Shout Box / Chat

[Mokeli]

Ive noticed this has become a big deal , It would be alswome if there was a built in shout box , make it Ajax or something pro , it would still be nice. We have over 15 members online it would be nice if we could chat to spare time. Or There could be Shoutbox Mod addons . So we can edit it and make it more appealing with more features. And I think you should add a feature where you can take of the side bar and leave the stats at the bottom of the forums or make the forum text a little larger, Plus with description the forums would look bad.

Mokeli
Admin Junction Founder
Goodbless

 

[Mr_Bob]

Well, to me this seems like something better left to a modification. As mentioned, a shoutbox has the potential to really lower the number of posts being put into your forum (of course the same can be said for most things you put on your site). That, and most people I know, including myself, use some form of chatroom or IRC solution for members who just want to freely talk to one another. Shoutbox seems like that area in the middle that's either a "love it or hate it" function.

 

[Spenser]

Oh no ... we don't need a shout box

It's just crazy - I never understood what people see in them

That is forum communication in twitter style

 

[Cupara]

Wow knew this would come up. Shoutbox as a main feature is a bad idea, as an addon is another story.

 

[D.O.A.]

The fact that it would be rarely, if at all used. The number of people who actually would use it on their site is so small there's no real point in making it a default feature, and any sites that do have it I can't see it being used for anything more than spam, and after a while no one would use it anyway.

Sorry to have made a conclusion based on my experiences of having used and seen them. Glad it works for you.

You base arguments on Your experiences of other people's forums and choices? cool story bro.

 

[Onimua]

You base arguments on Your experiences of other people's forums? cool story bro.

I've installed it on my forums and have seen it used on others. Does that clear it up for you, or do I need to break it down further?

 

[D.O.A.]

I've installed it on my forums and have seen it used on others. Does that clear it up for you, or do I need to break it down further?

I use it on a huge forum with great success and seen it done on others also. Just recapping: Making sweeping generalisations is a bit silly when you're way off the mark.

 

[Onimua]

I use it on a huge forum with great success and seen it done on others also. Just recapping: Making sweeping generalisations is a bit silly when you're way off the mark.

So what's the point of bringing this up again? I explained why I said what I did and from what other posters have said it seems to be the general consensus that a shoutbox shouldn't be a default feature, but there are a few select cases where it works out well and should be left as an add-on.

But um... thanks for bring it up again. I'm sure we got it the first time, but just in case someone missed it I'm glad we could get replay the scenario again.

 

[Dream]

I'd still love a chatbox bundled, so I don't have the hassle of testing 10 chatboxes to see which one works best... But ok I won't die if it isn't.

 

[Been Told]

If you wanna kill site performance, your server and lost activity in your forums, simply code a Shoutbox by yourself or pay someone to do it for you. Then you'll come back to this thread telling us "You were right"

Wrong. I've had a shoutbox on one of my forums since day one and that was 5 years ago. I had to switch it off for two weeks because I was switching forum software and people bugged me the whole time "when is the shoutbox coming back?". How could a shoutbox take away from the posting?
The shoutbox is for conversation and such. A forum is for discussion. That is a clear difference and any forum I have administered that had a shoutbox that distinction was always clear and adhered to.

 

[CurveGotti]

Ive noticed this has become a big deal , It would be alswome if there was a built in shout box , make it Ajax or something pro , it would still be nice. We have over 15 members online it would be nice if we could chat to spare time. Or There could be Shoutbox Mod addons . So we can edit it and make it more appealing with more features. And I think you should add a feature where you can take of the side bar and leave the stats at the bottom of the forums or make the forum text a little larger, Plus with description the forums would look bad.

I think it would be more sensible to add such a feature through modification. I for one would rather have my members talking in the forums so everyone, not just the online members, can participate in the conversation. I would however add such a feature if available only for forum staff to discuss time sensitve issues.

 

[Peggy]

I would like to see a shout box (or chat box) as an add-on.

 

[subtato]

Shoutbox of some sort as an add-on would be great.

 

[RvG]

i love to see a shoutbox as a plugin.

 

[Dream]

As long as it's a good one (cybernetec please come here).

 

[Dream]

BTW I gotta make a Read PMs, or is it private conversations?

 

[Mark.B]

No point anyone saying "shoutboxes don't work", they do for some sites and not others. I don't want one, I did have one briefly but it was a pest.

I'd not like to see this in the default package and I'm 100% certain it won't be. However, although I don't want one, I'd like to see someone code a decent shoutbox add on.

 

[Sage]

The fact that it would be rarely, if at all used. The number of people who actually would use it on their site is so small there's no real point in making it a default feature, and any sites that do have it I can't see it being used for anything more than spam, and after a while no one would use it anyway.

Just saying "It can be turned off" isn't the greatest of reasons of why it should be implemented in the first place.

Just how many people on the internet do you think will use XenForo? A small fraction. Does that mean Kier and the rest of them shouldn't even bother with it?

I would rather see it added as a feature than being offered by a third-party, to be honest, though an "official" add-on would be nice sometime in the future as well.

 

[Forsaken]

Just how many people on the internet do you think will use XenForo? A small fraction. Does that mean Kier and the rest of them shouldn't even bother with it?

I would rather see it added as a feature than being offered by a third-party, to be honest, though an "official" add-on would be nice sometime in the future as well.

If a small percentage of an already small percentage want it, should they add it? By that reasoning they should add -every- feature thats suggested.

Its also something that isn't critical for most communities, though many do utilize it.

Its also one of those things that probably would do better as a 3rd party modification, because more time can be dedicated to it, rather then splitting it up over updating the core software, and other official addons. 

 

[Sage]

If a small percentage of an already small percentage want it, should they add it? By that reasoning they should add -every- feature thats suggested.

Of course not. Just stating that numbers aren't everything.

Its also something that isn't critical for most communities, though many do utilize it.

I'll have to disagree with you there. I'm coming from a free forum hosting community where nearly every board has a shoutbox.

Its also one of those things that probably would do better as a 3rd party modification, because more time can be dedicated to it, rather then splitting it up over updating the core software, and other official addons.

You may be right. However, I'm sure most people want a shoutbox that flows with the rest of the board. I'd hate to see something that looks like it was slapped on.

 

[Forsaken]

Of course not. Just stating that numbers aren't everything.


I'll have to disagree with you there. I'm coming from a free forum hosting community where nearly every board has a shoutbox.


You may be right. However, I'm sure most people want a shoutbox that flows with the rest of the board. I'd hate to see something that looks like it was slapped on.

And how many of those forums were large communities? Shoutboxes work for small-medium size communities, but for larger ones, I wouldn't even think of having one just due to the potential overhead.

As a 3rd party solution, with the way XenForo has been coded, it should be easy enough to re-use much of the CSS and features have it integrate seamlessly into -most- styles. However, because so many people change their styles, and -many- people do not stay with the standard coding for things, it might become difficult to have it not look slapped on for the most part.

If it is added, I hope it is as an official addon.