I have always thought that this site would do well with a chatter box. For those that are unfamiliar with a chatterbox concept, I was first introduced to the concept at http://www.perlmonks.org. You can see it on the right hand corner. It allows people the ability to chat at basically real time. The great thing is though that the messages disappear after a certain amount of time. It would be great for "hey lets grab some lunch", or "check out this site", or "see you at the party at 12". It is a way to vent without wasting on a post. It is also a way to grab someones attention if you would like to say "wazzzup" or "why weren't you at the game". Do note that all could see this but not be wasting a post on some randomness. Such as if I want to know where Kay_Yow is at and if she wants to grab lunch becuase I am on campus, but I don't know where she is, she has no cell and I have tried her home phone...

The concept behind building this is simple. Base the post on an amount of time. If a post is over 5 minutes old delete it. If no post in that time zone, don't show any, other than TWW is sleeping or something. It would be just like a message board but would be on, lets say the first page in a table. Then you could expand it by going to that page. It would be simple to creat a java interface for it to make it a seperate window to watch the chatters and chat (or for that even a screen saver). It would not have topics rather everything would be fresh and up to date. It would be a big TWW/BrentRoad chat room.

That is something I think would be awesome for TWW/BrentRoad. Comments...

1/16/2002 1:56:26 PM

take too many resources.

3/26/2002 5:54:29 AM

Untrue. This is a great idea.

[Edited on March 26, 2002 at 10:44 AM. Reason : ...]

3/26/2002 10:44:20 AM

that would be great

3/26/2002 3:47:28 PM

nutsmack®, how so?

3/26/2002 3:54:11 PM

yeah i am thinking about doing an overhaul of the backend where you can include whatever sidebar you want and we can make a bunch of new sidebars. i have avoided doing dynamic sidebars in the past because i rarely see it implemented correctly. it is usually just confusing as hell for the average user.

i have always stood by the philosophy that it is better to make decisions for the user instead of making them think about it. it works good for new users and infrequent users, but i think a lot of you guys spend enough time on this site where personalization would be a benefit.

3/26/2002 4:03:01 PM

...but only for PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS.

3/26/2002 6:10:19 PM

^ what he said

3/27/2002 12:46:09 AM

LeGo

Quote :

"It is a way to vent without wasting on a post."

The padders wont be using it much.

CrazyJ

Quote :

" i have avoided doing dynamic sidebars in the past because i rarely see it implemented correctly. it is usually just confusing as hell for the average user."

Fuck 'em, we dont need stupid people on here. All of us are at least in college, the average user cant be that dumb.

3/27/2002 1:55:47 AM

[image]C:\My Documents\springbreak01.jpg[/image]

3/27/2002 2:47:14 AM

being in college doesn't mean you're intelligent. you wouldn't believe how many people come to the bookstore and as me if they can use an HP ink cartridge with their Lexmark printer

3/27/2002 10:41:48 AM

can you?

3/27/2002 10:52:09 AM

Hey I don't know if anybody would be in favor of it, but something along the same lines. If this would be a real time chat thing, would there be any chance of implementing a voice chat option? Just a thought, it might be interesting and cut down on posts if you could voice chat or just regularly chat without having to waste all that space on pointless posts.

3/27/2002 12:04:52 PM

voice chat is fucking LAME

3/27/2002 12:59:10 PM

Thats half the fun though Hemo. Lol.

3/27/2002 2:32:07 PM

voice chat?? wouldn't that be called the phone?? <

LeGo

Quote :

" It is also a way to grab someones attention if you would like to say "wazzzup" or "why weren't you at the game". "

Whats wrong with AIM or other instant messaging tools??





[Edited on March 27, 2002 at 6:27 PM. Reason : ?]

3/27/2002 6:26:06 PM

Quote :

"Whats wrong with AIM or other instant messaging tools??"

Not every computer has AIM or another tool (that might be compatible)! If I am in the lab and see someone is on and I want to call them out but don't have aim... what do I do? Also what if I want to address the whole community when calling someone out?

Also what if I want to ask the community a question but don't need to waste a post or thread on it... Such as "Hey what was that new invention called, something like the IT and where can I find info". A thread of this would be gay. It would go in tech talk but would be wasteful...

There is a need for this refer to my first post, posted 2 months ago...

3/27/2002 7:18:04 PM

*scrugs* that's cool-- I just didn't really see a need for it if you just wanted to say hello or wazzup to someone-- but now I do. also I know what you mean about not every computer having AIM- the computers at peace have software that blocks a user from downloading AIM so I just use AIM express when I'm on one of those.

3/27/2002 9:30:13 PM

LeGo

Quote :

"Not every computer has AIM or another tool (that might be compatible)! If I am in the lab and see someone is on and I want to call them out but don't have aim... what do I do? Also what if I want to address the whole community when calling someone out? "

Use TWW Mail. Its great. Really.

3/28/2002 12:14:15 AM

A chatter box would cut down on the mass mail.

3/28/2002 1:36:38 AM

tww is not so great if you are tryin' to conduct a conversation.

3/28/2002 3:59:42 AM

wtf? A chatterbox?

A chatroom?

3/28/2002 4:22:39 AM

NCstateBen

Quote :

"Use TWW Mail. Its great. Really."

Let me be like every other jackass and spam the "whole community" and get suspended. Re-read what I said.

Dijital

Quote :

"tww is not so great if you are tryin' to conduct a conversation."

It can be...

