Lightfoot Chat Status

[catrinka]

For those looking for the Friday Night Chat, it seems that the domain name for dilexnet.com (http://www.dilexnet.net/) has expired (May 26, 2008) and is pending deletion/renewal. As a result, there is no longer a chat room for those who would like to get to know their fellow Corfidians on a more personal level or discuss Lightfoot-related news/music.

While this situation is disappointing to those of us who often participate in the chats, it is one that can be rectified! It seems that there are a few choices:

* Find a new IRC host and set up a chatroom
* Set up a chatroom on an established host
* Set up an IRC server/host

As I see it, there are advantages and disadvantages for each option:

Finding a new IRC host would involve a bit of research and would operate in a similar manner to the method described on Sir John's Gordon Lightfoot Chat Room (http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/LIGHTFOOT/chat/) page.

Setting up a chatroom on an already established host would also mean doing some research, but opens up the option of a web-based chat.

Setting up a server/host would cost money, take time and need someone "in the know" to administer it. (Not an option for most of us!)

Or...we could forget the whole thing and "chat" on Corfid. It's not quite the same, but may be the only option if no one is willing/able to pursue the chatroom setup.

Suggestions, opinions...?

[Rainbow Trout]

I really hope someone would help solve this problem, I really miss the friday evening chats with everyone. I wondered what had happened, I thought it was just my old computer! Hopefully something will work out soon.

[catrinka]

Thanks for your interest, "Bow"!

I had hoped to get a bit more feedback from the regulars...or anyone interested in joining in the fun.

One thing that I should add to this thread is that the chat need not be limited to Friday nights. Chat channels (chatrooms) are open 24/7. Establishing a regular chat time is an option and seems to have been done to get the most number of people together at one time as possible. If there is a better time for people, then the chat time could be changed.

Setting up a new chat channel is fairly simple. The question is: Is anyone interested?

[BILLW]

Keeping it open 24/7 and maybe having a link to it from corfid might encourage more people to join in. Like when you notice 8 or 10 people are on-line you could all just jump on.

Bill :)

[Rainbow Trout]

Count me in anytime, just need to know what day!

[catrinka]

BillW, thanks for your input!

As far as I know, an IRC channel (i.e., chatroom) is always available. The problem is/has been getting enough people together at one time to participate in a chat. Setting up a specific time is generally a good idea. That way, people know when others will be there, ready to chat. I don't know if things would be any different by having a link to a chatroom. If people are like me, they go in to see if anyone's there; if not, they leave.

An option would be to suggest a daily time for chatting...say, every night at a certain time. That way, people who cannot participate on Fridays can join in the conversations on the day(s) convenient for them.

There is another option I'd like to put out there for comments...

Google has initiated an instant messaging feature they call "Talk (http://www.google.com/talk/)" (still in Beta/testing.) Unlike the IRC chatting, it does not require installing "client software" (e.g., Pidgin, iChat, Trillian, etc.), although it does support many of them. It can be accessed directly from the web, using a link to the Google Talk Gadget (http://www.google.com/talk/) on the home page.

The catch is that it does require a (free) Gmail account (http://mail.google.com/mail/help/about.html) and chatting is done only with people on your Gmail contact list. That would limit the people with whom you could chat to people known to you (which could be a good thing!), but doesn't allow for just anyone to drop in (as has happened in the past.) The implication would be that people who chat would have to:

* have a Gmail account
* have a list of contacts - to include all the chatters

This last item is where I see a bit of a problem. It would mean sharing Gmail account names between everyone who wants to chat. But, because a Chat option is built into the Gmail interface, you'd be able to tell who is online (logged into their Gmail) and initiate a chat anytime.

Another nice feature is that using Google Talk would allow for sharing files, etc., and would integrate with some of their other services (http://www.google.com/support/talkgadget/bin/answer.py?answer=58462).

Opinions?

[podunklander]

How about AOL? Can't someone go in and create a chatroom at any time? It's been awhile, but I used to go into the Native American and great outdoors chatrooms on AOL. I think the only issue with those is that to keep it open, someone has to stay "active" on it 24/7 or else it has to be created all over again. But even that should be too big an issue.

Well I can't chat this Friday night, I'm scheduled to work!

Pam

[catrinka]

Just an FYI:

Dilexnet has been contacted about the expiry of their domain. There is a possibility that we won't have to set up a chatroom on a new server. It will depend on the response. Stay tuned!

(I'll post updates as information becomes available.)

[Peter Bro10]

Well, it's Friday night and I'm wondering.... is there to be a friday chat again soon?? I'm usually late and worn out by chat time, but make it more often than not.

Waiting anxiously for news....

Thanks Cathy, for all you've done!

[catrinka]

Thanks, Peter...but I haven't done anything, yet! :) I have only tried to initiate conversation about the chat and conferred with Sir John about the status of the chatroom. He is working behind the scene to try to find out if Dilexnet plans to reclaim their domain name and keep the server going. Should it turn out that they do not want to continue, we will have to find another "venue" for our chatting.

Keep your fingers crossed!