Scheduled Chats.

[Danustouch]

I have been speaking with Mol, and remarked how the chatroom doesn't seem to be having the traffic that it did at first. We were talking about what could maybe boost the traffic of the chatroom, and a suggestion I came up with was Scheduled Chats. Mol and Semele both thought it might be a good idea, but...we wanted to get feedback from the rest of the board, first. Before making your decision, I'll just let you know what the general idea is.

First of all...scheduled chats would be from 8 to 9 on a couple of days a week. If you wanted to come for regular chatter, you could either show up toward the tail end and hang around until 9, or just chat via pm for a bit until the scheduled chat was over :) How would we choose a topic for scheduled chat? Well...we'd ask for idea's from all of you! And after we got a few, we'd post a poll on them, to see which ones were interesting to the most people:) And they would become the scheduled chats.

Basically, the idea is, that if we had a set topic, for an hour one or two nights a week, people who may not normally want to chat about the weather, or what we're eating for dinner, might come into the chat room, if they knew that there would be a group of people talking about something that they find really interesting, on a given night.

So...what do you all think? Should we have scheduled chats once in a while?

[Lavender]

I think that would be a great idea. Topic discussions.

[Flaire-FireStar]

:thumbsup: I think it's a great idea, Danus. :)

[Mithrea]

While I think it might seem like a good idea, I think it has more potential to alienate people who do want to talk about the weather and what they are eating for dinner rather than to encourage new people to come.

The room is casual and I thought that is what it was supposed to be. Scheduled chats would make make it more formal and I know I wouldn't like that. As it is right now, if I want to talk about something I just go in there and bring it up. I don't want to have to go through the song and dance of having to "propose" it and get some sort of approval -- the whole concept is just icky.

If you want to increase traffic there are other things you can do. I know everyone got the mailer but I've noticed that it wasn't posted in every forum. Some people may not be reading the mailer and many people do not go in to the two or three specific forums where it is posted. Also the directions that are posted everywhere are for mIRC. Many people on these boards are not familiar with that and the EFNET #mysticwicks etc. looks like a bunch of gobbledygook to less experienced users. I think people need to know two things 1)mIRC just isn't that big a program and wouldn't be that hard to download especially with help (which I got -- courtesy of Faolan and SpikesPet5150) and 2) You can use COTSE to do it with JAVA. Other than the little bit in the orignal "SURPRISE: Chat" thread, there is no mention of it.

I also think you could designate certain people to help others get into chat. I know how to do it both ways and have helped several people get on. I would be more than happy to have some of my contact info shared to help people get into the room. And I know people are still learning because there were two new people on last night and I watched them helping each other. Chat can be intimidating at first for people who have never done and they need someone to explain the bots and commands, etc. which a few of us have been doing.

My point is :p that I think people need to be reminded it's their and shown how easy it is to get on. I don't think they need to schedule topics to discuss. We are reasonably intelligent people and if we want to discuss something -- we will. Besides, if people don't know how to get there or are intimidated or overwhelmed by chat, then they won't show up for scheduled chats either.

[Danustouch]

While I think your suggestions are also good, mithrea...I also think that limiting it to one hour one or two nights a week, makes it "unicky" :) There are 24 hours a day, I don't think that two hours a week will really make that big of a deal. But I could be wrong. If enough people don't think it's a good idea...then we won't try it. It's just a suggestion :)

One thing I was thinking of, is that sometimes when I go in there, I'll bring up a topic that I want to talk about, and noone else there wants to discuss it. If we had a set topic, that I was interested in talking about..I would KNOW that there would be others there wanting to talk about it at the same point. Maybe others feel the same?

[Lavender]

Good points, Mithrea. I gave this some more thought. Maybe a couple of days each week might be too much to start with. I was thinking more along the lines of the scheduled chats as a specialty thing. Maybe once a week for a few hours. Or even once every couple of weeks or so.

The one thing I was concern with is the loss of information. With this board here, we can do a topic search & find things that had been previously discussed. It acts like an archive at the same time. On chat, so much info just goes off to cyberspace.

