Chat coming, and we want your feedback

[Evan]

Update: Please provide feedback on how popping out chat should work, asked here.

If you've looked at the Ning product roadmap recently, you've noticed that some Chat improvements are on the way. We've started to work on Chat, and wanted to share what we have in mind and get Network Creators an early chance to share their feedback.

The biggest changes we have planned are:

• Redesigning Chat in HTML and Javascript, instead of today's Flash-based chat. It will work on iPad, can be customized via CSS and will be translated in the language editor.
• Redesigning Chat into separate "panes," whereas today's chat a single "pane". New private conversations appear as tabs within the Chat pane, instead of appearing as new panes.

Here is today's Flash-based chat:

And here's what Chat might look like (click on the image to see it bigger):

So, unlike today's chat, this new Chat format would mean that:

• When someone starts a 1:1 conversation, the chat would instantly pop up (and pop open), so it would be very hard to miss.
• You can talk in 1:1 conversations and in the main chat room at the same time (not possible without changing tabs today)

There's a lot to process in looking at this new design, and there have been a ton of discussions on Creators about Chat. We want your feedback, though, about the overall design and functionality.

A few of big questions have come up that we want to pose to you:

• Do you think this new overall design works better than today's tabbed chat?
• Would you be disappointed if this redesigned chat just existed in your network's footer, not in a module or full page as it does today?
• Are you satisfied with the general size of the main chat window? Do you think you'd still need to pop it out in case the discussion becomes so active you need more screen real estate?
• How important is being able to pop out the main chat room, or 1:1 conversations?
• How do you feel about the sounds in chat? So long as users can turn sounds off, should a sound be played every time a new message is posted? Even when chat is minimized?

We'd love your feedback on these issues, as we start to develop chat. Down the road, we'll get into more specific feature additions, but for now, I'd like to keep this discussion focused on the big design/behavior issues I've raised above.

Thanks!

[Evan]

All,

As this conversation has gone from useful feedback on the new chat feature to repeated questions of when this will be introduced, I think this conversation has run its course. Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful feedback, and we'll be opening a new discussion about chat as we get closer to release in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

/Evan

[Orrin Campbell]

Today is another week , how close are we in releasing the chat , it is long over due .

[AMZ]

One thing i think would be a good thing is when someone doesn't post or say anything for more than 10 mins so it would say AFK (Away From Keyboard)  This would be a good way for the chat work work. Being able to let other users know whos on it or just browsing around the site and now interacting with the chat or even in another conversation with another user in Private chat. 

[Peter Matthews]

Re the sketch designs - I prefer option 1. Prehaps a further panel could be added for on-the-fly controls, (when not using preferred or default settings) - for sound options, recording options, upload options, and so on.

• Do you think this new overall design works better than today's tabbed chat? YES
  
• Would you be disappointed if this redesigned chat just existed in your network's footer, not in a module or full page as it does today? YES. It is useful being able to design a main menu tab that links to a Chat module, so that Chat can easily be discovered by new users, and can be accessed from the top or bottom of my network page, or from anywhere in the network, with a link.
  
• Are you satisfied with the general size of the main chat window? YES Do you think you'd still need to pop it out in case the discussion becomes so active you need more screen real estate? YES
• How important is being able to pop out the main chat room, or 1:1 conversations? BOTH should be poppable. I usually have Chat open as a secondary activity while looking at my network page, and often do not want it covering any part of my page.
• How do you feel about the sounds in chat? So long as users can turn sounds off, should a sound be played every time a new message is posted? Even when chat is minimized? Optional sounds would be good. And different sounds for incoming private (more subdued) and public messages (a brighter sound) might be nice.

[dylan hassinger]

I installed chat today, I have 3 notes:

• I really wish the chat was persistent. Meaning, I logged out and came back later, expecting the conversation to still be going. But I don't see any conversation there at all. It would be much more useful if people could leave and come back
• I wish I could hide the chat from the homepage. I did this with CSS
• In our theme, the chat window didn't have any margin beneath it. So it butted up against the body of the page, looking kinda weird. I had to add CSS margin manually

Thanks for listening!

[Mr John]

Oh!

so good . we are waiting.

may be quickly come. I can not control my main chat box. :)

really I like this design .

 

 

[Gary W Norman]

Anything will be an improvement over the current chat program.  It is fairly important to the members on my site (BeardedGents.com) that they be able to chat. Video capabilities, stealth settings for the NC's, font/color change, etc would all be welcomed!  :-{)}}}}

[Kenneth Paulsen]

we are waiting...

[M]

Thanks Eric :D

[M]

Thanks Eric :D

[CocteauBoy]

• Do you think this new overall design works better than today's tabbed chat?

I think it would be an improvement.

• Would you be disappointed if this redesigned chat just existed in your network's footer, not in a module or full page as it does today?

I would still like the option for a full page chat, especially if it can replace our having to use third-party chat rooms for formal group events.

• Are you satisfied with the general size of the main chat window? Do you think you'd still need to pop it out in case the discussion becomes so active you need more screen real estate?

I know that my members like to have the chat popped out so they can peruse the site, and not constantly have the chat room loading and reloading with every page click, and for more viewing of the site. PopOut is highly used.

• How important is being able to pop out the main chat room, or 1:1 conversations?

Very important.

• How do you feel about the sounds in chat? So long as users can turn sounds off, should a sound be played every time a new message is posted? Even when chat is minimized?

As long as sounds can be muted or controlled, it's great to have the sound options.

OTHER CONCERNS/SUGGESTIONS:

A) Logging capabilities by admin

B) compatibility with mobile devices

C) the ability to clear the chat history

D) ability to add Topic (for hosted chats on subjects, with guests, etc.)

E) Moderator/Admin indicators

 

Thanks for asking us!

troy