What Makes A Network Good For Chatters?

amac · none Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 27

I am in the process of getting a network up and running.

What services should their be and what would encourage users to chat on one network over another?

What online services are offered to users, what is used and what is requested?

What criteria do you look at when either picking a network to link with or just somewhere u want to chat?

Regards,
Amac
InternalChat

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 1982 Location: New Zealand

amac · none Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 27

Thanks for your responce it was a great post.

What web based services do you offer or what do people think should be offered by new networks? Forums? Java Chat? any thing else?

Regards,
Amac
InternalChat

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 1982 Location: New Zealand

Since I dont own a network (but I am planning to build one soon), I can't say what I offer... but from a user's standpoint, I can say that as useful as Java Chat is (and it is - I've had to use it a thousand times over) I find it ugly, slow and more or less counter-productive (then again, IRC in itself is somewhat counter-productive, depending on what you're using it for).\

Forums are a good idea, but I'm yet to meet a setup where being registered on one service is also registration to another (ie: IRC Services/Anope/atheme/etc vs. forums) - most people dont really like having to sign up twice to the same lot of people. Not to mention the added overhead of managing those forums (if they do get popular enough, you may end up delegating your staff to moderate the forums instead of the network)

amac · none Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 27

Yeh, Radio is another thing i looked at but i dont know if i could keep enough djs on it.

Any other services that are possibilities to add to a network.

Regards,
Amac
InternalChat

Jobe · Posted: Nov 03, 2006 7:02am Post subject:

On my network i provide a user status icon that can be used on forums in BBcode and on websites using an <img> html tag so users if they wish to can indicate their status on my network to others. This feature makes use of Denora IRC stats. This is not so much of a service but more of a gimmick or feature i provide on my network.

I have to say on any network a forum is a good idea since it provides a medium for announcments, feedback and discussions relating to the network all without having to sign onto IRC.

Java chat may be ugly but it has its uses. Like for example when youre away from youre own computer and unable to install software but the computer youre using supports java. Another example of web chat you can use is CGI::IRC. The only major problem with CGI::IRC is that it takes up a fair bit of server resources due to the way it works. So most web hosts dont support or allow CGI::IRC.

So as i say providing a web chat for users whether it be Java based or CGI::IRC is something that may help even if not many users use it.

DragonRyder · none Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Posts: 11

i currently use the latest anope 1.7.17

amac · none Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 27

DragonRyder thanks for that im sure it would help.

Jobe thanks for that i just started to use Denora it is a very nice live stats program. I also have started to use phpDenora it shows nice stats for everyone.

amac · none Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 27

We have got our network off the ground now just slowly intergrating all the website features.

Come Drop By Meet Some New People www.internalchat.org/chat
irc.internalchat.org

Any input on things to fix would be appreciated.

Regards,
Amac
InternalChat

Calum · none Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 7

Hi,

I'm sorry if I'm putting you down or anything but sorry, if you're looking for a sucessful userbase, give up or offer something no one in the World does offer.

In my opinion, IRC isn't going anywhere anymore. It's dying slowly.

All the major networks don't appear to be doing anything new. User counts seem to be decreasing and that's sad. IRCing used to be quite fun for me but I have lost interest like thousands of others.

rant over

- calum

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 1982 Location: New Zealand

Callum, why have you (among others) lost interest?

If NetAdmins know whats driving users away, perhaps there's something we can do to retain the userbase we enjoy...

Jobe · Posted: Nov 19, 2006 7:24pm Post subject:

One of the biggest problems is DDoS'ers are scaring new users away from networks where they are most vunerable (such as those networks without hostmasking of some kind) As a result the new users who would normally replace the users who lose interest arnt joining in so much.

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 1982 Location: New Zealand

yep, sounds about right... unfortunately, there's only so much you can do to prevent being hit by DDoS (that is until every packet kiddy happens to congregate in one spot and you happen to have a few "spare" grenades...)

Jobe · Posted: Nov 20, 2006 7:16am Post subject:

Problem with that is for every one you kill off 2 seem to come back. Razz

mknight · none Joined: 18 Nov 2006 Posts: 7

The net I just started is getting me back in the frontlines. I am looking forward to going to war! Wink

LOL! I might regret saying that known some packet kiddie is watching. As for DDOSers there isn't much you can do like PingBad said. Though there a little hope at the end of the rainbow. Most experienced IRCops already know of what I talking about open proxy scanner bots, viru detectors and the good old wrestguards to protect the wrests from carpal tunnel syndrome. lol! As for what make users flock to servers and or stay there is many factors one is what the server/network has to offer (is it unique or not well known) like channels or services or IRCd flavor? Is the users freindly or meet the other users personality tastes? Most important is the staff! Are they friendly and/or meet the users tastes? Do they respect there powers?

Which brings me back to opers that don't do so. They really do degrade an networks appeal. I use to visit an IRC network the IRCops there are power hungry and they have shown it. Let along mature to handle the responsiblity of it.