[Danustouch]

Hmm..thats true. On the other hand, it could work the opposite way. We could discuss something in chat, and then take something we learned there, or discussed there, and post it here.

Mol just made a differen't proposal. He agrees that it probably wouldn't be good to "turn people away" who didn't want to discuss the topic. However...suppose we DID go with the scheduled chat idea...and for the night of the discussion, all people who wanted to join in the topic, met in the room, and then Transferred over to a differen't room, in which to have the topic.

In other words...you show up to the regular chatroom at 8 pm, and then type

/join mysticwicksdiscussion

And it would bring you to another room, where the discussion was going on.

That way, the people who don't want to have a topic oriented discussion, or don't like the topic being discussed, could still hang out in the regular chat, and chat away, but the people who would enjoy the discussion format, could just have their space to do so?

That better?

[Mithrea]

Yes a different room would be fine, except that now I'm thinking about Wilchild's comment. On the boards people can come into the conversation at their leisure -- everyone can participate. In a chat format people can't participate unless they can be there at that exact time. They could learn a great deal in the discussion but will miss out completely just because they couldn't make it at that time. But if it was kept on the boards, it will always be there for everyone to participate when they can. Let's not forget that 8pm for us is the middle of the night for our European members.

And reposting what was said in chat seems like a can of worms that could be easily avoided by keeping it on the boards in the first place.

I'm sorry to be difficult but I just see this causing more problems than solving a simple traffic problem. :(

I think I'm saying, if everyone wants it, of course you should do it mol. I'm just pointing out what I see as hurdles and consequences.

And I still think more of an effort should be made to help less experienced users make it to chat in the first place. :) "/join mysticwicksdiscussion" means nothing to some of the people who may be reading this thread. Sorry to repeat. I'm really not trying to be a pain even though I'm doing a good job of it.

[StarryDancer]

Waaah! :wah: :wah: :wah: :wah: :wah:

I don't want scheduled chats because I can't take part in them!
Already missing out as is....**stamps foot**

Stoopid work compooter that won't let me download the good stuff!

[Myst]

I personally would not be interested, as I join the chat for friendly, leisurely discussion, rather then for being on topic or saying something worth thinking about (I would post that stuff here) :)

[MammaStar]

In theory, I think it is a good idea. I belong to an on line LOTR group (it's an AOL group) and we have our own chat room. The group leader and I have tried to "schedule" chats quite a bit, but they havent' been too successful. Everyone wants to be more involved, talk about the books and what not, but as soon as we schedule an event, it doesn't come to pass.

But, we have fun in the chat room. Like I said, I think it is a good idea, I just don't see it working out to the way we have it envisioned.

[shnen]

I doubt I would participate... unless the topic was something i was super interested in... I probably wouldn't.

[SpikesPet5150]

I probably wouldn't do it either. If I wanted to discuss something of interest, I would do it here, on the boards.. that way, people who aren't there while I'm posting can still reply to it later.

I go to the chat room for fun. Sometimes, it turns into a serious discussion, sometimes we play trivia. Sometimes we sit there and stare at the blank screen, hoping someone will type something. And it's fun. :)

But hey, if you make a different chat room all together, I wouldn't care one way or the other if you made it.. it wouldn't affect me in the least. And maybe, you can post the transcript of the chat in the appropriate forum, later.. if it's worth reading. That way, the discussion isn't ended, or limited and *everyone* has the chance to participate.

Oh, and I'm with Mithrea... I'll gladly help get people into the chat room.
~Bree

[materra]

I like the casual chats...non-formal, no shirt no shoes are fine with us atmosphere. I really liked the fact that I never know what I will find there..games, seriousness, silly fun, and herb, bugs and other good stuff. Last nite I logged on to the chat because I had had a very bad experience and found someone to express it to and then feel okay enough to go to bed. (Thanx) I find it impossible to join every nite for long, but I drop in often.

