Video Chat / Instant Messanger / Text Chat?

We have had a number of requests for a CHAT room to be added here on cerb. The concern I have is it will not be able to me moderated full time as it should be (and they tend to get abused if not moderated). So before making a decision on this I wanted to poll everyone here to see what they would prefer.

1) Text Chat only

2) Instant Messaging only - no chat

3) Video chat (Live video 1 on 1 private rooms with general discussion area as well where you have still images, cam streams or just text chat)

4) No chat at all

If you have input please vote or comment below (I would especially like to here if any of the ladies would be interested in this).

The Video chat system is VERY expensive so I would have to see a definite interest from you all to choose it... (it requires a flash media server to be installed and is very heavy on bandwidth when the cams are streaming so the monthly costs would be high) but this may be something that the ladies are interested in.

I don't think the guys would have the web cams on in the public chat area (just the private 1 on 1 chats with the ladies due to the nature of the business - but I could be wrong). I could see the ladies using the cam chat to screen callers and also as a marketing tool.

I think in 5 years we will be all be capable of making a video call, also I think the majority of people will have a screen name and not a number for people to call them with. VoIP systems like Skype and Instant Messaging along with roaming from home phone wi-fi bubbles to cell phone towers is really changing the communications as we know them, many phones already come equipped for video calling. Having said that the cam rooms might be kinda cool, it is a model that will require some fine tuning on your part mod, perhaps you can leverage an existing service like MSN or Yahoo? You already link out to those servers as an option, if you could show if someone was active on those services from cerb it would give us a heads up to head on over.

I think in 5 years we will be all be capable of making a video call, also I think the majority of people will have a screen name and not a number for people to call them with. VoIP systems like Skype and Instant Messaging along with roaming from home phone wi-fi bubbles to cell phone towers is really changing the communications as we know them, many phones already come equipped for video calling. Having said that the cam rooms might be kinda cool, it is a model that will require some fine tuning on your part mod, perhaps you can leverage an existing service like MSN or Yahoo? You already link out to those servers as an option, if you could show if someone was active on those services from cerb it would give us a heads up to head on over.

yes...i use skype now and it's awesome....i think text chat for now and see how that goes...it could be very good for the SPs when they have a no show or a hobbiest who would like to connect with a SP right away....I'm thinking it could be good.

Skype is cool! I use it now and then but did notice it's more proficient on broadband. Nonetheless still works okay. Chatroom with pm functionality would be good as well. Instant messengers whether its yahoo or msn;I think just about everyone has one of these clients.

I think any new add-on to the current status quo would be a step in the right direction and definite improvement.

I like chat rooms with video capability that are attached to forums or websites. In the case of the CERB, and the question at hand, I voted for video and chat capability.

In my mind, for what it's worth, a chat room attached to this forum could be highly entertaining, educational, and facilitate contact. Those are all things that do nothing but elevate and enhance our fun!

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm a night hawk and I live in the Atlantic time zone. Quite often, after my day is over and I'm chillaxin, it's nice to chat and with a simple "who's online" query, I can see that others in the Eastern time zone are in the same bout.

Now, of course, Skype and Messenger and lots of other communications clients are at our disposal, but wouldn't it be cool if we could connect easily with our CERB community in one step? I do.

So...ya, rock on the chat room. I'm a chatty girl.....I'll tune in...

I know the other Toronto based board has a chat function and it's really well run, things rarely get out of hand and they can be a pretty nasty bunch over there. Doesn't appear to be any real time moderation happening either. We are actually quite civil here I'm not sure that moderation would be required for this group.

They use flashchat (The recommended chat system for the software that runs this board) - it appears to have a video module in the works as well so maybe we can install the chat for now and add the video module in beta to test as we go. Cost for the chat system is 5.00 (Seriously) so I think I can splurge and we can try it out here (if I can get it to install that is... not always easy with this system)

To get us started I installed the flashchat system. It was easy to install the chat but the admin features were not so nice.. in fact it may have some quarks so if you have a problem let me know. You will find a link to this in the quick links (Up top) as well as a "Live Chat Room" button (should show up top for everyone as well now).

I'm in there but no one else around...I'm lonely!!

I just installed it... give it some time. LOL

that was fun...just created a new lounge "Boner's Lounge" ha ha

Just tried it out the chat feature...works great...you can make your own room...

Just tried it out the chat feature...works great...you can make your own room...

Not that I'm into chat rooms or for that matter ever been in one:confused: but is it a open disscussion with many

people or is it just 1 on 1?

MOD the feature looks excellent! hopefully people keep the content in the correct perspective while in chat rooms!

I'm tryin it out.

I see people...but they must all have gone for coffee.

Nobody's talkin.

The chat is a open chat (everyone in the same room) but you can make your own room (Private room) and invite people to it for a private discussion or you can make your own public room and in the room title you should include the topic.

Often you find yourself alone in a chat room, you almost have to luck out with new chats and find yourself in the room when others are in and having a good discussion. If you log in and wait others will eventually join and you can get a discussion going on but I would not expect (at this time) for the room to be full and over active.

Now some of the ladies (if they want to do some marketing) could schedule a chat either daily or weekly and make a room for this (as anyone can create a room in this chat system). If we add the VIDEO system to this it would really give the ladies a serious marketing tool and be entertaining for everyone as well.

The discussions in the main room are logged so if someone is doing bad things (Spam, insulting, etc) let me know by PM the persons username and I will review the log files from the chat and remove the person (or warn them depending on what was going on). Same rules apply to the chat (No fighting, slander and stay positive)

Thanks mod - wow - love the idea of scheduling regular chat times in my own room.

I'm a chatty girl...

It could catch on...

Would any of the ladies use the webcam feature if I add it or does this not appeal to anyone? It's about 1500.00 (UDD) initially to add and about 200.00 (USD) a month to maintain. We would cover the costs and it would be free to use but we just want to be sure it would get used. We know the guys would love this feature if the ladies used it but no sense having it installed if none of the ladies are interested.

It keeps defaulting me to a locked room "emma" I can see everybody in the lounge but can't get out of the password protected room ?

i just hit random keys, then hit enter, and it let me in! thanks to courtney who figured this out lol

or just press enter over and over...that works too lol

Ya sorry guys.....seem to have made my own room while attempting to log on.....I can't even use the password I thought was to protect the chat room or something...I dunno.....admit to being lost BTW.....I want to add a laugh here for I am assuming mod....u cannot use sexual terms on the chat....blocks them....lol

I think there is no logout key and people just keep signed in for a long time after they have left?

LOL... Looks like we have some bugs to work out. I will keep working at it.

I think I found out why people were getting trapped in a chatroom and also why the sex words were getting censored... It was also caching all the members names so it was listing a pile of members who visited and left as still being logged in (I think I fixed that too but we will have to see as I have no way to test that).