Irc channel?

[Merlyn]

Just wanted to know if there is a DGN irc channel or if anyone would be interested.

I think it would be nice if we could also chat instead of just posting.

[Falstaff]

Actually....that's a damned good idea.

[Merlyn]

I think I will set one up tomorrow at work.

[Merlyn]

Ok the channel is up and running, a basic bot installed but completly configured.

Maybe I will add a feature that it shows the amount of new posts every minute or so.

Here a short howto:

If you don't have an irc client download it for instance here .

After the installation open mIrc and fill out the details. Before you click on connect to server, click on server in the menu at the left side. Choose from the dropdown list quakenet, random us server.

Then click ok and afterwards on the small flash icon in the upper lefthand corner.

That should connect you to the server. A small window will appear asking for a channel to join.

Enter #dgn there and you should be set.

I will be around there almost all the time, but if I'm not instantly responding I'm doing some work

If you have any further questions let me know.

I hope to see some of you around in there.

[Falstaff]

woohoo! It's alive!

[Merlyn]

yup it is, now just some more need to join in there =)

[Marblez]

Is this a real time chat thing? If so, the following is why there isn't one already:

"DGN Chat?" Why there isn't one - Official Response

The board was created (and continues to operate) under the  idea that we want to encourage clam longer-form discussion, and well thought out ideas.  Chat rooms tend not encourage that kind of discourse.  All this work building the userbase , was done under this (as well as other) concepts.

Its the Marshall McLuhan "The medium is the message"at work.

The play-nice rules , make it  such that DGN is associated with calm, generally flame-free discourse, open chat rooms are very difficult to properly manage in that way if not impossible.

In addition, it is well known  that chat rooms, when associated with message boards, quickly consume a large number of the potential ideas/posters in favor of the more lowest-common-denominator conversation chat room "style" on both the chat room and the board(s) that are associated with them.   

Every eyeball that is on a dgn "chat room" is one that isnt on the board.

You can "chat" right on DGN nearly as fast (but not quite, by desgin) as on any chat system if you really feel the need.  (PMs or on board)

There are lots of other lesser reasons why there is no "DGN Chat room" but the above are the core reasons why we have not put up a chat room.

As you might be able to tell a lot of thought has gone into this one over the 5+ years of "DGN's" existence (as well as the 10 month or so existence of the various incarnations of the pre-Spiral proto-Board era)

Its a popular idea. One that we've almost implemented several times.  As it stands now a DGN Chat room would be more of a liability than an asset for what we are trying to build. 

If you need to "chat" everyones PM / IM information is clearly visible in their profiles.

Note the above is not "set in stone" but its, at least set in sandstone, for the time being.  We've spent so much time thinking about this one its silly.

[Merlyn]

Thx for the info, should read the board rules.

I can just close the channel if wanted.

Just wanted to provide the possibilty of having a chatroom =)

[Ginevra]

If you'd like to run your own place that's fine. It just won't be "officially" sanctioned.

It's nice, though, that someone took the effort.

[Falstaff]

That's the thing....who cares if it's an "official" channel...yeah, we can get each other's AIM names here, and we could send each other PMs, or respond to posts...but...it's still not a real-time chat. Granted, overall there's not a huge demand for it, but...what's wrong with making it available for those who would use it?