Metapost: I think DU should also have chat rooms. Here's why:

[iconoclastic cat]

Poll question: Metapost: I think DU should also have chat rooms. Here's why:

1. Many posts--especially in the Lounge and GD--do not contain content that is as useful as it is cathartic.

2. The vast majority of downthread comments are one or two sentences long, and are generally devoted to guttural affirmative responses, not additional content that affirms, rebuts, bolsters or expands on the content of the OP's post.

3. The preceding conditions prevent DU from realizing its potential as a resource for activism and education.

I attempted to count the substantive posts and comments so that I could come up with a plausible ratio, but thanks to many hours in the Lounge, my attention span is much too short to complete such a task to the satisfaction of most DUers.

Please feel free to affirm or rebut.

On edit: If you respond, please post your opinions! I'm very curious about what you think.

[salvorhardin]

1. It'd be nice though I think we'd have to have at least 3

to accomodate those who want to hang out, those that want serious discussion and those who want to rant.

Probably the best way of doing it would be to set up our own IRC channels.

#du-lounge
#du-gd
#du-politics

Of course, there's nothing stopping us from doing this unofficially.

[iconoclastic cat]

2. One downside is the troll problem.

The chat rooms would have to be heavily moderated.

[salvorhardin]

4. Yeah

I can think of some cumbersome way of doing authentication (short of Skinner giving us the usernames & password hashes from the DU db :-)).

All of them would be dependent on human ops though to validate.

[SoCalDem]

3. There have been chat rooms (I still have one open)

for times when DU had some traffic problems.. BUT they have to be invitation only to avoid the trolls. For a long time it worked, but eventually, the invitations got a bit "open", and most of us got tired of "moving" all the time.

Anyone who wants to PM me,can get an invite to the one still open, and can go there at will with THEIR invitees, and chat away :)

[signmike]

6. LOL - the orig. is saying Aaahhhhg - this one says Waaahhhhhg

[iconoclastic cat]

11. Huh?

I don't understand what you just said. Please explain.

[signmike]

26. The picture - The Scream

the one posted by SoCalDem is a parody of a famous original painting titled "The Scream"
(I can't think of the artist's name)

so if the original is screaming "AAAhhhhh"

and babies cry "Waaahhhh" . . .


_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I guess ya just had to be there

[signmike]

5. I, for one, could never keep up

It's a struggle just keeping abreast of SOME of the posting as it is now - I'm a Hunt&Pecker, by the time I write even a short response, I often see several others got one in in front of mine. This board moves so fast, by the time a thread moves to page 2, or even towards the bottom of page one - it's all over - unless it's really hot no more responses will come to that one. And there is seldom more than one secondary response -- the people have moved on -- like the president.

Chat works well, I guess, for the Fast Trackers :shrug: they leave me in the dust

[Goldmund]

7. I think it would be a good idea...

...with a minimum post number requirement to participate.

[Occulus]

8. Your answer would be a moderated IRC channel.

Or several. Most servers don't allow bots, though; we'd need to find one that allowed channel mods to use them.

But a DU IRC channel could easily solve the problems you've mentioned- and they can be problems.

edit: duh, that was mentioned in the very first reply :P

[In_The_Wind]

9. Are you saying that if a person agrees with the OP

but has nothing more to add beyond a :kick: in agreement that they should save their opinion for a chat room ?

I disagree with having a chat room !

[iconoclastic cat]

10. No, no----if you have an opinion, any opinion, please post it.

I want to hear it. So, what is your opinion? Please expound.

[In_The_Wind]

23. My opinion was clearly stated. I do not believe that DU needs a chat room!

The topics discussed in the lounge are handled in a more relaxed manner however they do have merit because they are the voice of the American public today.

The concerns of each individual are important. No voice should be left unheard.

Mothers, Fathers and loved ones who are troubled about the missing members of their family's find support in the lounge. We share jokes that all of our friends can laugh about in these troubled times.

Why would you want to take away their voice away from the importance of a glimpse of what life is really like ?

[iconoclastic cat]

25. I don't want t to take anyone's voice away.

I just wonder if DU could use different methods for delivering different voices and different content.

[Catherine Vincent]

12. I disagree. There are plenty of other chat rooms to participate in.

Just create a room in Yahoo somewhere and invite DUers. Plus this could divide us and we don't need that.

[iconoclastic cat]

13. Good point on the Yahoo rooms, but how could this topic divide us?

[seabeyond]

14. chat rooms have their unique place and use in communication

i agree. i and more use boards in almost chat room mode. i dont think that has to be what a board is about. a chat room, i think, will create a whole new feel to the boards

chatrooms are hard to manage. not for the lite of heart or those that take things personally. people start taking things personally, we start directing speech adn control, which in turns create mess. why many dont like to create chat rooms.

[iconoclastic cat]

15. Very good points.

I am having some second thoughts about the idea of having DU chat rooms, as opposed to just inviting some DUers to a generic Yahoo room.

[donsu]

16. I don't come to DU to chat

nt

[iconoclastic cat]

18. That's cool. My observation is that many people do come to chat.

And that's cool, too. I just wonder if DU would be more effective with a few alternative functions.

[aeolian]

17. I'm sure the guys running the servers are having a heart attack right now.

Chat rooms! talk about a bandwidth hog! :)

[iconoclastic cat]

19. Would it be worse with chat rooms?

I didn't know that the servers would be strained any more than they already are.

Sorry, techs!

[libodem]

20. Why wouldn't going to a special forum

accomplish the same thing? (I am also a slow hunt and peck typist. I mostly comment and go on reading.) Just weighing in on something I don't know very much about. Forgive me :)

[iconoclastic cat]

22. You may be right. Perhaps just using the Lounge "as is" makes sense.

[spanone]

21. Uh, doesn't DU have chat rooms, isn't that what I am in right now?????

[iconoclastic cat]

24. For all intents and purposes, yes.

:hi:

[lectrobyte]

27. Sort of...

it's not live, though, and that adds something. also makes a better target for disruptors, though, which is a real big downside. I'd suggest leaving things alone, if someone is thinking of adding an IRC type facility to DU.

[Zhade]

28. *Guttural noise of approval*

*grunt*

[Swamp Rat]

29. No chat rooms for me.

I cannot type well and must think for a while before I say anything, or else the resulto might be multilingual/garbled.

I am not so verbose to follow that kind of conversation, and usually opt for posting a pic that explains what I am thinking or feeling.

[crispini]

30. Well.

I think a chat room would be kinda cool. I do often come to DU just to chat with likeminded folk. that's why I hang out in the Lounge a lot. That said, I don't think that current conditions do much to prevent DU from realizing its potential for activism and education. If you want education, there are the Editorials and LBN forums. For activism, there is the Activism and state forums. But I do think a chat room would be fun.

[supernova]

31. That's what DU groups are for

Chat rooms ... I don't know. I like the board because I can post to it. Chat rooms move a little fast for me. I think too much before I speak... er.. type.

In a chat room I would have a tough time getting a word in edgewise.

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

32. Yes!

I think it would be great talking to you all in real time. I'm fairly computer savvy but, I have no idea of the logistics of operating one i.e. bandwidth, time, etc.

I think it would be a good thing though.