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irene_b

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How about a chat room?
Irene
 
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I have never seen the use for a chat room on a internet forum, the web is full of chat rooms and chat programs, like IM, Yahoo, etc. In fact, there must be at least a dozen free chat programs advailable for anyone who wished to chat with friends, putting one on a bonsai forum is redundant at the least. Now you can even Skype friends for free....


Will
 

irene_b

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I have never seen the use for a chat room on a internet forum, the web is full of chat rooms and chat programs, like IM, Yahoo, etc. In fact, there must be at least a dozen free chat programs advailable for anyone who wished to chat with friends, putting one on a bonsai forum is redundant at the least. Now you can even Skype friends for free....
Will


A lot can be learned in a chat room as well...
Establishes a better report between members!
Sometimes when the English words are lacking it can better teach each other to see better!
Learn more about friends from other countries.
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A lot can be learned in a chat room as well...
Establishes a better report between members!
Sometimes when the English words are lacking it can better teach each other to see better!
Learn more about friends from other countries.
Irene

Hi Irene,

I have to respectfully disagree with you on the subject.

While this may be true to some, it doesn't negate the fact that there are many chat options out there already and adding one here would be a exercise in redundancy. For those who like to chat, I would suggest a free program like IM which is easy to use and even can be used while on this forum, why would anyone need anything else? I have nothing aginst those who wish to chat, by all means chat your hearts out, but there is no logical reason to have a chat area taking up real estate and bandwidth when one can chat already.

I didn't think there was anything wrong with the existing rapport between the members that needed improvement?

In my opinion, chat areas simply allow information to be passed along without review by our peers, bad information can go unchallenged or uncorrected when it is basically hidden from the forum members eyes.

Also chat doesn't allow for good content to be archived, searched, and read by members in the future, in effect, chat produces temporary information that may be good or bad and then it gone with the wind.

Before there were forums, there was the likes of IRC, Undernet, EFNET, ect and there were bonsai chat rooms there as well, they were popular because frankly, that's all there was. But nothing from those were saved, all the good, bad, fun, friends, are all lost, gone, forgotten.

Many forums base their worth on the number of members they have, or the number of hits they get, some even intelligently base their worth on the number of truly active members and just not on the names in the member list. However, the nitty-gritty of the matter is that a forum should be judged by the content it has, a bonsai forum with 60% non-bonsai related content is only 40% good, as related to bonsai and those seeking info on the same. A chat area adds zero content to a forum and, judged on the previous thought, it is worthless.


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In my opinion, chat areas simply allow information to be passed along without review by our peers, bad information can go unchallenged or uncorrected when it is basically hidden from the forum members eyes.

Also chat doesn't allow for good content to be archived, searched, and read by members in the future, in effect, chat produces temporary information that may be good or bad and then it gone with the wind.

Translation: "There will be subversive content that Vance and I will not be able to control. People might say things about us we don't like."

Many forums base their worth on the number of members they have, or the number of hits they get, some even intelligently base their worth on the number of truly active members and just not on the names in the member list. However, the nitty-gritty of the matter is that a forum should be judged by the content it has, a bonsai forum with 60% non-bonsai related content is only 40% good, as related to bonsai and those seeking info on the same. A chat area adds zero content to a forum and, judged on the previous thought, it is worthless.
Will


Translation: "There is a great value to stuffiness, and friendliness is only important to those of us we think can move us up the ladder."

We've heard all these arguments before, and they just don't wash. Peer review? Archiving? Crap!
 
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Translation: "There will be subversive content that Vance and I will not be able to control. People might say things about us we don't like."




Translation: "There is a great value to stuffiness, and friendliness is only important to those of us we think can move us up the ladder."

We've heard all these arguments before, and they just don't wash. Peer review? Archiving? Crap!
Chris, this in no way was said or implied, you are reading your own personal grudges into my words, it is unbecomming to say the least.

One again, you attack the author instead of the subject, why don't you try debating the content of my words for once, maybe you can change my feelings on this subject.

In other words, do you have a intelligent rebuttal or are you simple going to attack people personally again? And how in God's name did Vance come up in this?



Will
 
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Graydon

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I'm not a chatter. I have yet to go in to chat on other sites. Perhaps for the fear of the unknown, perhaps it's just plain lack of interest. I can agree in that it does build rapport with members, or at least those that participate. I can also agree with Will that any content in the chat is not archived, searched, and read by members in the future and that is the downside.

I did have a member from bonsaiTalk PM me the other day with some specific questions. Several people in chat directed him to me for some clarification and advice. At least that person was sent to seek help elsewhere if nobody there could help. My question would be does that happen often or do people take guesses at those type answers?

I am not sure this site is ready for chat. Let's see what we can do without the potentially frivolous stuff.
 

Ashbarns

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Strange that Vance was brought into the debate. But I can say that when Vance came into chat at bonsaiTALK a couple of months ago he was treated with great respect and cordially returned that respect. Vance provided great insight when asked questions related to bonsai and this was appreciated by those involved. I can also vouch that when he left there were no sly comments, in fact people were in awe and commented favourably. We have had a lot of 'big' names visit chat recently and these are great moments for those involved. It is a sharing facility which nowadays involves a lot more bonsai related questions being asked but it is also a social experience which as Irene said, bonds people from all over the world.

Ash :D :D
 
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Strange that Vance was brought into the debate. But I can say that when Vance came into chat at bonsaiTALK a couple of months ago he was treated with great respect and cordially returned that respect. Vance provided great insight when asked questions related to bonsai and this was appreciated by those involved. I can also vouch that when he left there were no sly comments, in fact people were in awe and commented favourably. We have had a lot of 'big' names visit chat recently and these are great moments for those involved. It is a sharing facility which nowadays involves a lot more bonsai related questions being asked but it is also a social experience which as Irene said, bonds people from all over the world.

Well put, and I agree completely with your thoughts, I just don't see the need for a chat feature on a forum, there are many other chat programs, with many more features than can be on a forum, that are already available to all who wish to chat. Why add redundancy?

Here's a perfect example. When you post a comment here, you'll see a little check mark with the letters "ABC" above it, when you click on it it will tell you about a free program for checking spelling called IESpell. This is perfect, why add a spell check when IESpell is free, works well, and is easy to install and use. I comend Bonsainut for this, he did not use up more server space, nor bandwidth, he simply linked to an already good program...no redundancy!


Will
 

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All good things come to an end, and so ends this thread.

For the record, I have no plans of adding a chat room to BonsaiNut. Like a fine wine I prefer to savor my bonsai reading, and wish to keep this site a traditional "post and respond" community. I don't have anything against chat rooms in general, just not here.

I want to briefly comment on the somewhat hostile tone some of these threads have taken. It is obvious that some of you are carrying baggage from past virtual relationships on other sites. This is not the place for you to continue a running disagreement, if one existed in the past. I will continue to judge members and posts on a discrete basis. Please follow the rules of this site, which are to offer content that is:

1) Friendly
2) Funny or
3) Constructive

If you can't play by the rules you will have to find another playground.
 
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