The part that made it hard is learning how to get there. We need a remedial instruction kit for this information. Also I never got an email notice...I found it thru the threads...So, maybe some others didn't get it either? Lets keep it free for a bit longer if we can....that's my vote. :)

[Faery-Wings]

I had to say No. For me, I get on to chat when the kids are asleep, hubby isn't home and my brain is fried. :p I like the goofy, fun and casual atmosphere. When I want to discuss soemthing seriously, I find the board to be a better medium for me.

I also think a tutorial is a good idea for those of us (like me!) who are novice chatters.

[Jeleia]

I think it would be a really good idea. :)

[TheTempestuous1]

Personally I think it would be a really good idea. I know the regular chat is fun and all, but sometimes it lacks the depth I'm looking for. Most 'Pagan' chats really don't have set topics (that I've found) so it just generally turns into a bunch of blah blah blah. This can turn others away because it's more along the 'just silly' lines which is definatly fun, but not everyone's cup of tea. I think a couple 'discussions' with actual pagan topics would be very interesting as not only would we be able to learn, but it's also more stimulating since it's a 'live' enviroment, which I think was the goal of adding a chat in the first place. It would give people who maybe don't post so much on the boards a chance to kinda of introduce themselves ino the community, talking about things that are interesting to them. It also offers instant gratification ;) which is always nice, and that makes people feel like they are really in a live stimulating pagan place, (not that mysticwicks doesn't but a chat is really a whole different kind of animal ;)) which is is great for people who don't really have any place they can go to have a RL discussion w/ other Pagans. I don't see how this will displace the normal chat as it is only a few hours a week, or at all since it seems now there will be a seperate chat all together.

Another idea: Have weekly (or however often) polls for the topic in the chat so you can be sure that people *are* in fact interested and maybe encourage people to vote only if they plan (or think they might) be there. I think we have nothing to lose from this, and everything to gain.

[flar7]

nah. I go there for the random shouting and inane banter of
the mentally handicapped. My Friends!:D

[Scarlettvixen]

I like the idea of scheduled chats and dont really care either way about the topic issue :p

I also think a tutorial or guide to get in there would b great!
my problem is that we are :cool:

My problem is that many of us live in different time zones, so when you post the chat time can you please let us know what zone you are talking about and a link to a calculator for the rest of us to translate would b nice (if there is one online).

[Myst]

Originally posted by flar7
nah. I go there for the random shouting and inane banter of
the mentally handicapped. My Friends!:D

haha! :)

[WandererInGray]

*smiles*
While it's kind of a good idea, here's my reason for disagreeing. Many people have already said them.

1) The chat seems to be for just general "get to know you (better)" conversation.

2) The forum is where the indepth discussions take place.

3) I too would be concerned about the loss of information...you can find it again on the boards here, but in chat, it kind of disappears.

4) (personal reason) I pretty much only get to log on during work, and pop in and out as that allows. When I get home I might hop on occasionally, but I too am fried and have other things I should be doing (like dinner). :D

The forum topics provide us with an "at your leisure" discussion. The proposed chat topics would almost be like a class. *grins* And personally I've never been good at showing up for them.

*shrugs* However, if enough people want it and are going to show up, then I'd be the last one to stand in the way.

[TheTempestuous1]

Yeah but my point is that it might be fun to have a discussion that wasn't so "at your leisure" and if people really care about being at the chat they'll come, why shouldn't we have it just because some people can't make it? Another option would be to log the chat if people wanted to know what had gone on, and either post it or mass email ext.. But that would entail more work for whoever would be running this. Basically I think we should have this chat, it'd be fun and would offer a live stimulating disscussion for those who (like myself) don't have any other pagans to talk to "live" Sometimes a think on your feet discussion/debate can be a lot of fun.

