Shoutbox or not?

[Gryzor]

Too harsh.


Facebook chats just suck (big), Hangouts and Skype can't even hope to reach the functionality that IRC offers in terms or real-time, anonymous, everybody-welcome interaction.

[villain]

Sometimes it's better to just decide.

[Gryzor]

In this case, I wash my hands, because either way people are going to complain

[elanstra]

That and many people confuse it for a search engine.

100% agreed. People registers, asks questions in shoutbox instead of taking the time to search and then leave, and repeat this in a loop.

[chinnyhill10]

What it says above.


By the way, the paid version is this: SMFPacks Shoutbox Pro . If people think the features are good, we've had enough donations to get it

Kill it with fire! Totally useless. People should just use the main forum if they want to chat.


I wanted to show a friend something on here the other night on the Ebay thread via my phone. Couldn't find the thread so I did a search. Yep, I used the Shoutbox even though I am a daily visitor here.


Replace it with a search function which will then encourage people to search for answers instead of asking the same questions about SCART leads and GX4000 PSU's.

[mr_lou]

IRC?! Great Scott, Marty, back that DeLorean up, we need to reach 88mph!

Seriously who uses IRC today? the same people who listen to Long Wave radio? In the age of the likes of Google Hangouts, Facebook group chats and Skype messaging amongst others, I'm shocked that IRC still exists. There's probably still ICQ clingers on out there too...

You can't seriously argue like this, on a forum about a 30-year old 8-bit computer....

Yes, IRC has actually lost about 60% of its users since 2003, on all networks except Freenode which has had an increase of users for some reason. But IRC is still used by hundreds of thousands of users. Don't forget that all the dating-like chats once took place on IRC. It is mainly these users that has left in favour of other platforms - and us IRC users don't mind that at all.

IRC is a great simple protocol that would make sense to use for the CPC.

And please - don't write something off just because it's old.

[Gryzor]

100% agreed. People registers, asks questions in shoutbox instead of taking the time to search and then leave, and repeat this in a loop.

Haven't noticed it, but then again I very seldom use the Shoutbox. But this could be prevented by restricting access to those who have a few posts under their belt, I think.

Kill it with fire! Totally useless. People should

Whoa there. People *could*, not *should*.

just use the main forum if they want to chat.

Definitely not the same. You can't 'chat' real-time through forum posts.

[/size]

I wanted to show a friend something on here the other night on the Ebay thread via my phone. Couldn't find the thread so I did a search. Yep, I used the Shoutbox even though I am a daily visitor here.

Interesting, I believe you It's a different theme when it goes to mobile, so I can see that happening...

[Gryzor]

What if we modified it to be hidden on a per-user level?

[Gryzor]

Yeah but that's a pain when 1) You're on multiple devices, I work with several different machines and the settings aren't tied to the user, and 2) occasionally I get auto logged out and when I log back in there, it is again. I just think it's a lot less invasive down the bottom rather than up the top.

By the way, I don't think this happens. I've been looking at it, and it's a cookie thing, so it should stay collapsed on each browser you use and have collapsed it, unless you clean your data.

[Shaun M. Neary]

You can't seriously argue like this, on a forum about a 30-year old 8-bit computer....

Yes, IRC has actually lost about 60% of its users since 2003, on all networks except Freenode which has had an increase of users for some reason. But IRC is still used by hundreds of thousands of users. Don't forget that all the dating-like chats once took place on IRC. It is mainly these users that has left in favour of other platforms - and us IRC users don't mind that at all.

IRC is a great simple protocol that would make sense to use for the CPC.

And please - don't write something off just because it's old.

Oh be serious, half of my post was in jest, it was obvious.
I wasn't writing it off because it was old, I was writing it off because in the days of mobile technology, it's outdated and has been replaced with more modern ways of chat. That's not me writing it off either, it's just fact. 

[PulkoMandy]

Having more people on the IRC channels would be nice. Here is an easy link to join us from your web browser, nothing to setup, no account to create: http://webchat.freenode.net?channels=%23cpc&uio=d4

Can the skype/hangouts/whatever do something this simple?

I'll read you in my IRC client, which I do use a lot. No need to watch the forum webpage anymore. Less wasted time for me 

[Shaun M. Neary]

I didn't realise signing up for an account and installing an app was so taxing! 

[PulkoMandy]

Wow, you even need to install an app? Sorry, no way that will work on my Symbian phone nor my Haiku PC. No way I can use these fancy and shiny new protocols then.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Wow, you even need to install an app? Sorry, no way that will work on my Symbian phone nor my Haiku PC. No way I can use these fancy and shiny new protocols then.

Aw man, Haiku. I really wish they'd not dropped the ball on that. I was such a fan of BeOS back in the day.

[mr_lou]

I didn't realise signing up for an account and installing an app was so taxing! 

You completely lost me.
No one is complaining about needing to install an app. You need to install an app to go on IRC with your phone too, or install an application on your PC, unless you choose to use one of the web-based HTML5 apps (and you already have a browser installed of course).