Morphine Boy

Quote :

"wtf? A chatterbox? A chatroom? "

Are you posting to just to see yourself post? A chatroom is different than a chatterbox... welcome to web. There are similarities but the idea of a chatroom is to chat over a network using a program designed for chatting, the idea of a chatterbox is not to create a seperate application to chat but to be able to integrate chatting within a website. Obviously none of you who don't like the idea have visited perlmonks. I recommend you doing this before rolling your eyes...

http://www.perlmonks.org/index.pl/?node=chatterbox+faq&type=document

Then ask yourself is this a chatroom, then answer your question with no, this is a chat application that is web based (can also be java based) that people chat on this particular website with. Note it does not take up the entire page, it does not automatically update (you have to load a new page) and many other simple differenciating factors.

Your statement was basically equivelant to saying that tww is a ubb with modifications. There are differences that would make this a good implementation vs. a bad one. I.E. "lets just have a chatroom in AIM, that would suck ass", but if we had a chatterbox on the front page that everyone saw when they came to the website (or on a page they could link to), it would be something people could use and be attracted to...

[Edited on March 28, 2002 at 9:37 AM. Reason : ]

3/28/2002 9:36:59 AM

LeGo. On behalf of all TWWers, I would like to remind you to plase take your hemorrhoid medication from now on. You are being a total ass to anyone who dissagrees with you. I know this may sound hard for you to believe, but people will have opinions different from your own. Accept it dude. Not everyone here likes this idea you have proposed.

Now, I am open to new features here on TWW, but I just dont think this thing is needed. Furthermore, the reasons you give for wanting it dont help your case at all. You want an easy way to give a "shout out" to one of your friends? Then people suggest AIM or TWW Mail and you bash them for it? Chill out. Contrary to what you may think, these are real and working solutions to accomplish everything that you think your idea will accomplish. There is no need to get hostile over people making these legitimate suggestions. Doing so does not help your case. It just makes you look like a raging poomfucker.

3/28/2002 11:52:24 AM

The problem is that you don't have a different opinion, you just don't understand what I want. Yes you can use TWW mail and AIM, but you can't interact with everyone on TWW while doing this. The point is to have a community chatterbox, not AIM or MAIL... You can post a message for this, but I don't want to pad to just ask "what time is the game tonight" or some other bs that you would say in a conversation.

If you don't like that idea cool, but if you don't understand it and say just use TWW mail and AIM then you are missing the whole point. Maybe this is above your head and you shouldn't comment on it till you try it somewhere, I am sure some of you just d/l netscape and use it, aim and winamp. Having something that is different and benificial is good!

Don't knock it until you try it. Also I am glad that you are now TWW spokesman.

Quote :

"Contrary to what you may think, these are real and working solutions to accomplish everything that you think your idea will accomplish. "

Why buy a geo storm for gas mileage, a convertable to pimp in, and a SUV for your urban comute, when you can just buy one car to satisfy all your needs (and save money). Am I suppose to spam email everyone, go through every AIM name of everyone online, and post a topic in three threads to ask when the game is, or have a "conversation with tww". What if I am new here and just want to see if anyone wants to grab lunch at El Rodeo. There are numerous applications for this. If you want this website to be a NCSU community this will help, if you want this to be a clic for people who know each other and hang out any ways this won't help becuase they already IM, Email, and conversate. I am trying to offer a suggestion that will create more of a community feel.

I am trying to help tww out not be a "total ass", I am cool with dissagreements. I won't make any other comments about this at all, unless asked to. If you don't like the idea, it is not going to hurt my feelings. If it is implemented correctly I think it would be a great asset.

3/28/2002 12:50:16 PM

i have a question tho-- you said that after five minutes a post would delete right?? how would someone know what was said 10 minutes ago --like if you asked a question and no one who was on at that time who could answer it effectively-- then what would you do?? keep asking it over and over??

3/28/2002 2:01:16 PM

Yes, it is like a chat. Depending on how it is implemented different messages will get deleted. It could be based on a ten minute scale or a 20 post scale. It is really up to the implementor.

The way it is on perlmonks is that the chat is displayed on everypage. So it is either ignored or people see it. It is hard not to pay attention too. More tww crack to keep people addicted.

With the implementation on perlmonks there are a few perl experts and they get lots of general perl questions in the box. So people read it to see if they can help.

It could be used here for similiar types of things like anyone want to grab a beer, or hey who wants to skinny dip at the abbey pool right now.

But to answer your question directly "how would someone know what was said 10 minutes ago --like if you asked a question and no one who was on at that time who could answer it effectively-- then what would you do?? keep asking it over and over??"

This is a chatterbox. It is implemented in such a way that it would immetate a real life conversation. IE, you are at the cafateria with 20 ww'ers. You ask hey want to grab a beer? Then bob walks up. What do you do? You can ask him again or you can just ignore him and let him not know about it, it depends on your preference. Treat it like a normal conversation.

If you ask a question that no one answers then like in the real world, they don't know the answer or they are ignoring you. Granted you will have anoying people who repeatidly ask questions, you will have those that do say stuff that is inappropriate, but it is like real life.

I hope that answers your question. Basically it is not full proof though. If you get ignored or people that can answer your question aren't online it might suck. I just think it would be cool. Like prep-e and Cee-Jay could discuss their indiferences on the chatterbox vs a post... People could jump in and be a part of the convo... It would just be more ww crack. I can think of thousands of scenarios I would like to see, but if people don't use it, it will suck (and I can admit that)...

3/28/2002 2:31:51 PM

Quote :

"TWW crack"

hahahahhaha god that's great!!!

This idea now has the Official Minka Approval!! I think it would be a great idea if we can get it up and working!!

3/28/2002 2:41:45 PM

i think that could be handy

3/29/2002 1:54:16 AM

3/29/2002 3:34:47 AM

No sir, I don't like it.

3/31/2002 2:37:01 PM