Wondering what the opinion is with the new ATS Chat?

Originally posted by neformore
reply to post by jerryznv

 

I am in the chat room every time ATS Live, UK&Euro and Music to Conspire To are on, and so are other staff.

Any claims to the contrary are a flat out fabrication.

Well you used to be in chat every show nef...so I don't doubt that your not...just going off of what members are posting...strictly for peoples opinion of the new chat.

If people are fabricating the truth about staff being in chat...well that would be a first for ATS wouldn't it...someone not telling the complete truth.

On the flip side though...I have been in chat a dozen times or so now and I have yet to see a mod in there...so is it only during show time that they show up anymore? Maybe they don't care for it either...and are just reluctnant to say anything...for obvious reasons.


Edit to add: By the way nef...you never shared your opinion of the new ATS chat...do you like it or not...or can you have an opinon?

reply to post by jerryznv


Having been a regular user of the "old" ATS Chat, I can certify that mods were in there almost on a daily basis as myself. I'm locked out of the new chat feature due to the username character issue so I can't really comment, but yep back in the old days mods were always knocking about.

Personally, I thought that it was a good thing, mods are members and they usually chip in when and where they can, just like anyone else.

I think sometimes though, the presence of a mod probably did distract the flow of conversation as some people were under the impression that any tiny bit of banter would result in an "in chat mod" banning them.

But in general, I think most mods who entered chat were pretty sound

reply to post by Death_Kron

I'm locked out of the new chat feature due to the username character issue

What is this issue?

I have seen it come up a couple times now in chat and out here in the forum...but still have yet to get confirmation as to its exact nature.

You would think that the code could be changed to accommodate a member like you that has been here for a minute and contributes good stuff regularly.

You can't be too happy then if you enjoyed chat and now your locked out!

reply to post by jerryznv


From my understanding, anyone who has a special character in their username (_, +, &, @, etc) can't use the new chat system for some reason. Mr mod Djarums has allowed people to create another account to be specifically used to chat only, which I created the other day but now that's decided to stop working and apply the default 150 post count limit before you use the chat feature.

I need to have a word and see if I can get it sorted, but in all honesty I've had others things on my mind.

But that aside, in the past ATS chat used to be great! I like many others, was in the room more or less every night.

Wow! It's a room to chat in. It's not up to anyone but ourselves to provide the content in the room. Of course it's dead sometimes, people work/have lives. Don't complain about it if you're not willing to do anything to improve it. Who cares what it looks like anyway as long as we can see what each other are saying. Jeeze!

I enjoy the new chat. The extra colors are awesome, the more attractive format is really cool. When I want a good topic in the chat room, I link a thread I want to discuss and then others join in. I do not really like the emotes, but it's not that important.

reply to post by Kali74

Don't complain about it if you're not willing to do anything to improve it.

You mean like start a thread to find out if it is liked or not...and then offer up ideas to impove things if they are disliked by most of the members...something like that?

Gathering information and charting it is and has been the scientific method of research for ages...when something has proven to be ineffective you make changes and adjustments to achieve the desired results...or do you propose the desired results have been reached?

From the sounds of the posters in this thread...I would think the desired results are not yet reached...and I am sure that is not what ATS had in mind when they overhauled chat. It would be my opinion that ATS wanted to create a better chat environment for it's members and offer more for those who enjoy it.

Just a thought!

I type words, hit enter, and they display in the chat room....just like the old one.

I really don't see any difference or have any issues with it.

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
I type words, hit enter, and they display in the chat room....just like the old one.

I really don't see any difference or have any issues with it.

I don't really have any issues with it either...but then again I haven't had to change my user name because I was locked out of it either...and there are some things that I miss about the old chat..like new threads being posted when they are started. It made it easier to follow discussions and bring new life to the stagnant room.

You have to admit that there are few that frequent the chat room comparatively...there used to be a lot more chatters in the room than there is now...I am sure ATS has data on the number of people that visit each day (maybe not) but if they did I am sure it would show a decrease in chatter since the overhaul.

Either way...I just am gathering opinions...if all is good then all is good...and if not...well then this is a chance to offer up an opinion!

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
I type words, hit enter, and they display in the chat room....just like the old one.

I really don't see any difference or have any issues with it.

Yeah but your always bitter mate

Originally posted by Death_Kron

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
I type words, hit enter, and they display in the chat room....just like the old one.

I really don't see any difference or have any issues with it.

Yeah but your always bitter mate

Only because you make me nervous...cause I always think you are going to haxor me


Get back in chat.

Originally posted by Death_Kron

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
I type words, hit enter, and they display in the chat room....just like the old one.

I really don't see any difference or have any issues with it.

Yeah but your always bitter mate

Okay...maybe...but maybe not!

Just curious more than anything...I don't want to be the guy that doesn't like it and be out there all by myself.

Does that make me a bitter coward now!

reply to post by jerryznv


Not you jerry, it was aimed at my man Outkast, he knows the score

OKS, I'll be back asap.

