ask questions. And in the past 6 years, I've seen forums develop friendships. And these people like to chat with each other.



Are you just saying it's bloat because you've heard other people say it? The only reason this fits into the add-on category is because it's never been implemented as a regular feature.

Many members here have said they don't want more social media features added. I also said 'probably', going from the posts I have read, not basing it off facts that don't exist.

I'm talking about a Facebook chat; I'm saying I see no point in it being a core feature.

If a friendship developed between members don't you think they would like... You know... Talk over an actual IM service? Or possibly even on Facebook! Because thats what I see more then anything else.

I'm saying its bloat because I don't see the majority of people using it; thats my opinion, and you can nitpick it as much as you want, but it won't change, sorry. And it hasn't been implemented yet, because its really only started gaining a lot of popularity due to the trend that is Facebook (It is a trend, as the glamour has died out more and more with their privacy issues, but feel free to argue this as well, I'm sure you will).

 

[jmurrayhead]

If a friendship developed between members don't you think they would like... You know... Talk over an actual IM service? Or possibly even on Facebook! Because thats what I see more then anything else.

Not everyone wants to give their personal IM and facebook page to people they meet over the Internet - friends or not. But they still might want to chat with each other on the site that they met.

I'm saying its bloat because I don't see the majority of people using it; thats my opinion, and you can nitpick it as much as you want, but it won't change, sorry. And it hasn't been implemented yet, because its really only started gaining a lot of popularity due to the trend that is Facebook (It is a trend, as the glamour has died out more and more with their privacy issues, but feel free to argue this as well, I'm sure you will).

You don't see a majority of people using it, but you don't know that for a fact. And I'm not nitpicking, I just think it's really selfish for someone to come into someone's suggestion thread and shoot down their suggestion just because they won't use it themselves. Adding this feature (disabled by default) won't hurt you in any way. Regardless, I'm not arguing this anymore. I was just trying to make that point.

 

[Alpha1]

Chat is about the most requested feature on vb.com and was on IPB until they added both a free chatbox, as a chat addon. That says it all really.

However for some reason that I do not understand, webmasters that have no need for it, are often extremely negative about suggestions for chat functionality and try to shoot such suggestions down with unnecessary negativity.

If chat is added, then I'd really like it to be able to handle 500 concurrent users. Thats how popular it is at times on my site and has been very popular for 8 years.

 

[Dream]

What script do you use Alfa1, something custom?

 

[Alpha1]

Actually use MGC chat box now, but am dying to add a full fledge chat. The current state of vbulletin and the question about switching or not and if vb will release a chat addon in the coming months has kept me from buying a better solution.

My members actually pay to access chat. Though I do allow non-paying members to use chat at certain times. Those times are when hundreds of concurrent members are active.
The functionality of a chat box doesn't cut it, both in terms of user functionality as in terms of moderation.

 

[Shanj]

Instant messaging with a desktop client is not the same as Chat. I have both AND the forums in both my comunities.
So 3 services. They are ALLvital to us. I link the IM and the Chat off the forum menu, with Help info supplied via forums.
IM is essential for reaching members who are not on the forum now or likely to b e on soon.
It also deals with a mass of the most individualised needs of no interest to others. Yes there is some repetition of support but I often tell someone to look at the relevant forum and so do my mods.
CHAT is essential for realtime meetings either business or educational.

The IM I use is 24IM aka Inbit Messenger- free, hosted and option to have my own private network or join bigger networks. Has very similar usergroup system to the forum. File sharing, and simple rooms. Awful smilies.
(Also can install on your server for a fee) and I think this could be integrated with the forum database.

BUT I wouldn't myself want the 3 services completely integrated on the same server because I find it very reassuring that if one service glitches it doesn't affect the others. So people can contact me or each other on one of the others to check what's going on.

The downside of having 3 separate services is ensuring the same usernames on all 3 for one person. So the personj is recognisable across the community.
I do it by manually setting up all 3 accounts for a new member. That's OK for me with a very small userbase - 1 forum has about 100 another 250. Both have an intensive high quality relationship goal so setting up 3 services is worth it.

But all that duplicate account setup is fiddly. So it would be marvellous if when I create a user account on my forum, it ALSO automatically sets up an account with same username, password and avatar on the IM service, and has usergroup permissions under same usergroup names.

The Chat I use is Gchats Visichat - very good pric e and lovely intuitive design - videos or images can embed in chat, private chat is good, webcam, voice chat and great smilies.

I guess I'm stuck with endlessly setting up triplicate accounts for every new user.

 

[Moses]

I'd like to suggest an instant conversation, available only between users who are online. It could be similar to the Google Chat that is embedded in gmail, or the chat system in Facebook.

 

[Moses]

Perhaps now that google 'wave in a box' is open source the chat component that has individual keystroke synchronicity would be an interesting addition, though I suspect this would be more suited to a mod.

 

[anotheralias]

You mean kind of like an IM?

 

[Tim]

An Instant Message/Chat feature would be great!

 

[Chromaniac]

mmm shout box? a thread is already going on for that!

if you have FB integrated, you can add a FB chat box for sure i suppose in the forum template.

 

[Moses]

Not a shoutbox at all, as I believe a shoutbox is visible to the entire site. This would be a PC, but AJAX rather than having to click send and refresh.

If you've seen the chat functionality on Facebook or Gmail, this is what I'm suggesting would be superb in XF.

 

[Kim]

I'd like to suggest an instant conversation, available only between users who are online. It could be similar to the Google Chat that is embedded in gmail, or the chat system in Facebook.

I have wanted this for quite some time, someone I know was going to write one for IPB, but he got caught up with college.. yadda yadda.. but it is a great idea - would make a terrific paid mod or official add on I think.

 

[ked38]

+1 vote for it.

 

[Ruven]

Ajax added instant conversation between multiple parties would be a great feature for those who do not want to install a shout box or an intricate chat room.
Moderator meetings would be a breeze if we had this.

 

[dutchbb]

But then you might as well just buy a chat server or just use a free irc java applet?

I think people are going to keep using the live messenger anyway.

 

[Shanj]

I use 24im. I use the (free) hosted version but it can also host on your site,

 

[Chromaniac]

ajax based instant chat feature would be great for a simple reason... it is faster than forum based conversations for hot topics. it adds content on the forum. though there has to be an option for private chats (for mods).

 

[Trevor]

But then you might as well just buy a chat server or just use a free irc java applet?

I think people are going to keep using the live messenger anyway.

Java applets? No thank you!