Shoutbox

[Jamesc]

Hello there!,

A certain forum i help administrate/moderate has a shoutbox, now i've never been a fan of shoutboxes.
I peresonaly think they degrade the quality of the forum, they seem to attract young users to post random banter etc.

What are your views on shoutboxes?

[SoftWareRevue]

I think it depends on your target audience.

While a shout box might not be appropriate for a busy technical forum, it can work well and spark interest in smaller communities.

I think the very name of it, "shout box," dictates what it's used for.

If you don't like younger members "shouting out," perhaps you could consider changing it's focus to the, "instant wisdom room," or "Say Hello."

Again, it depends on your member base.

Just because you're not a fan of shoutboxes, doesn't mean they don't hold a usefullness within a community.

By your definition, "degrade the quality of the forum, they seem to attract young users to post random banter etc," you might want to consider where those posts of random banter would be. Perhaps they do help by keeping such outside of forum threads.

[Jamesc]

By your definition, "degrade the quality of the forum, they seem to attract young users to post random banter etc," you might want to consider where those posts of random banter would be. Perhaps they do help by keeping such outside of forum threads.

thats a good point thats something i've never really thought off. I suppose its something that the users like and enjoy using.

/me slurps his tea.

[Mikey]

I think it's better to just setup an irc channel, or other kind of chat room. Shoutboxes are generally pointless.

[Freedom]

I so not really see a need for a shoutbox on forums unless maybe its a gaming forum or something, plus I do not feel they are worth the added resources, I see nothing wrong with them attracting youth though, they are our future.. :)

I have a FlashChat (http://tufat.com/s_flash_chat_chatroom.htm) Lic we could use here if needed, or if yall prefer I also have a Lic for the
Amfichat (http://tufat.com/s_amfphp_chat_room.htm) as well, or maybe one of yall has a Lic to something better?

I personally wouldn't bother with going to a IRC channel, but I may chat if there was a room online here at the forums.

[SoftWareRevue]

. . . but I may chat if there was a room online here at the forums.Ya know; that's an interesting concept of something extra we could offer.

[adb22791]

Theres a vbHack to integrate a browser-based IRC client... thats what I would do, I love IRC too much to do anything else :D

[westcan]

Shoutboxes are best left to clan sites ;)

I agree with mikey that irc is generally better.

[lauhde]

IRC is the only way to go.

I vote for it all the way! :wavey:

[Floris]

I do not install them, the only positive thing it has is that people find them funny. That's basicly it, it doesn't bring anything to a forum.

[Jan]

Someone have a link to one?

/me is shoutbox illiterate.

[SoftWareRevue]

There's one on http://www.digitalsupremacy.com/forums/

[westcan]

yaxay too (http://forum.yaxay.com/)

[SoftWareRevue]

/me has to get to yaxay more. :blush:

[Jan]

I think I would prefer not to even consider having one here after seeing one :S

[KimmiKat]

There's one on one of my low traffic forums, but after some testing on my more popular forum, my co-admin dumped it there. I'm considering using Floris's IRC thing soon.

[Scott]

I often find that shoutboxes bring more abuse than anything. Moderators then spend most of their time checking the shoutbox leaving the forum unmoderated.

IRC or other forms of chat is a lot easier to manage IMO.

[Odd Fact]

Hmm.. James which forum shoutbox are you thinking about? I believe the issue witht that one is related to the member base at that forum.

[spechackers]

i donot like shoutbox, there is no necssary of it.

[PHPGeek2k3]

i dont personally care for shoutboxes but do understand that they fit well for some websites like mentioned before it all depends on your sites target audience and what the topic of the community is.

Thanks
- James

[dojo]

I won't install such thing too soon. I want my people to discuss in the forums and I am trying my best to keep them interested there. having a shoutbox is not something good for my forums (at least that;s how I feel)