About Live Moderated Chat

[JustAskJulie]

Each week on Thursday at 10pm EST we will have live chat (sometimes things may happen to prevent it but you can pretty much count on it being every week at that time unless announced otherwise).

Each week the moderator for that week will select one or more topics to be discussed. Granted we could do this in a thread on the board but what the live chat does is give us a more intimate setting to discuss these topics and at the same time allow for more personal interaction.

As the groups grow larger each week one thing we find is that it is often hard to keep up with what everyone is saying, one thing that makes that even harder is people attempting to have private conversations during the chat. The moderated chat is not for private conversations or just chit chat. If you want to do that there is a chat room open at all times, or you can save it and do it after the mod chat hour is over and stick around.

During the hour of moderated chat please try to remain on topic, saving private conversations and personal questions (about each other) for later. That doesn't mean that if you have a question related to swinging that you want to ask in this setting that you may not. You certainly may and are encouraged to. Just because a particular topic has been set doesn't mean that other topics related to swinging can not be discussed as well.

If you have suggestions for topics you would like to see discussed during live chat please Post them here

[Elusive BiFem]

Is there anyway to make the actual chat screen larger? Not the font, but the actual screen. I think that might help cut down on some of the chit-chat stuff as people would be able to see an entire screen. As it is now, things are missed, people are asking questions, etc.
Another thing I would like to see and I'll probably get thumped for this...but...everyone likes to be warmly welcomed (me too!), but we all arrive at different times and it breaks the flow when people are saying hello, hi, glad to see you...just seems to me that those of us that arrive later than just a minute or so after chat has started should just slide in unobtrusively. It isn't the fault of the party coming in, but those of us that are already there are the ones that start the hellos. Me included. Comments? - EBF
Meant to add this: if we all agreed to this, nobody would have reason to gt their feelings hurt.

[JustAskJulie]

You can make the chat screen go full screen - just click the "float" button and it opens it up full screen. It really does make things easier when you are trying to keep up.

I tend to agree with you on the late commers. We already typically start chat late because most everyone is late getting there to begin with so when people get there even later than that I do think it should be up to them to come in quietly, take a seat and join in when ready rather than everyone else jumping in and greeting them and disturbing the topic.

[hmr]

We have no qualms about sliding in... I find the hellos reallly do break the stride of the conversation. I think most people recognize when someone new comes on, whether they acknowlege them or not. Hopefully no one is that sensitive to not understand this point!

mrs hmr

[Elusive BiFem]

Originally Posted by hmr

Hopefully no one is that sensitive to not understand this point!
mrs hmr

With that thought in mind, maybe the chat mods could post something to that effect on the thread when they post the chat topics. My only qualm with not saying hello lies with new people that might think they are being ignored. Something along the lines of:

Everyone is welcome in chat. We understand that you may arrive late occasionally. In that event, please understand that we attempt to refrain from saying our hellos and welcomes as it breaks the continuity of the ongoing discussion. Just slide on in the door as if you've been there since the beginning!

Or something along those lines....it could be made better. But at least new people that have never been to chat before would know they were not being ignored deliberately. - EBF

[OhioCouple]

Great idea EBF! It would be a good idea for the mod to perhaps have their topic subject set as something along these lines.

Welcome to chat! We are glad to have you! The topic tonight it is: "X" please join us in discussion.

Or something like that. This way when a new person comes in the room, the one moderating the chat can re-display the message and keep the conversation flowing as is. With the number of people that are now coming in to the chats it becomes difficult to read each and every posting when they are separated by 7 or 8 hellos and remain on topic.

I agree that everyone should be welcomed, however I think when everyone gets focused on doing that, then pertinent questions are missed and the topic becomes lost in a sea of hellos. Personally, I'd rather skip saying hello to someone, as opposed to missing a thought based on whatever the topic is, as to saying hello. That isn't nearly as important as answering a burning question. IMO

[wrnakedru]

I think this is especially a wonderful time saver considering how often folks have been finding that they get "knocked off line" and have to re-enter. As jen said the other night, it becomes a revolving door effect.

It's nice to have the clue from her that if you click on your own name every so often, the problem doesn't occur!

WR

[BradAndJanet]

Originally Posted by OhioCouple

Great idea EBF! It would be a good idea for the mod to perhaps have their topic subject set as something along these lines.

Welcome to chat! We are glad to have you! The topic tonight it is: "X" please join us in discussion.

...

That's a great idea, and I'll be doing that.

-B

[JustAskJulie]

To increase the size of the chat text simply type: *chat fontsize 14
(you may increase the # to increase the size or decrease it to decrease the size of the text.)

[darkskin]

Hi, I am new to this how can i started talking to people?