Vintage Computer Chat?

[Erik]

Hello Vintage Computer Forum members,

I have the ability to add a chat room to the site as an accompaniment to these forums, accessible outside of the forums. I have just one quick question: If I did that, would any of you find it useful?

I’m thinking that we could arrange regular online get-togethers to swap stories, etc.

Thank you for your support and best regards,

Erik

[NathanAllan]

Sounds like a good idea to me Erik. With the crowd from all around the world here there should always be somebody there if you leave it running. Scheduled events sound like a good idea too for those that can get together at certain times. Just my $0.02.

Nathan

[CP/M User]

"Erik" wrote:

> Hello Vintage Computer Forum members,

> I have the ability to add a chat room to
> the site as an accompaniment to these
> forums, accessible outside of the forums.
> I have just one quick question: If I did that,
> would any of you find it useful?

To me it really depends on if it would work on
older systems like mine & if so, if others use
it. The next issue would be when this chat
room is open (my local time)?

> I’m thinking that we could arrange regular
> online get-togethers to swap stories, etc.

Any stories in particular, like Off Topic, Rants,
Jokes or Political Discussions? Or just focusing
on the Vintage Computer side of things?

> Thank you for your support and best
> regards,

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[olddataman]

Hi Eric
I have mixed reactons to the idea. It sounds like a good place for members that get into a long series of posts that are basically a two person dialog could handled more efficiently. It would obviously makea good place to trade "war stories," It would probably be the best place to put "Off Topic" stuff like Rants and politics, etc.
I likr the idea of scheduled meetings, but wouldn't the timing be a real problem considering the international membership?
Finally, I fear that it would begin to dominate the forum itself as people gradually begin to readit first and move away from the original forum.
My view of the Forum is that it is like a chat room with built in discipline,

Ray

[Terry Yager]

Erik,
Whenever I'm logged in I always check to see if anyone else is on the bb at the same time. Very rarely do I see anyone else, and it's usually you when there is someone else on. I dunno if it's the hours I keep, or what?
It would be nice to be able to holler at someone else when you see them online, if it's just to say "hello". The main problem I would have with live chat is, will the chats be archived in some way? I like the forum concept because you can always search through past postings and find the information you may have lost track of somehow. I don't know how much bandwidth you have available, but keeping a permanent record of the chats would be a definate plus.

--T

[vic user]

Terry Yeager wrote:
Whenever I'm logged in I always check to see if anyone else is on the bb at the same time. Very rarely do I see anyone else, and it's usually you when there is someone else on

From my perspective, that's pretty funny.

I always check to see who is online as well, and I would have to say that Terry is the person I see online the most :)

Chris

[Jorg]

I would like it a lot.

[Terry Yager]

Terry Yeager wrote:
Whenever I'm logged in I always check to see if anyone else is on the bb at the same time. Very rarely do I see anyone else, and it's usually you when there is someone else on

From my perspective, that's pretty funny.

I always check to see who is online as well, and I would have to say that Terry is the person I see online the most :)

Chris

Well, I do practically live here...mebbe I need a life! (I usually average about 19 hours a day online, so I check this board pretty frequently.)
BTW, vic...I did see you online at the same time I was...If there was a chat feature I would have said hello to you.

--T

[Erik]

Whenever I'm logged in I always check to see if anyone else is on the bb at the same time. Very rarely do I see anyone else, and it's usually you when there is someone else on. I dunno if it's the hours I keep, or what?

It might be your hours, but I agree that we don't often have that many concurrent users. I've seen as many as 4 or 5 (plus myself - I'm always on) at peak times fairly consistently but rarely more then that.

There are 300+ registered users here, though, so we should be able to generate a dozen or more for a planned chat, I would hope.

It would be nice to be able to holler at someone else when you see them online, if it's just to say "hello".

I'll look into how well I can integrate chat and the message boards, too.
The main problem I would have with live chat is, will the chats be archived in some way? I like the forum concept because you can always search through past postings and find the information you may have lost track of somehow. I don't know how much bandwidth you have available, but keeping a permanent record of the chats would be a definate plus.


I'll look into that as well. Most chat packages can archive easily enough but putting the archives online can sometimes be problematic. The other issue is, of course, do folks want their chats kept for posterity?

Erik

[CP/M User]

"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Whenever I'm logged in I always check to see
> if anyone else is on the bb at the same time.
> Very rarely do I see anyone else, and it's usually
> you when there is someone else on. I dunno if
> it's the hours I keep, or what?

> It would be nice to be able to holler at someone
> else when you see them online, if it's just to say
> "hello". The main problem I would have with live
> chat is, will the chats be archived in some way?
> I like the forum concept because you can always
> search through past postings and find the
> information you may have lost track of somehow.
> I don't know how much bandwidth you have
> available, but keeping a permanent record of the
> chats would be a definate plus.

That's funny, normally when I come here, I see you
hanging around, occasionally Erik (though it looks
as if one minute he's here, the next is gone! ;-)

It's an issue since a lot of people come from different
time zones, however the more people we have, the
more likely people can come on & chat. Of course,
there are lots of people who have signed up & haven't
posted a single post (or just a couple), so could be
waiting for a chat room, it's hard to say!

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[CP/M User]

"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Well, I do practically live here...mebbe I need a life!

Oh come on!! You've been here as long as I have been,
but I talk to much! ;-)

> (I usually average about 19 hours a day online, so I
> check this board pretty frequently.)

Well that's your business, if you want to go 19 hrs! ;-)

> BTW, vic...I did see you online at the same time I
> was...If there was a chat feature I would have said
> hello to you.

You could say hello to him now! ;-)

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[CP/M User]

"Erik" wrote:

> I'll look into that as well. Most chat packages
> can archive easily enough but putting the
> archives online can sometimes be problematic.
> The other issue is, of course, do folks want their
> chats kept for posterity?

