Chat and Applause boxes

Hi I have two questions.
I'd like to know what the management thinks of these.

- Could you bring back the box that says who is in the chat room? We used to have a box - on the front page I think - that said how many people were in chat and who was in the room. That was nice.

- Could you bring back the box that says who has just gotten 'applause'? We used to have a box - on the front page I think - and it would scoll showing the last 15 people or so who had gotten applause. As each new applause was received, the new name would show at the bottom and the top name would scroll off. I think if you clicked on the name showing it would take you to the post that got applause.

Those were nice features and I'd like to see them back.

Thanks for considering it.

reply to post by FlyersFan

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I wasn't around for these the first time round, but they certainly sound like a great idea!

I'd love to see this implemented

Well, I was around when those were there, and yeah they were both kind of cool.

Chat: It was great to be able to see who was in chat, and especially if it was someone you enjoyed speaking with. After that feature went away, I may have visited chat once or twice. The people who hung out in there most of the time though were mostly into small talk, and that really doesn't interest me. Valhall for example used to be in chat sometimes. And I don't see how anyone could not enjoy speaking with her! But now, I don't even know who tends to visit in there, because I never go.

Applause list: I remember the first time I got one, and my name appeared in the list- that was very cool! Made me feel like I had written something that struck a good chord with one of the staff. It was great to be able to go to those threads and read those posts. It still didn't tell you why they got the applause, but often the post was good enough that it was self explanatory. It provided a quick way to see what the staff regarded as some of the best posts of the time. I believe the staff now still has that ability in a way, unless things have changed on the inside. But unfortunately we don't.

So all in all, glad you posted this FF here and not in comp/sugg. Flag for you!

One other thing I might mention is that I really feel if there is one place there should be stars allowed, and almost even needed, it's in this forum! If nothing else because it is a gauge of sorts as to member opinion on individual posts, rather than on entire threads with flags. I think stars in BB&Q would additionally help the staff meter member opinion. I never quite understood the rationale of not having them here.

I do agree with your other points, but I was thinking this exact thing the other day. Would be nice to let staff know which suggestions etc, members like.

A star for you mate.

reply to post by TrueAmerican

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I remember those days too.

What I liked most about the applause list was that I could learn who the new members were that might be interesting to follow. Without that function, and given the size of the board, it's hard to do that now.

I'm not really sure why that feature was removed, but I think someone said they didn't like the drama that list would sometimes create.

Remember the drama alert system? Same as the terror alert.
Red, Orange, Yellow, blue and green.
If the alert was yellow, orange or red you were supposed to be
able to click on the color bar and go to the thread that had the
drama alert.

It was funny and clever.
But whenever I clicked on the bar it wouldn't take me to the drama.

Just like the "View Counter" on threads, these features create unwanted stress on the database servers because of how HUGE that database has become with our growth.

We've had to choose between dependable and fast performance for ALL and neat counters/announcers that dogged the entire system down to unacceptable level.

With our next expansion we are hopeful technology and or human genius will allow us a new db system that can do everything everyone wants but until then we are going to have to get by with what we have.

Springer...

Thanks Springer! It is soooo helpful when you guys update us on issues like this. I completely understand- and here's to SO and the all the headaches he deals with... We should start a "send SO his favorite six pack (or 12 ) fund" for his grief. Yeah, we probably ought to start one for you too! (ok here come the kissing up flames ) How about it? The "Free beer for SO and Springer once a month fund! "

They must of had that before I became a member.It sounds pretty cool though.I wish they would bring it back.