We do the best we can.

Keeping in mind that the primary focus of the staff is on the forums and yes unfortunately we don't get to dedicate as much time to chat development as I wish we could, I still believe that having a simple chat client for our members to interact is a good thing.

Do I wish we could do more? Of course. But the combination of our security demands and our time constraints doesn't really allow for a spectacularly flashy and multifunctional chat feature.

To those who enjoy chat, I'm glad to hear that. Those who use it but wish it had feature X,Y, or Z, I'm right there with you, and maybe one day we will. Those who hate it and won't use it, sorry we couldn't satisfy your expectations.

The ATS chat feature, very simply is a perk we decided to run for the enjoyment of our members so they could interact in real time. Nothing more, nothing less.

reply to post by Death_Kron


Ya I got that...I was attempting some paraphrase humor...

Opps...didn't go over the way I thought...I stick to being serious!

Originally posted by Djarums
We do the best we can.

Keeping in mind that the primary focus of the staff is on the forums and yes unfortunately we don't get to dedicate as much time to chat development as I wish we could, I still believe that having a simple chat client for our members to interact is a good thing.

Do I wish we could do more? Of course. But the combination of our security demands and our time constraints doesn't really allow for a spectacularly flashy and multifunctional chat feature.

To those who enjoy chat, I'm glad to hear that. Those who use it but wish it had feature X,Y, or Z, I'm right there with you, and maybe one day we will. Those who hate it and won't use it, sorry we couldn't satisfy your expectations.

The ATS chat feature, very simply is a perk we decided to run for the enjoyment of our members so they could interact in real time. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don't know that anyone expects perfection from a constantly growing and changing site like ATS...and I have been here long enough to know that problems get addressed as they come up.

I am also confident that some of the issues that have been brought up here will be looked at in time...I just thought it was important for members to feel like the could either express their frustrations or share their comments about liking the new chat.

ATS chat is a simple perk...and a simple program...so I know that it won't be any big deal for the programmers to address some of the issue and continue constantly improving ATS.

For those that are having trouble though and enjoy chat...not being able to use it probably is pretty frustrating!

Originally posted by neformore
reply to post by jerryznv

 

I am in the chat room every time ATS Live, UK&Euro and Music to Conspire To are on, and so are other staff.

Any claims to the contrary are a flat out fabrication.

....

Wouldn't dream of implying that the ATS radio crew aren't the exception and the model..



Cosmic..

reply to post by jerryznv


I miss the whatevertheywerecalled? The little "comments" you could toss in.

But, other than that, the background is the most grief, to me......the text at the bottom of the window, even though it is dark-gray on light-gray, it still interferes with the latest comment posted....once the comment scrolls up, then it can be more easily read.

Still get a damn coffee cup...

I agree with a number of the previous posters about some of the things that aren't as cool about the new chat as the old.

I was a frequent member of the old chat room before the change. I was an occasional member of the new chat room for awhile. I have not been back in the last several weeks.

Many of the suggestions and comments I had have already been raised within the thread - like the absence of the new thread feed, absence of the "3rd party aisle" feature for quips and comments (/me thing), background color, and others.

I have two comments to add that in my read through of the thread so far I didn't come across.

One is this - If there was a way to save settings, such as font style and size, color, etc., it would make it easier. The defaults when entering the new room (at least the last time I was there) are not the best between the font color and background. Having to adjust them every time was a bit of a pain - particularly if you wanted to stop by just for a few minutes.

The other comment is about what I perceived as a change in how topics were handled during the live shows - when attendance in the room was usually at a peak. Maybe it wasn't a change - but just the first time I found myself in these situations. When a very contentious topic was discussed, and all show hosts expressed a very strong opinion on only one side of the topic, the chat room became very, very animated with discussion on the other side of the argument. Think of the topic of OWS as an example.

When the chat in the room was continuing on the topic in the minutes after the segment - with much passion based on the show's content and host viewpoints, the chat room participants were shushed by the show's chat room moderator. We were told the topic was over, we had not utilized our chance to phone in during the segment, no more discussion. This happened on multiple occasions, and on some occasions a multiple of times. I was not the only one who was quite surprised at this.

The combination of hearing a very passionate discussion by ATS radio show hosts representing one side of an issue, and having the vocal majority of chat participants wanting to engage on the other side of the viewpoint was one thing. But to be told we must change topics and withhold our comments on the show segment just ended - particularly when it was the main topic all over ATS, caused me to reconsider my chat room participation during the live shows.

I bring this up only because I saw this add markedly to a decrease in chat attendance after several of these shows - which coincided with people just getting their bearings in the new room, and testing it out so to speak.

I recognize that ATS can host its shows, and its chat any way they choose. This is offered only as an additional perspective on the change in the chat room and its attendance.

(/me waves to all my old chat room buddies I see in the thread)

P.S. I miss leonard too!