Author Topic: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions  (Read 6875 times)

Offline iago

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Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« on: June 02, 2010, 04:14:18 AM »
What should the policies for the chat area be? My initial thoughts:

- PG-13 (like the rest of the board, really)
- No Touchy Topics (like the rest of the board)
- No dice in the public channel
- Keep colored text to a minimum in the public channel
- Keep your /nick changes to a minimum
- Spoiler conversations only in appropriate channels

What else?
« Last Edit: June 02, 2010, 01:44:59 PM by iago »
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Offline Myyrdn Eopia

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2010, 04:39:27 AM »
If possible, place a limit on how many times someone can change their name in a minute.  Or any set length of time, really.  That's the only real annoyance I've come across—a couple members continually changing their usernames.

Offline Shecky

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2010, 10:40:15 AM »
Just ignore 'em, ME. There'd be someone doing that at just about any given time back in the day when I was a regular in a chatroom, and everyone just ignored it entirely.

Fred, I'd almost be tempted to say "no politics or religion" just like the boards.
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Offline Starbeam

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2010, 12:21:26 PM »
I second the no politics or religion, although that one's a little more difficult if someone makes a comment on a current event, or something like that, which could bring something of politics in.  Also, I wouldn't necessarily say no/minimal colored text as much as keeping to the more middling colors.  Or, if possible, only having one style available to use.  For myself, and I don't know if others do the same, the colored text helps me keep track of who's saying what.
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Offline iago

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2010, 01:43:04 PM »
Ah, yes. I was thinking specific-to-chat things; no Touchy Topics is a global policy. I'll add it to the above list.
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Offline iago

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2010, 01:43:47 PM »
I second the no politics or religion, although that one's a little more difficult if someone makes a comment on a current event, or something like that, which could bring something of politics in.  Also, I wouldn't necessarily say no/minimal colored text as much as keeping to the more middling colors.  Or, if possible, only having one style available to use.  For myself, and I don't know if others do the same, the colored text helps me keep track of who's saying what.

Having experimented with various styles when folks are messing around with the colors, I can safely tell you that -- for my eyeballs, at least -- there are no colors which truly work in all contexts.
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Offline Shecky

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2010, 02:13:49 PM »
Having experimented with various styles when folks are messing around with the colors, I can safely tell you that -- for my eyeballs, at least -- there are no colors which truly work in all contexts.

Thoughts based on personal experience (by no means intended to be presented as Authoritative, Definitive "Evidence"), and not directly related to chatroom rules but (IMHO) just as essential to the chat "experience":

Lo these many years ago, back when I frequented a few chatrooms, I noticed that the actual chatbox and text entry box were plain, blank white. Perhaps it's personal preference, but I've always felt that to be the best option. Framing, page, etc., those could be different colors or styles, but the text boxes themselves were simple white/off-white.

Which leads me to the second half of my thoughts - the idea I keep bringing up about allowing users to choose persistent colors/fonts/styles. I found it to be VASTLY helpful in keeping up with a busy, populated chat, so I could know at a glance what was said by whom. The current system, with only one display font/style for all, gets horribly confusing to me when the chat really starts rolling. You could even experiment a little as moderator/designer and limit the choices to higher-readability fonts/styles/colors (i.e., no bright yellow! :D ).

A final addendum that might be linkable to the above: make chat name come directly from forum name, and link the text preferences to that account. Is this even doable? It might also have the added bonus of severely limiting the rapid-fire handle-changing if it's feasible.
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Offline iago

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2010, 02:29:18 PM »
A final addendum that might be linkable to the above: make chat name come directly from forum name

It does.

Quote
, and link the text preferences to that account. Is this even doable?

Not as far as I know.
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Offline Amber

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2010, 03:19:57 PM »
Can you block the ability to change your nick from your forum name altogether?
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Offline iago

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2010, 03:21:37 PM »
Can you block the ability to change your nick from your forum name altogether?

Maybe. But it has a legitimate purpose for roleplaying chats.
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Offline Amber

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2010, 03:27:18 PM »
I hadn't even thought of that.  I tend to just ignore it myself, but I've been chatting longer than I've been driving, so I'm used to seeing that sort of thing.

Does the chat have provisions for private chat channels?  If so, how far do the rules extend there?  (IE, is it ok to discuss a TT in a private chat channel, or swear up a storm?)
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Offline iago

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2010, 03:31:37 PM »
Does the chat have provisions for private chat channels?  If so, how far do the rules extend there?  (IE, is it ok to discuss a TT in a private chat channel, or swear up a storm?)

I believe people can create/invite friends to a private chat. I don't intend to police those at all.
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Offline Ink Slinger

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2010, 03:36:58 PM »
But do remember, I think admins can see transcripts of private channels so it may be a better idea to take those kinds of things to whatever messenger you and those you're chatting with prefer. 

Offline iago

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2010, 03:39:37 PM »
But do remember, I think admins can see transcripts of private channels so it may be a better idea to take those kinds of things to whatever messenger you and those you're chatting with prefer. 

It might be possible, but believe me I'm not gonna go looking unless complaints are generated. And if they were generated, why did y'all get into a private chat in the first place? :P
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Offline Ink Slinger

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Re: Give Us Your Chat Policy Suggestions
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2010, 03:44:16 PM »
Eh, true.  Just more work for you and who needs that?