[Danustouch]

Just as a clarification, I don't think the idea was to have it be like a class at all. Just a topic posted at the top of the screen, someone to get the ball rolling by asking everyone a simple question...and letting the discussion roll from there. I've seen it done in various chatrooms before, with great success. On talkcity, there was a chat called "The Reflecting Pool". A person would be there to make sure the conversation kept going, however, they didn't "teach" anything. Say the question was "What are your views on the afterlife". And someone answered "I Believe that we go to the Summerlands", and noone said anything for the moment, and there was silence, one person who just kinda decides to keep the conversation rolling would ask "ok. What is the summerlands, and how do you think it may differ from other beliefs about the afterlife". Just to keep things flowing. Of course, people would counter, question, etc, then say what their beliefs were..etc. It works pretty nicely.

I do understand that there are some here who wouldnt come to the discussion chat because they want more relaxed banter. And that is why we decided that if there was enough interest, we'd all meet there, and then go over into the "discussion room" The people who were interested.

I don't think that the info necessarily has to be lost. We could post the topic, and some "ideas that were discussed" in a thread in an appropriate forum after the chat. I personally feel that there is alot to be said for "real time" conversation, frankly. The example I'll use, is that often times, when you are actually chatting real time, you say the first thing that pops into your head, whereas, if you're posting on a message board, you might think your post through, several times, and edit several times. While this is good, and avoids some problems, sometimes, the more "raw" an idea is, the more avenues to discussion are left open. JMO. Besides, it's only an hour or two a week, at most. It wouldn't be taking anything AWAY from regular chat. The people who wanted to chat in the regular chat room would still be able too. And..after a discussion room, who knows. People who may have shown up expressly FOR That discussion, may decide they need to unwind with some more "general banter" :)

I see only good coming from it. I honestly don't see anything bad coming from it. Even loss of information..unless we allow the information to be lost.

I also don't think it would make the discussion board suffer, at all. Because there are still those who can't log onto chat from work, or who don't have fast enough running computers to go to chat, etc. They would still be posting here on the board. And by reposting the topic discussed there, on here, it will open up new discussions here on MW, too, for those who couldn't make it to chat :)

Just my .02 (for all its' worth)

[materra]

We are a world of pagans.... won't we lose some of our friends on the other side of the globe in this? Seeing as MW is North American based? A 7 pm chat time Eastern Standard time is my 4 pm Pacific in the summer, and I wouldn't be able to participate. For my friends living in parts of Africa or Europe it is 2 am there (give or take an hour).

Good grief, is this how word math problems are born? :eek:

Also...Would we have some free times to talk too?

[Danustouch]

Hmm...well..I don't know about all the people overseas. That's something to consider though. If there was enough interest from people overseas, people who couldn't make it to the discussion at the prearranged time in North American time, perhaps then we could decide maybe to hold it on a weekend, when more people would be able to log on at the same time? It's not written in stone all :) It's just an idea, and would be something to try, and to think about. Like anything else, it could have some wrinkles that could be ironed out later on, depending on what would happen as the needs arose :)

As far as free time to chat...that is why we would all meet ahead of time in the general chat room, i'm guessing. To say hiya, and all. And then go to the discussion room. And then when the discussion time had ended, people who wanted to continue to talk and hang out, could go back to the general chatroom, i'm guessing :)

[Amethyst Rose]

I had to vote no, for a couple of reasons:

1. I don't have a computer at home, and don't know when I'll get to a computer - and it's nearly always before 5pm....so being able to get to scheduled chats is near impossible for me.
2. I'm not one for set topic chats....I kinda find them boring.
3. I much prefer to just show up :)

[TheTempestuous1]

Yeah but why ruin it for the people who *do* want to have it just bc you can't be there? Expecially as you find them boring? A lot of people like them (I believe over 20 have voted yes so far) Also if someone didn't want to come to the discussion they wouldn't have to. There would still be the other chat so it wouldn't interfere with those who 'just wanted to show up' I think basically what everyone want to know is who *does* want to do it? Well anyway, hope I'll be seeing a chat of this kind in the near future! :D Can't wait

[Amethyst Rose]

Eh, I was just giving my opinion....

[Myst]

No one is ruining it for anyone, all of us are only giving our opinions. No one said "no you can't run the chat". Even if the discussion hadn't been brought up here it would've been nothing for someone to say "hey I'll be in the chat at 4pm EST tomorrow, anyone wanna come in and join me?" and it'd be the same thing. We're discussing issues and resolutions.

