Any Interest in Funding a Better Chatroom?

Tom · #1 11-04-2009, 10:39 AM

I've previously made some references to better chat room software which is available at a price. Now, these are real chat rooms, very similar to what you would see when using AIM or Yahoo IM. In particular, I've found two that can be fully integrated with the forum and the member database of the forum. One of them costs $125 a year. The other costs $300 (forever). The $125 price is a much easier to obtain so I'm interested in that option.

I was informed that a couple different members were willing to help fund the cost of the software and it was suggested that I see if anyone else feels the same way.... so thus this thread.

Here is a screen shot of the chat program:

If there is enough interest in funding it we can go forward with it.

Also, just to clarify, this has nothing to do with funding the site hosting costs or anything like that, 100% of the funds will go towards the chatroom.

Tom · #2 11-04-2009, 10:44 AM

Also, this chatroom would run on Java. You can see if you already have Java installed on your computer by going here: http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml

STL · #3 11-04-2009, 10:49 AM

That chat room is the one I checked out yesterday and I liked it.

Only thing that concerns me is the 125 a year vs. the 300 forever. People pay to support it now would there still be the support when it expires and needs renewal?

surfer03133 · #4 11-04-2009, 11:05 AM

id support it,
i say we see how many people are willing to support, and how much they are willing to put forth, if we meet $300 then go with that, if not then go with $125

Dcrymes99ranger · #5 11-04-2009, 03:15 PM

id be willing to give a few bucks...

Fx4wannabe01 · #6 11-04-2009, 03:54 PM

I'd hate to be a pooper but I'm not interested.

Dcrymes99ranger · #7 11-04-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fx4wannabe01

I'd hate to be a pooper but I'm not interested.

DieHard4rd · #8 11-04-2009, 04:27 PM

I can't run java on my iPhone

dixie_boysles · #9 11-04-2009, 05:26 PM

I'm a little iffy on it. In a way yes, in a way no. I don't know if ill ever use it...hmmm but if so, say $10.

West · #10 11-04-2009, 07:17 PM

I'm with Shane on this. Another forum I'm on has one at the top of the main page, and I have never used it at all.

2001xlt4d · #11 11-04-2009, 07:24 PM

here is my input.. if i may...

i say we just all use AIM or YAHOO messanger as our chatroom host.. that way were not paying 125 a year for something that only a handful of people will use. i frequent the r.f chatroom on aim and there is rarely anyone on.. and if they are their drunk (besides the point) lol but i say lets not try to get ahead of ourselves and use third party for now. that way we can see how it goes and if it hits off well then we can use the imbeded chat room...

Tom · #12 11-04-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STL

Only thing that concerns me is the 125 a year vs. the 300 forever. People pay to support it now would there still be the support when it expires and needs renewal?

I thought about that too. The way I see it, if people aren't using it in a year then we let it go, if there are a lot of people still using it they will see the value in it would hopefully support it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by West

I'm with Shane on this. Another forum I'm on has one at the top of the main page, and I have never used it at all.

That's a chatbox, which is what I recently setup. This is a real chat room, the chatboxes have a LOT of shortfalls which is why they have little activity. For example, the messages posted are delayed and there is no way to see who is actually still involved in the chat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001xlt4d

here is my input.. if i may...

i say we just all use AIM or YAHOO messanger as our chatroom host.. that way were not paying 125 a year for something that only a handful of people will use. i frequent the r.f chatroom on aim and there is rarely anyone on.. and if they are their drunk (besides the point) lol but i say lets not try to get ahead of ourselves and use third party for now. that way we can see how it goes and if it hits off well then we can use the imbeded chat room...

I agree that AIM would probably be the best alternative. However, obviously it would have no integration with the forum and thus participation would probably be lower, especially among newer users who aren't aware of it's existence.

2001xlt4d · #13 11-05-2009, 04:53 AM

correct me if im not mistake.. could you imbed a chat room into the forum?
or have the chat room "box" and give all the goodies on how to obtain info for the chatroom

Tom · #14 11-05-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001xlt4d

correct me if im not mistake.. could you imbed a chat room into the forum?

I can't embed any AIM chatrooms into the forum. The only ones I can embed (for free) are ones which prompt you for a username to type in, and is 100% dependent on the honor system. In other words, there would be nothing stopping anyone from claiming to be someone else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001xlt4d

or have the chat room "box" and give all the goodies on how to obtain info for the chatroom

These extra steps would inconvenience some users to the point where they don't participate (at all, or just on a regular basis), but yes I could probably find a way to do what you are suggesting.

turbo · #15 11-05-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

These extra steps would inconvenience some users to the point where they don't participate (at all, or just on a regular basis), but yes I could probably find a way to do what you are suggesting.

Candidly, adding another (I won't mention inefficient, browser-based, java applet) chat method will certainly inconvenience folks (myself included) to the point of non-participation, as well.

The internet already has a "chat" standard, and it is implemented as IRC. There are clients for just about any computer platform. Then, there are peer-to-peer messaging clients (such as AIM, Yahoo, MSN, etc) that have also wedged in their own brand of "chat" for "multi-person" conversations.

I wouldn't spend $300 on a program that adds chat, period.

I wouldn't spend $125 per year on a program that adds chat, either.

I don't know what kind of horsepower you have on the server hosting this forum, but I can tell you that the IRC server software is fairly lightweight. There are methodologies (via Java applets, usually) that will allow a web browser to connect to an IRC chat server, and that would then allow a casual user to connect from the forum web pages. ...or, anyone could connect to the IRC server using a standard, available, free IRC client program.

For me, personally, I'd have no problem adding another "private network" to my IRC client so that I could chat with folks on FRF. I'd, likewise, have no problem adding another "multi-user chat room" to my Instant Messaging client. Both of those are often running on one of my computers most of the time, anyway. I'm not likely to click on a link that downloads and then executes some Java applet to give me (yet another) method of chatting.