Re: Juggling Chat

Posted by Orinoco, 2012-04-28 15:56 BST

IRC really does work best with an IRC client. At the risk of starting down the same path as trying to get people to access usenet via a newsreader...

For those using the Opera browser you may or may not be aware that it is also an IRC client. Access is really easy:

1. Opera > Mail & Chat accounts
2. On the manage accounts screen click 'Add'
3. Select Chat (IRC), click next
4. Enter your name & an email address, click next
5. Enter your nick (the name that you will appear as in the channel), click next
6. Select the Freenode server closest to you in the drop down list, click finish
7. Open your panel list & select the chat panel, click on the join room icon (or press ctrl+shift+j)
8. Your Freenode account should already be selected so type ##juggling into the room field, click ok
9. Welcome!

After that your chat panel will have a linkdirect to the room so in future it will only one click away.

I can see IRC adoption being higher than usenet takeup because you don't need to faff about with a newsfeed.

I would like to see a badge saying "join us in ##juggling" (or similar) appearing on juggling websites. That badge could point to a page (which I'm naturally happy to host) listing instructions on the various ways to get access.

As an advert for the chatroom if I could get a nice xml feed of some of the stats, I could ask Marvin to do a regular post to remind people that the room is still there & shout about the activity similar to the Green Eggs report.

Some sort of date arranging system (I'm going to be in the channel on such & such a date, please feel free to join me) might help boost participation as it lessens the risk of joining during a quiet time (but conversely could increase quiet time as people may only join in at peak times).

One suggestion: Regular quiz night! (Try #trivia on OperaNet, it's really good fun)

The most important thing for a chat system to gain traction is for people to use it, so please come & say hi.