The question was asked and it's being answered, it's that simple.

Further, if someone starts logging the chats and posting them here without the permission of those involved or their knowledge we could be running into problems. Personally, if I wanted to say something here I'd say it here instead of in a chatroom.

There's always the option of starting your own channel for scheduled themed chats if you want to anyway. It's not like any of us can ban you from doing that. Feel free to go ahead and do that and let people know and if they like it they will go, and if they don't they won't.

[Mithrea]

Originally posted by TheTempestuous1
Yeah but why ruin it for the people who *do* want to have it just bc you can't be there?

Because, as others and myself have already stated the information you would be discussing in those chats would be held here instead if the chat wasn't happening and then we could join in on our own time.

And yes Myst, the point about the legality of reposting the chat is something I had thought about but assumed wasn't a problem since this was being discussed. I just thought it was a bit weird to post a chat which definitely excludes people when the discussion could be held in the first place where everyone could participate.

And Danus, asking overseas members to weigh in on this issue as a an overseas member, could make them feel less part of the community and more on the periphery which I am REALLY uncomfortable with. We should be thinking of everyone in the first place and not as an afterthought.

[TheTempestuous1]

Sorry, knew that was the wrong word to use, but note, I was not jumping on you or anything! Sorry if it seemed like that! :) I just think this would be a fun thing to do.. (and sorry, I was of the opinion that we are trying to convince people that this is either a good or a bad idea.. so I was arguing my side ;) ::likes debating:: and I really think it's a good one! :)) and myst I didn't say that just anyone would log the chats or anything, I mean the person running it if they would choose to do so. So sorry if I offended! Didn't mean to.

[Myst]

Originally posted by TheTempestuous1
and myst I didn't say that just anyone would log the chats or anything, I mean the person running it if they would choose to do so. So sorry if I offended! Didn't mean to.

No I didn't think you were jumping or anything, I just wanted you to know if you really want to do it go ahead and try it out and see what happens. I'm not trying to ruin anything for anyone :)

I know you didn't mention logging chats; I think I remember someone else saying we should post the conversations here at MW so we don't lose info. :D

[WandererInGray]

*smiles* I'm also not trying to ruin it for anyone, which is why I said I wouldn't get in the road if it was decided to go for it.
*shrugs* It was a poll, and I'm sure they wouldn't have posted the "no" option if it wasn't available.

*smiles and shrugs again*

I was just saying that I probably wouldn't be able to show up for the chats and the reasons why. :)

[Danustouch]

Mithrea...

I never said that the out of US chatters were an afterthought. We didn't even decide this was something we were going to do yet. First of all. Secondly, even if we did, we still haven't said what day of the week it would be. I wasn't trying to make them an afterthought. What I was doing, was just trying to get a general feel for any and all people who *might* be interested. Then when we got a feel for how many people would. We would try to figure how many of them are "out of the US chatters" and then try to figure out a way to arrange the chat so that it would benefit all the people who wanted to do it.

[Danustouch]

Welp...I pretty much give up. Mol will have to decide what to do about the idea. Whether or not to sponsor discussion chats or not. I'm not going to convince those of you who dont' want it. And I can't "create it" with MW endorsement without Mols' endorsement anyway. So I give up. Heh. Not worth the stress. I really didn't think that this would create such a battle. I simply figured those who wanted it, would say they did. Those who didn't like the idea, would say they didn't, we'd vote on the numbers, or try to correct some of the issues people would have with the idea..whatever.

[mol]

Ok. Here is the proposal.

Just so everyone knows. The scheduled chat idea was brought about to bring a little more people into the chat room spectrum. Why? Because I am spending money on it and it isnt being utilized as much as I thought it would.

Scheduled chats could be done on a per forum basis. If a particular forum wants to have a chat about something then it could be posted and set up in that particula forum with the EXPLICIT UNDERSTANDING that the chat would be logged and posted on mw. Then folks that could not be in the chat can read, respond, question...etc.

