Concerning the BOL IRC Chat

[Felagund]

Most chat rooms are just havens for garbage, and BOL's would have become like that if anyone who wanted could access it.

In Christo-Per Mariam,
Felagund

[Izod Foldger]

But anyone who wants to can access BOL, but BOL isn't "garbage", and the reason is because there are rules, and there are people that enforce the rules.

[Joe]

Chatrooms are very different, as everything is presented "live". It simply cannot be moderated or regulated in the same way that a forum can.

[Izod Foldger]

Yeah, so it is moderated differently, by the warning, kick, and ban method.

[Joe]

We tried that for over 3 years, and it never proved to be a solution that worked well in the long run. There were always problems, and there were very regular complaints of breach of rules or of troublesome non-BOL members joining.

The nature of an IRC chatroom makes it almost impossible to maintain for the current audience. There is no guarantee of a good audience, there is a security threat posed, and there is the massive problem of access to other chatrooms on the network that are simply vile.

I'm very happy that the current administration opted for this course of action. The forum is as good a place as any to communicate.

[Izod Foldger]

Are you saying that they couldn't set it up so just BOLers could join the chat? Can't you set chat rooms to invite only, and then invite just BOL members?

[Joe]

Both options require a good deal of hands-on interaction. And again, nothing is fool-proof. Even with the BOL member base, there is a need for moderation (otherwise we would have no moderators ). A chatroom would require 24-hour moderation--something that I can guarantee no moderator would want to give.

What it basically comes down to is this--BOL was designed as an online forum, not as a chatroom. We tried a number of times to provide a safe chatroom, but ultimately it didn't work (and there are a number of stories going back all the way to 2001 that show just how badly it didn't work). So, the BOL staff remains happy trying to provide the safe and wholesome forum--and has simply decided the chatroom isn't worth the risk.

[Izod Foldger]

I think I see now. The chat = unneccesary danger, that could not be avoided because MODs couldn't be there at all times. Or something like that. Ok, well, thanks for clearing things up for the most part.

[Dark Warrior]

Also, you could access other rooms, HOWEVER, PJirc has a restricted access thing, meaning, you can only get into approved rooms. And if #Seton was the only one approved, then... And you COLD have left it a +m, and Voiced approved users....

[peppersteak]

The ops aren't always there, and so you might just have a bunch of people that couldn't talk sitting around there.


The point is, the chat is closed, and you aren't going to open it.

[Dark Warrior]

Duh, Im meant add approved people to the Vop group...

[peppersteak]

They've already covered that with the invite idea. The ops would have to add tons of new Vops a day.

[hungryman287]

The chat is closed. While it would be nice for ideas, we can't use them at this time. The administration has stated why the chat is closed. Please stop asking for it to reopen, because that won't happen any time soon.

-Brendan

[Draper]

I have been asked to clarify if the chat will ever open again. While it is true that we had been looking into options of creating a safe chat, we have encountered other issues of a different nature that complicate the matter. Just so that there isn't further confusion, the chat will not be re-opening.

[AndAy]