Would the chats kept work on an user by user basis,
or would that be done as a whole.

I wouldn't really want mine kept, unless it would
come in useful for a large group of people, in which
case it would just be better to post it on the
messageboard.

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[mbbrutman]

Definitely do the chat room. We use IRC at micro-zone.com, and it's been invaluable for the regulars. There are certain days and times that we know we'll find each other online .. other than that, it's pretty sparse.

For debugging problems it's been great. The only complaint is that some of what passes through might be useful in note or posting form, and that gets lost. (I make a concious effort to make sure good stuff gets posted more formally.)

[vic user]

Terry Yagar wrote:
Well, I do practically live here...mebbe I need a life! (I usually average about 19 hours a day online, so I check this board pretty frequently.)
BTW, vic...I did see you online at the same time I was...If there was a chat feature I would have said hello to you.

--T

I think I am like you. I have lots of access to computer time, and this site is one of my top three sites I go to. I wouldn't want to know how many times I pop in for a few seconds every day, just to look for any 'yellow' icons :)

I like having a place where chances are I will find a topic I want to read and perhaps participate in, and it is also giving me way more than I put in. There is a lot going on in the vintage computing world that I had no idea about, and this place helps fill me in.

And everyone seems super friendly.

I did try using pm (private message), once, and I think it worked, although the recepient did not contact me. No worries, it was't a big thing, and I am a big boy, I can take being ignored ;)

Chris

[barryp]

If I did that, would any of you find it useful?

I joined a group MANY years ago that schedules chats monthly. I've signed in a time or two but I prefer to read/write on my own schedule.

(Often in the middle of the night)

[CP/M User]

"vic user" wrote:

> I did try using pm (private message), once,
> and I think it worked, although the recepient
> did not contact me. No worries, it was't a big
> thing, and I am a big boy, I can take being
> ignored ;)

I've sent one & got no reply, so I've been
thinking about sending that message another
99 times to make sure there've got it! ;-)

Just report back (the result), if you decide to
try it! :-)

HEH!,
CP/M User.

[vic user]

've sent one & got no reply, so I've been
thinking about sending that message another
99 times to make sure there've got it! ;-)

:)

You would then have to change your name to CP/M spammer!

Chris

[CP/M User]

"vic user" wrote:

>> I've sent one & got no reply, so I've been
>> thinking about sending that message another
>> 99 times to make sure there've got it! ;-)

> :)

> You would then have to change your name to
> CP/M spammer!

Na, Erik wouldn't put up with all these changes!!
:-))

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[carlsson]

Maybe MP/M User, as I reckon the first M stands for multi? :lol: (not that I know how closely related CP/M and MP/M are - but a such discussion should probably be held in the CP/M subforum).

[Erik]

From the feedback I've gotten the chat feature sounded like it would be well received.

I've integrated PHPMyChat with the boards and will test it out over the next day or so. If it's reliable then it'll stay unless/until it doesn't seem like a good idea anymore.

If you're reading this, check the top of the page for the chat icon and join in. It runs as a separate window so you can continue your posting while chatting, etc.

Erik

[Terry Yager]

Erik,

Does this program offer a "page" feature? I remember that from a few old bbs programs, where if you see someone else on line that you wish to talk to, you can page them and invite them to chat.

--T

[vic user]

Does this program offer a "page" feature? I remember that from a few old bbs programs, where if you see someone else on line that you wish to talk to, you can page them and invite them to chat.

--T

That would be cool.

Chris

[Erik]

Does this program offer a "page" feature? I remember that from a few old bbs programs, where if you see someone else on line that you wish to talk to, you can page them and invite them to chat.

Not at the moment but a future revision might. If I ever get some time maybe I'll take a closer look at the code and see what I can implement.

Meanwhile, you've reminded me of countless nights when I awoke to the sound of a howling PC speaker because someone in another time zone decided that a chat with the SysOp sounded like a good idea. . . :)

Erik

[Terry Yager]

Yeah, as I recall, nearly every bbs program included a "page sysop" command. The really good ones allowed the sysop to *disable* the command tho. Not all the programs had a command to page another user, tho most did allow you to see the other users online. Go figger...
The one that comes to mind was "WorldCom" or "WorldPort", something like that. I seem to remember that feature in PCBoard, too but not Wildcat. I just don't remember if WWIV had it or not. (Yeah, I used to do a lot of bbs-ing, till Y2K killed off the few boards that were still left.)

--T

[CP/M User]

"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Does this program offer a "page" feature?

Yes, it's an issue (as I mentioned in the
Chatroom!!), but I missed the responce! ;-)

That way you don't have to be there all the
time to get a responce! ;-)

But I wouldn't want old messages hanging
around there. I think that a fortnight would
be ample time in case you missed something,
after that should be deleted (& to bring back
some space or something).

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[CP/M User]

"Erik" wrote:

> Not at the moment but a future revision might.
> If I ever get some time maybe I'll take a closer
> look at the code and see what I can implement.

Oh okay!

> Meanwhile, you've reminded me of countless
> nights when I awoke to the sound of a howling
> PC speaker because someone in another time
> zone decided that a chat with the SysOp
> sounded like a good idea. . . :)

Who me?! Well I just sent another late nighter! ;-)

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[Terry Yager]

Erik,

I finally got a chance to try out the chat. I'm having trouble with some of the colors used. On my screen, the background is like a very light blue (cyan?). A couple of foreground colors don't show up very well on that background. The colors that disappear are (so far) light green and white.

--T

[Erik]

The background color is a light blue on my machine. There are a number of colors that don't look right on it.

I don't know if/how I can change any of the attributes but if I find time I'll look into it.

Erik