Private Messaging

[Craig]

Good morning to you all!

Is there an add on for private messaging aside from the already installed "conversation?"

I have a couple members wanting something similar to yahoo or skype instant message.

Or a Chat Box with a Private Message feature would be great.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cclaerhout]

Use this chat box (free version - paid version) and configure it to only be available for some usergroups.
The shoutbox doesn't include (yet ?) any pm feature.

I'm curious, why do you need something different than the XenForo conversation system which is really good?

 

[HWS]

I'm curious, why do you need something different than the XenForo conversation system which is really good?

It is in fact better compared to vB or other forums.

However it is worse compared to FaceBook or Skype (and most people are used to it these days), because it does not automatically reload the conversation if one of the participants answers (ajax). This is a simple extension we already work on, because it would make the private conversation system perfect.

 

[Craig]

Use this chat box (free version - paid version) and configure it to only be available for some usergroups.
The shoutbox doesn't include (yet ?) any pm feature.

I'm curious, why do you need something different than the XenForo conversation system which is really good?

Thanks for information. I am just curious as to what is out there.
Keeping my options open....

 

[Morgain]

I'm curious, why do you need something different than the XenForo conversation system which is really good?

Don't agree Cedric. The PCs without Syndol's addon are very incomplete.

 

[cclaerhout]

It is in fact better compared to vB or other forums.

However it is worse compared to FaceBook or Skype (and most people are used to it these days), because it does not automatically reload the conversation if one of the participants answers (ajax). This is a simple extension we already work on, because it would make the private conversation system perfect.

No comment on Facebook, I don't like the whole concept (but you're right )

For Skype, I don't know with the new version (=> msn migration) but to get a message sent to you when you were offline requires you and the sender to be online at the same time. So even if I get your point, I would say Skype message system is far worst than XenForo conversation system ^^

Speaking of message system, the competition in this sector is really fierce... especially on mobile devices

• The Korean/Japanese: http://line.naver.jp/en/
• The American: http://www.whatsapp.com
• The Chinese: http://www.wechat.com/en/

Now the XenForo conversation system can only be compared to Facebook since it's only using web technologies.

 

[Morgain]

Right now attempting to conduct a 'conversation' in anything like real time, means waiting for a whole message to chug on through the system, and display an alert so I know it's there.
Or else I keep refreshing the page and that's a pain. I often go and do something else until the next message comes in which breaks flow.
The record is then disrupted by post signatures.
Very disjointed and not at all as good as Skype or other IMs - not that I am a Skype devotee I suffer it because I must.

If we could have an option for PCs to run as a shoutbox popup, with the option to transcript, that would be marvellous.

 

[Martok]

For Facebook chat type systems there's ArrowChat and CometChat. These integrate with many forums including Xenforo. They give you real-time private chat as well as chatrooms. I'm currently using ArrowChat with phpBB and will move it over to Xenforo now I've picked this up.

 

[Morgain]

For Facebook chat type systems there's ArrowChat and CometChat. These integrate with many forums including Xenforo. They give you real-time private chat as well as chatrooms. I'm currently using ArrowChat with phpBB and will move it over to Xenforo now I've picked this up.

Both arrowchat and cometchat look good - both are already configured to integrate with XF yay!
They both do a popup so you can be looking at other pages not stuck on the forum page.

Neither seem to do image upload to display in the chat.
Neither seem to do voice chat though they do do video.

I cannot tell if cometchat does group chat - rooms. We need that for meetings.
Arrowchat does but I cannot see how it does private chat as well. It is mentioned.

Arrowchat has nice addons like music.

 

[Martok]

Both arrowchat and cometchat look good - both are already configured to integrate with XF yay!
They both do a popup so you can be looking at other pages not stuck on the forum page.

Neither seem to do image upload to display in the chat.
Neither seem to do voice chat though they do do video.

I cannot tell if cometchat does group chat - rooms. We need that for meetings.
Arrowchat does but I cannot see how it does private chat as well. It is mentioned.

Arrowchat has nice addons like music.

I don't think either do image upload in chat. Both do video though I've not tried this. CometChat has chatrooms as well as ArrowChat. Private chat for both opens in a separate tab on the chatbar though it's only for one-to-one conversations. For chatting with multiple users you use a chatrooms. Both systems allow for multiple chatrooms too and they will give you notifications for various things e.g. a new private message. You can also post an announcement message on the chatbar, useful for important information to users.

Both systems allow you to allow guest chat or not. It's also possible to limit chat to certain groups, something I've done on my website with ArrowChat.

 

[Morgain]

Have heard back from arrowchat. Currently it is only 1-1 chat, no image upload.
Cometchat has good features but only on the expensive version.

 

[HWS]

I didn't talk about Chats. That is a completely different kind of animal.

 

[Shelley]

Don't agree Cedric. The PCs without Syndol's addon are very incomplete.

100% agree. There just aren't any management control for PCs. I don't say that as a opinion it's a fact and although the PC system has the nice fundamentals it seriously lacks in it's maturity.

 

[Morgain]

I didn't talk about Chats. That is a completely different kind of animal.

Not really. I quite often have PCs going backwards and forwards over a few hours with short messages trying to sort out practical things. If we could exchange instantly on a popup it would take a tenth of the time.
It's not very satisfactory by PC and would be much better as an instant popup with limited text allowance. that would push longer items into a standard PC but keep short clutter out .