I have been a little unconvinced by the various arguments in favor of a web forum as opposed to Google Groups … but I think it would be cool if there was a place for IF-related chat outside of ifMUD. I would enjoy chatting with people about IF, but it is not worth it to me to do the equivalent of learning UNIX from scratch.
Learning Inform is fun. Learning ifMUD syntax is not. My opinion.
Greg
I wrote my own browser-based chat a few years ago. I could set it up here. It probably needs updated, though. It would run smoother with Ajax, and a MySQL back-end.
I’m becoming more and more convinced that Usenet isn’t the way to go – Google Groups or not. I hate not being able to edit mistakes in my posts. I hate missing posts because my news server flakes out (recently, it has become pretty spotty). I hate that each PC I connect with has its own version of the read/unread status, and I’m not going to jump through hoops to move it to a flash drive or something – too much hassle. I’ve never liked Google Groups, and I still don’t. It’s good for linking to usenet posts, and for searching.
I keep reading and posting to the newsgroups because that’s what everybody insists on using. Where some won’t visit the forum because they don’t like forums, at least I’m willing to visit usenet even though I’m more and more convinced that it’s an outdated, obsolete way to communicate.
I’ve never been very fond of Usenet full stop. Even if the system was as amazing as most of the RAIF crowd seem to think, it’s still got its problem with trolls like Pudlo and Breslin who have the knack of turning almost every thread into an argument. For once it’d be nice to read a whole thread on there without someone flaming someone else.
The Adrift forum has had a few chats up and running over the years (there’s one now in fact), but the community isn’t really big enough to support an active chat. Most of the times I go there, I find I’m the only one on. And talking to yourself isn’t half as much fun as it’s cracked up to be…
Something similar to IFMud, but with a better interface, would be nice.
IRC is the best way to chat on the internet. Some people don’t like it because the advanced features are slightly tricky (chanserv, memoserv, ect) but it’s seriously the most accessible and flexible way to chat there is.
We could set up an IRC channel somewhere for IF. It’s easier to get into then a MUD (why the hell do they use that anyway, I play MUDs from time to time, but ifMUD is insane).
I also think that it’s kind of hipocrytical (according to the spell checker, that’s the wrong spelling. It won’t tell me the right spelling apparently.) that they want to expand the IF community but use usenet. If you post on 99% of forums about usenet, you’re either going to here:
“What’s usenet LOL”
or
“More like nobodyusesnet LOL”
Usenet was fine when it was all there was, but it has no redeeming qualities anymore. It works, that’s about it.
It wouldn’t hurt to set up an IRC channel anyway, so it will be there when/if the community decides to embrace modern (internet)conveniences.
I have to say, I’m enjoying you talking about modern conveniences and setting strawmen alight while trumpeting IRC.
Obviously I know the answer to this ( 
) but I’m just asking for the benefit of all those reading this thread that don’t know:
What’s IRC?
edit: deleted
Yeah, there I am crying hypocrite and then I bring up IRC. 
Actually it was the other way around. 
The board has some kind of option to use “Jabber” – which is a chat program, I think. I’m not sure how it works, or what has to be installed. It might be worth looking into if enough people are interested. I personally prefer posting messages instead of chatting live. But that’s just me.
chating life tendz 2 l0w3r teh p0zt qualite lol if roxorz