Forum:CT:Chat feature

Forums > Consensus track archive > CT:Chat feature

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The result of the debate was Do not enable optional web-based Wikia chat feature. jSarek 23:07, August 17, 2011 (UTC)

Hello everyone! Wikia has recently introduced the new Chat feature (for now still in beta). You can try it out e.g. at Fallout Wiki. I know you use an IRC channel already, but maybe you'd be willing to try out the new web-based chat as well? The feature is entirely optional, though, but let me know if you want it enabled. Ausir(talk) 17:18, July 22, 2011 (UTC)

Support

  1. Tm_T's comment drives home a certain point or two. First, the skin isn't an issue. Second, there seems to be a general assumption that just because Wookieepedia Administration & Friends are tech-savy, that any other user with a reasonable issue is also tech-savy. Our own IRC set-up seems designed to be exclusive and non-user-friendly. Unless things have changed in the last month or so, the IRC redirects anyone that hasn't configured the settings of their client into #wookieepedia-social, a channel that is generally untended and ignored by regulars and most of the chan-ops. If you use Wikia's CGI gateway, you are shunted into this side channel with no way into the actual #wookieepedia. After modifying your browser with non-standard plug-ins or downloading and installing a dedicated IRC client, you have to register and identify every time you sign in to access the channel that is actually populated. It is a lot of trouble to go through just to report an issue to a live admin. While it certainly "filters the chaff", the system in place also discourages communication between new and veteran users.

    I can't support the long term enabling of the new chat system without knowing more, and certainly not while it's still in beta, but we shouldn't damn it outright. I support open trial of the new chat system on Wookieepedia. Who knows? Maybe Wikia might actually listen to suggestions made by a cooperative community? SinisterSamurai 15:56, July 23, 2011 (UTC)

    I agree what you say about the irc channel, but as the issue is on how the channel is configured, let's fix that, not spreading the conversations to yet another place. And also per it being still beta, been used it plenty and I find it being not enjoyable (yet?) for serious use although easier to approach. (: –Tm_T (Talk) 16:24, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
    I've started a CT about the registration requirement. You can find it at Forum:CT:Making IRC more user-friendly. Master Jonathan — Jedi Council Chambers Saturday, July 23, 2011, 20:07 UTC
  2. I honestly don't see the harm in it. If folks don't use it, they don't use it. But why not put it in place and let folks choose on their own? Increasing our lines of communication and making the Wook more user-friendly can't hurt and can only help us retain new users. ~SavageBOB sig 18:03, July 24, 2011 (UTC)
    • I agree I have very different experience on this than most of us here, but in general I find it more harmful than useful to split people to different channels/medium, especially as this most likely would just create two separate "camps" if wiki chat will gather any use at all. I'm all for working towards all-inclusive conversation platform for our community, but I don't think this would really help as expected. –Tm_T (Talk) 18:07, July 24, 2011 (UTC)
    I see lot of opposition to this feature, just because its not supported in the monobook skin. Well, it seems that can be fixed by using Special:Chat?useskin=wikia. My main point for supporting this feature is, it does not look like enabling this will affect the appearance and functioning of this wiki. This seems to be an independent feature. Another reason for why people are opposing this is about not splitting the medium over IRC and this inbuilt chat. Well, I straight away see one good advantage in this built-in chat, that is there would be a mapping between the usernames, how has that been done over IRC for all these years. Also, a lot of new users and non-tech people find using IRC really difficult. And IRC ports are often blocked on many networks, as they are often used by botnets.   Sith Jedi Dueling lightsabers 12:26, August 9, 2011 (UTC) (Vote struck, reason: Per policy: Fails mainspace edit requirement -- Toprawa and Ralltiir 20:17, August 10, 2011 (UTC))

Oppose

  1. Master Jonathan — Jedi Council Chambers Friday, July 22, 2011, 17:58 UTC
  2. That's what IRC is for. <-Omicron(Leave a message at the BEEP!) 18:05, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  3. The issue is a non-starter since it only works on the skin we don't officially support, so this vote is redundant. -- Darth Culator (Talk) 18:18, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  4. Maybe if it used the monobook skin, but not if it only can be used with the other.--Exiled Jedi Oldrepublic crest (Greetings) 18:30, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  5. Oh wait, you were being serious. NAYAYEN 18:44, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  6. Per Omicron and Exiled Jedi. Korsa3clicky 18:58, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  7. <Darth Vader>NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooo</Darth Vader> JangFett (Talk) 19:01, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  8. Hah. Toprawa and Ralltiir 19:35, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  9. ...why do we need a formal vote? Grand Moff Tranner Imperial Department of Military Research (Comlink) 20:05, July 22, 2011 (UTC)
  10. lol nope IFYLOFD (Floyd's crib) 00:03, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
  11. And what we don't use IRC for, we still have other sites that provide chat *coughfacebookcough*.. -- Riffsyphon1024 09:36, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
  12. Close it back!TK999—[Discuss] 09:52, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
  13. The skin is not an issue, as we could just place "Special:Chat?useskin=wikia" link to monobook sidebar, but really there's 0 value on this chat feature for us. I can see why some smaller, less tech-savvy communities likes it but yeah, not for us. For the record: I like the polite manner Ausir presented the issue. –Tm_T (Talk) 13:08, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
  14. Entirely per Tm T. grunny@wookieepedia:~$ 14:00, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
  15. CC7567 (talk) 22:41, July 23, 2011 (UTC)
  16. Per Tm. Jonjedigrandmaster (Talk) 01:54, July 25, 2011 (UTC)
  17. SWFanon has the feature and I had already said that I doubt I'll ever use it, ever. It will be there, I may drop in on a very rare occasion, but I have absolutely no intention of ever frequenting it. We have IRC, people can learn to use that. That being said, I oppose it. Trak Nar Ramble on 09:20, July 25, 2011 (UTC)
  18. GTQ(Problems?) 02:46, July 27, 2011 (UTC)
  19. The idea is great. The implementation is not. 1358 (Talk) 14:55, August 3, 2011 (UTC)
  20. Trolololol. Chack Jadson (Talk) 22:44, August 4, 2011 (UTC)
  21. The IRC is fine for what we need it for. We don't need this new chat feature. Cal JediInfinite Empire (Personal Comm Channel) 02:21, August 5, 2011 (UTC)
  22. Per Culator. Darth Karikawill destroy your planet! 21:06, August 5, 2011 (UTC)
  23. —Tommy 9281 Friday, August 5, 2011, 21:13 UTC