ComputerHope Social Chat Prototype Version 0.1

[Moderator]

Since Nathan is out of town at this time, I decided to host this at my server for now.

You can see a list of the available web IRC clients here:
http://ZylstraBlog.co.nr/CHIRC/

Its quite simple, select the chat you would like, (I recommend that all of you try each individual chat), and choose the best one for you.

If a chat doesn't work, record any error messages, your operating system, and browser, and reply here. Feel free to comment.

Admin edit.

Just an update, testing out a potential chat that will integrate with the Computer Hope forums. Click the below link to test this out.

http://www.computerhope.com/forum/chat/flashchat.php

the 1st one was really slow the second didnt even work (firefox3 win xp home sp3) now it is though for some reason i had to press connect a bunch of times i personally like mibbit the best cause you can talk in different languages

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

I tried toying around with it, but I'm not a chat person at all and everything was hard to read, so I left after a minute or two.  Having only three green asterisks to signify each new line doesn't make it very easy...not for me at least.  If the usernames were bold and/or color-coded, I think it would be much easier to read everything.


If I'm not making sense, it's because I'm very tired.

[Global Moderator]

Thanks to Zylstra's help, I got the Fierfox Add-On Chatzilla working with the chat.

Pretty nice.

Chris, you sure you tried all three options on the page? 

[Web moderator]

Nice chat....

I'm assuming you can add style and colour to it....

[Global Moderator]

That's what Mibbit and Chatzilla are for.

Also, in the chat, type /nick Username where Username is the name you want to be.

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

Chris, you sure you tried all three options on the page? 

I'm not sure, no.  Heh.  I clicked on stuff and messed with some kind of options page.  The only font-related thing I saw was an option to change the chat's font.  Maybe I'll take a better look at everything when I'm actually awake.

[Moderator]

Chris, you sure you tried all three options on the page? 

I'm not sure, no.  Heh.  I clicked on stuff and messed with some kind of options page.  The only font-related thing I saw was an option to change the chat's font.  Maybe I'll take a better look at everything when I'm actually awake.

Personally, if you are going to go the web route, I highly recommend using PJ-IRC, it is one of the faster web ones... I've used Mibbit once, and didnt really like it (more color than I needed)

But, ultimately, anyone who really wants to "stick around" in the chat, who has tried the chat and likes the idea, should go about installing an IRC client.

Carbon had an idea that I do think needs to be done:
Good instructions on how to register your nickname, and log in. (ChatZilla is able to do automatic scripts on either startup, or server connection)

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

Chris, you sure you tried all three options on the page? 

I'm not sure, no.  Heh.  I clicked on stuff and messed with some kind of options page.  The only font-related thing I saw was an option to change the chat's font.  Maybe I'll take a better look at everything when I'm actually awake.

Ha ha, I just realized what you meant by your comment.  I was very, very tired.  And no, I didn't get around to trying all three, but I will give it a try when I have some time.




As for installing an IRC client...I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I personally don't think members should have to install anything simply to use one of Computer Hope's features.

[Global Moderator]

but I personally don't think members should have to install anything simply to use one of Computer Hope's features.

Unless you plan on using it a lot. It is very helpful I'd have to say.

Looks good and I thought I'd at least chime in on the topic. We'll continue to experiment with it and see how successful it is. One thing that did come to mind while I was connecting to it at 5:00AM I remember getting a lot of complaints from users who'd come in and type their question then realize no one was there and get annoyed and leave it and the site.

[Global Moderator]

I was connecting to it at 5:00AM I remember getting a lot of complaints from users who'd come in and type their question then realize no one was there and get annoyed and leave it and the site.

In the chat? Strange.....

I guess, with the help of the Add-On Chatzilla, I can guard it.

[Moderator]

*Predicts JohnK will request two clients to be added to the recommended clients list*

Alright, so I've been using IRC for some time now (bout three years?), I have some recommendations for clients.

mIRC:
It's shareware, but you can use it past the 31 days.. It just nags you more every time you start it up
Classic IRC client.. I think everyone started out on mIRC.

Very scriptable.
http://www.mirc.com
---
KVIrc:
My personal favorite.. It's a bit harder to set up than mIRC.. but if you have it set up correctly it has a lot of neat features.. like color-coded nicks for example.
It's open source so no nag screens <3

Also scriptable, but not as easily..
http://www.kvirc.net
---
X-Chat
Another open source client.. I used this one for a while.. Don't like it as much as KVIrc.
Also scriptable..

http://www.silverx.info

Anyways, there's a few clients I'd personally reccomend. The last two are available on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, etc. mIRC is Windows-only.
<3John

Who Is this Zer0 guy he trolls the chat.

Anyone?