I see you're mostly focusing on PC usage here, while one of my primary reasons for recommending IRC, is (apart from the fact that there already exists several CPC channels) that I expect to see an IRC-client for the CPC in the near future, now that the M4 board is here. So it would make sense to use IRC already now, so that when the CPC IRC-client is ready, we can meet "the usual place" from our CPC too.

The IRC protocol is optimal, simple and ideal for the CPC - which obviously doesn't belong in the modern mobile technology category.

And please drop the attitude. You don't see me disrespecting you (or anyone else) like that.

[Shaun M. Neary]

You completely lost me.
No one is complaining about needing to install an app. You need to install an app to go on IRC with your phone too, or install an application on your PC, unless you choose to use one of the web-based HTML5 apps (and you already have a browser installed of course).

I see you're mostly focusing on PC usage here, while one of my primary reasons for recommending IRC, is (apart from the fact that there already exists several CPC channels) that I expect to see an IRC-client for the CPC in the near future, now that the M4 board is here. So it would make sense to use IRC already now, so that when the CPC IRC-client is ready, we can meet "the usual place" from our CPC too.

The IRC protocol is optimal, simple and ideal for the CPC - which obviously doesn't belong in the modern mobile technology category.

And please drop the attitude. You don't see me disrespecting you (or anyone else) like that.

That's all well and good, but 1) I was focusing more on mobile usage, as that's where a lot of people focus on and 2) not everyone who posts on the CPC wiki forums connects to the internet with their CPC for text based communication.


As for the attitude, I'd suggest practicing what you preach, not only did you fail to see the humour in my post, but you totally misunderstood the context of it.

[mr_lou]

That's all well and good, but 1) I was focusing more on mobile usage, as that's where a lot of people focus on and 2) not everyone who posts on the CPC wiki forums connects to the internet with their CPC for text based communication.

Fair enough. So you're focussing on mobile usage. Fine: There are plenty of IRC apps available for mobile devices, and judging from your previous mocking post that apparently assumed that I didn't want to install an app, you made it pretty clear that you definitely don't mind installing an app. So, problem solved.

As for the attitude, I'd suggest practicing what you preach, not only did you fail to see the humour in my post, but you totally misunderstood the context of it.

Misunderstanding something isn't an attitude problem. And when you use words like "seriously", you're not making it easy to see that you were just "jesting". In any case, jesting or not, you did mean what you wrote - that IRC was in no way an option. And that was the part I was replying to - not your jesting.
Sorry if you took that the wrong way. I made sure I did not make fun of your opinion, and I did not use any mocking smileys - like you did.

[mr_lou]

I should add that, since IRC is a protocol, you can start an IRC client and join a channel with a simple IRC link, making access quick and easy from CPCwiki too.

Code Select Expand


irc://irc-server:port/channel?key


[Shaun M. Neary]

Fair enough. So you're focussing on mobile usage. Fine: There are plenty of IRC apps available for mobile devices, and judging from your previous mocking post that apparently assumed that I didn't want to install an app, you made it pretty clear that you definitely don't mind installing an app. So, problem solved.

Misunderstanding something isn't an attitude problem. And when you use words like "seriously", you're not making it easy to see that you were just "jesting". In any case, jesting or not, you did mean what you wrote - that IRC was in no way an option. And that was the part I was replying to - not your jesting.
Sorry if you took that the wrong way. I made sure I did not make fun of your opinion, and I did not use any mocking smileys - like you did.

Oh for the love of god!
The smiles were put in place to ENSURE that I was joking, hence why the laughing one was placed in too.


So before you practice being a wannabe moderator, please bear in mind that I'm not a newbie on this forum. I'm here four years and I don't exactly have a history of offending posters.


Thank you and goodbye.

[PulkoMandy]

Aw man, Haiku. I really wish they'd not dropped the ball on that. I was such a fan of BeOS back in the day.

Being a Haiku developer myself, and contributing quite a lot to it, I'm surprised to learn that. Or do you mean the Skype port to it? 

[Gryzor]

Guys, maybe calm down a bit? No reason to get all riled up here

[mr_lou]

Guys, maybe calm down a bit? No reason to get all riled up here

Exactly what I mean. No need to put on an attitude. And I assure you I am perfectly calm.

People's reactions to opposite opinions frequently puzzles me. I would like to be able to discuss topics here without anyone feeling the need to use degrading comments or disrespectful facepalm smileys, instead of simply sharing their relevant opinion. That's what I want for Christmas.

[Gryzor]

So, I guess shoutbox is out then? Although I do love IRC, I can't see it being integrated in any meaningful way...


Btw, you guys didn't reply to me regarding the collapsible shoutbox state on mobile screens!

[mr_lou]

So, I guess shoutbox is out then? Although I do love IRC, I can't see it being integrated in any meaningful way...

What's missing? How does your vision look like?

[Gryzor]

Having a separate page with an IRC implementation means very little; people can go to IRC through any number of pages or programs. Would only be different if I managed to integrate it in the homepage, but I don't see that happening...