Chat in the Wiki?

[Gryzor]

Hello people!

I've been looking at some extensions to enrich the site. One module I'll probably be installing is a chat module.

Now, I've brought it down to two choices: an Ajax-based one, that will create a site-specific chat room (meaning, only site visitors will be able to access it, but it's really sleek and can maybe go to the bottom of the first page), and one that essentially embeds an IRC window in a wiki page. Obviously it can point to any IRC room, beit a CPCWiki one or a general Amstrad one.

So, what do you think? Which way should we go?

Cheers
Gryzor

[robcfg]

I'd rather go for the Ajax one. I think that people who use IRC will have its already-configured-to-own-taste client so another one will be of no use. I find it a better idea to have the integrated chat client for the people inside the wiki.

[CPCLER]

I agree with Robcfg

I also would prefere an AJAX one for people inside the WIKI!

Regards,
CPCLER

PS. But another solution could be to install both solutions, and let people decide over time!

[Gryzor]

Thanks for your feedback, mates...

@CPCLER: no vote?

Installing both would be an idea. The nice thing with the Ajax solution is that it can be embedded nicely in a page. The IRC room will need a separate page, so we can track how many people actually use it...

[RadoS]

"existing IRC users": what's the problem with that, you don't design the page for existing chatters to convert them from IRC,
but for those who don't chat already anyhow to get more.
Don't think about it as "a place to bring the other places together", this doesn't work well, people are too lazy to move/  change.
   Having a separate technology cuts you off from those IRCers or you ask them to do more to stay tuned with cpc world, while they could
   easily add another item in their existing IRC list. Either way is no "more" effort for newbies, but non-IRC means more effort for IRCers.

If you made it IRC, then along the line you should use an existing place, not a separate channel, so you already get some population to start with.
I know there are a few, ... err, _were_ :-)
IRCnet#cpc died off it seems, freenode#cpc has 3-4 permanent residents with occasional pop ups from passers-by, and there is (was) a French
Channel of which I forgot the server/channel. UnderNet#csa8 has apparently died, too.
Not knowing details about the Frenchies, and being biased, freenode#cpc might be a safe option, but the Frenchies were know to be more -> more useful for a start (if they still exist).

[Gryzor]

kangaroo, who (let's not forget!) donates the server for our wiki, suggested that we used an IRC module, because an Ajax one may crash the server due to memory/CPU requirements. I will look into it, but if he says so it must be so - it's his job after all!

So we will probably go with an IRC module, but which room should we connect it too? A shame though, because an Ajax field at the footer would be really sweet...

[RadoS]

channel: either freenode or the unknown French one.

IRC: there is http://jchatirc.sf.net/ if you don't find anything better.

[Gryzor]

Thanks for the jchat link, I will look into it, although I've found a couple that have been turned into Mediawiki extensions - probably suited better, but really anything would do if we just used a separate page!

[RadoS]

You can see how it can be integrated/ used on http://xblast.sf.net/
Stop by for a round of xb, too, if you like.

[PulkoMandy]

The "french" channe is irc.neoxys.org/#cpc. There are mostly french users for now, but we accept other languages without problems (well, at least everyone understands english and i can translate from spanish to french).
I'm also connected to the freenode one...

I'm ok to have an IRC client connected somewhere on my desktop, but I don't like to have a webpage opened just to chat...

[Devilmarkus]

I know, it's an old post here, but what do you think about using my chat?
It is already connected on my website (http://cpc.devilmarkus.de), CPC-forever website (http://cpcforever.com) and CPC-Forum (http://cpc-forum.de)

The chat is based on Flashchat and does allow you to choose much languages for the interface.

The URL to the chat is http://cpc.devilmarkus.de/chat or http://chat.devilmarkus.de

If you want, I can also create new rooms for it... p.e. CPC-Wiki or so...

Cheers, Markus

[RadoS]

I know, it's an old post here, but what do you think about using my chat?
It is already connected on my website (http://cpc.devilmarkus.de), CPC-forever website (http://cpcforever.com) and CPC-Forum (http://cpc-forum.de)
The chat is based on Flashchat and does allow you to choose much languages for the interface.

re old:
   As general note, I guess we all have just become too lazy old farts lately, unwilling to move from where we feel comfortable already to unite somewhere else. Somehow it doesn't pay off to spend the effort to move for the (apparently) little gain.
If we have had enough urge so far, we would have united somewhere already, even within a single technology medium.

re technology:
   I agree with PulkoMandy, chat via web isn't the real thing in itself, but especially when you're already used to chatting via "proper" tools/ technology. Yet we haven't come together in IRC alone. ;-/ Even less so we will get together across platforms without a really _good_ reason, like big masses awaiting us on the other side.
Therefore I suggest to unite first per platform, then we can see how many there are total, and then we can argue with "less overhead for the smaller group to switch".