Also note that these chats would be in a PRIVATE CHATROOM. Not the general chat area. So, if people just want to come to #mysticwicks and chatter...you still can.

SO, why do it at all? Why not discuss in the forums? I dont know! Thats what I have been telling everyone for almost a couple of years now. This is the best medium for exchange of information, but some people just like the chatroom way of doing things. Thats why I set it up.

Thats the idea.

[Wyrdsister]

Originally posted by mol
Just so everyone knows. The scheduled chat idea was brought about to bring a little more people into the chat room spectrum. Why? Because I am spending money on it and it isnt being utilized as much as I thought it would. Just curious mol; how much are you spending on the IRC channel?

Wyrdsister

[mol]

Originally posted by Wyrdsister
Just curious mol; how much are you spending on the IRC channel?

Wyrdsister

Well, the channel itself is free. But the servers I am using to keep the security bots on are running around $40 a month.

[Myst]

Originally posted by mol
Why? Because I am spending money on it and it isnt being utilized as much as I thought it would.

Ah ha!


Scheduled chats could be done on a per forum basis. If a particular forum wants to have a chat about something then it could be posted and set up in that particula forum with the EXPLICIT UNDERSTANDING that the chat would be logged and posted on mw. Then folks that could not be in the chat can read, respond, question...etc.

Also note that these chats would be in a PRIVATE CHATROOM. Not the general chat area. So, if people just want to come to #mysticwicks and chatter...you still can.

Yup that works. Having it in a separate room means no one will wander in unawares of what's going on or that it's being logged. This way as well we can be responsible for handling the chats ourselves if we're really interested.


SO, why do it at all? Why not discuss in the forums? I dont know! Thats what I have been telling everyone for almost a couple of years now.

Yeah that's what I'm lost on. If we want to save the information then why not just post it here in the first place? To me IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is just that, chat. :huh: *shrugs*

[Danustouch]

One question...would it be ok, if like...say I wanted to start a chat for a history topic, and post it in History forum, if I also posted it in Just Talk, so that people who might be interested in the topic, but who don't go to history forum every day, might be more likely to see the notice?

[Flaire-FireStar]

I think that would be okay. :) Then everyone could see it; and if it interests them, then they can join in.

[Myst]

why not just throw it in the announcements thread here in JT?

[TheTempestuous1]

um bc nobody reads it? ;) Honestly I'm not sure if they do or not, I just know I have never read it. It'd probably be better to just start a new thread I think otherwise a lot of people would probably miss it.

[Myst]

Yes and then they can get scrolled down to the next page and lost within a few hours or a day or two.

I don't know if anyone reads the announcements thread either but I would hope so. I'd like to think most people care about what's going on in the other forums here even if they don't visit them all the time. If people were interested and knew that's where they were going to be I'd imagine they'd take the time to look.

[Mithrea]

I read it.

[MammaStar]

Well I hope at least a FEW people read it. Since I post announcements happening in the Music Forum there. I hope after reading this, people do check out the Announcement thread....there's a lot of stuff going on in all Forums here at MW.

I think making a post about a chat topic in the Annoucment thread would be a great idea Danus.

[materra]

IMO I think the explainations have jelled well enough for us to see this would work for all. This is an inclusive idea, not an exclusive idea...and clearly we will not lose our beloved MW, and it will continue to nurture and support knowledge.

As for MW members on any part of the globe...they can set up forums as they would like by asking for them just as any one of the members would. Right?

So we can talk, discuss and forum as we wish, the bots could flap fish and say riduculous stuff plus Mol might get some peace to work on his music.

Why do I think herding cats would be easier LOL? :D

[Mithrea]

Originally posted by materra
Why do I think herding cats would be easier LOL? :D

:rotfl:

[mol]

Im working on a better way to do this right now.

Stay tuned.

[MammaStar]

What? Herd cats? :lol:

*runs away doding the wet fish being thrown at her*

:rotfl: :rotf: