Why haven't we got an irc chat?

[embi]

I was just thinking that it might be good to have a chat "room" (for want of a better word) where we could discuss images etc in real time.

Would this work or would it distract from the forums?

[sheepie]

we had a poll on this ages ago (see http://www.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t=1586&highlight=irc), and I think the reasoning for a 'no' answer then still stands - not a bad idea, but I think you are right in your thought it may detract from the forums

[Nnnnsic]

It probably would detract from the forums.

I'd love to develop a version of the site in either a program or something like VRML (or the new version, I think it's X3D), Adobe Atmosphere, Flash, or Director that allows from some voice chat in a comfortable setting.

I was actually thinking about it earlier this evening as I was walking home from work, coincidentally enough.

It could serve as a "live source" when we have important announcements at Birdy's or the AA dinners if streamed via cam, etc.

Still unsure if I'll attempt something at this point.

The main advantage of a non-realtime chat solution like the boards we're on is if someone says something and someone else isn't there to hear it immediately, they won't be lacking the moment because they can just come back and see it on the threads.

Christ I hope I made sense there. Lol.

[stubbsy]

Christ I hope I made sense there. Lol.

As much as usual

[Nnnnsic]

I find it kind of ironic that in each of these threads about a real-time chat room, it's only been both Sheepie and myself who've answered the question in text. Lol.

[johndec]

I find it kind of ironic that in each of these threads about a real-time chat room, it's only been both Sheepie and myself who've answered the question in text. Lol.

OK, just to break the trend.... If someone wants to start a D70 IRC channel, good luck to them, but just about everyone here basically uses this forum as a de-facto IRC anyway (look at some of the post counts ). I find that if I want to query someone about a post, PM does the job quite well. I'm usually doing about 5 other things while I'm online here, so the immediacy of IRC would be lost on me. I'd be too busy doing something else to respond immediately via IRC

[gstark]

In fact, I think that the immediacy of real-time would cause other issues as well.

Many of us access the site from work, and the latency that's inherent in the forum permits us to do this without losing any content or context. We can switch focus to a meeting, or some development task (damn work!) when we need to, and then return here with no loss of content or context.

Were we to go IRC, that flexibility would disappear to some extent, and I think that might increase the frustration levels.

Just my 2 lira.

[sheepie]

I find it kind of ironic that in each of these threads about a real-time chat room, it's only been both Sheepie and myself who've answered the question in text. Lol.

Even stranger, we seem to agree