Support Forums

I've decided to take the time to create an IRC channel just for the SF community. It's now being hosted on it's own website too, although the domain name doesn't fit. But thanks to RDCA from SupportForums, he was generous enough to host the webpage that I created for the chat on his domain, which is why the domain name would seem a bit random.

You can join at http://www.sfchat.net

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IRC Details:
Server:irc.centralchat.net
Alternative Server:zoidberg.centralchat.net

Port:6667
Channel: #SupportForums

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Commands -
Register Nickname: /ns register PASSWORD EMAIL
Identify Your Password (for logging in on a registered nickname): /ns identify PASSWORD

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Be sure to register your nickname, and enjoy the chat. In the future i'll be adding more AOPs based on SF's member's decision. I added RDCA because of his contribution and generosity to let me host the webpage on his domain.

Others will be added based on their activity, dedication, and attitude on SF.

I hope you'll enjoy the time I spent towards creating this. I made it fit the SF theme, and even the favicon is the same as the official SF forum website's.

You'll see me in there, but my nickname is not the same. If you see someone by the name of "Unleashed" that would be me (Infinity).

I'd highly advice you to at least check it out though. You can connect with an IRC client if you wish, just be respectful of other members if you decide to login, and follow the rules.

Preview:

P.S. That's a nice feather for the logo isn't it? lol

The main idea for this chat:

Just as a post alone that I believe is important, I'm going to reiterate the idea behind me creating the channel and the site in the first place though. This is a support forum, so even though IRC isn't that popular nowadays, people now have an option to go somewhere for Live Support. This channel doesn't require a client to access it since it's now hosted on a site (domain provided by Solidus, and hosting by RDCA), which would make it a lot easier for IRC beginners to be able to take advantage of this.

The other channels out there are being used as an optional "chat" whereas if we can get this enforced as a support and a chat system together it would be a lot more popular in my opinion.

No more giving out your email/msn/aim/yahoo/etc to random people on the forums here, you can achieve support from people through the channel. All you'd have to do is confirm that you're going to be there, through PMing another user on the site willing to help, and you can use the IRC as an alternative to msn. It's a much faster, and easier way of contact in my opinion.

So if anyone starts to disagree based on past posts/threads and suggestions of anything to do with IRC for SF, I would take this into consideration first. Not wanting this official, but for anyone who wants to use this, it will now be optional, and is available to everyone

UPDATE: [May 11th, 2011] - New domain for the chat set up finally. Contributions from Solidus, and he deserves a special thanks for helping the project

Yea, join guys, lots of fun. Sorry about the random domain, if we have a good amount of users I will buy a domain just for the irc.

I'm not sure how the staff will take this idea, but it was mentioned quite recently as an alternative to a shoutbox or a chatbox. So if you're bored or you need to get emotional support from someone you can join the channel and PM each other, which means you don't have to give out your MSN or your email if you don't wish to.

That's why I thought it was a nice idea. It allows for faster communication than Private messaging directly on the forum here as well.

The dimensions are somewhat annoying for me. I reckon it's because I'm used to the small IRC windows. Nevertheless, I shall hop in from time to time.

I can make it smaller if you want? it would bump up the text at the bottom so you don't have to scroll down to see the commands. I'm used to smaller ones as well, but I thought it would be nice to have a little more space.

I'll shrink it down a little.

(05-06-2011, 09:33 PM)Infinity Wrote: [ -> ]I can make it smaller if you want? it would bump up the text at the bottom so you don't have to scroll down to see the commands. I'm used to smaller ones as well, but I thought it would be nice to have a little more space.

I'll shrink it down a little.

Actually, I think you should make it a bit smaller, as its hard to see both the bottom and top of the IRC.

(05-06-2011, 09:52 PM)RDCA Wrote: [ -> ]Actually, I think you should make it a bit smaller, as its hard to see both the bottom and top of the IRC.

It's been resized so the vertical scrollbar basically disappears because everything can now fit on the page. (For my monitor anyway)

Preview:

Very nice of you to do something like this for Support Forums. While it probably won't benefit the community as much just yet, it will help in the future when Support Forums grows and becomes a massive forum like we all hope.

Maybe so, but there are still some very beneficial privileges that come with having the new channel for SF as well. Like I mentioned above, where you no longer have to give out personal information to talk in private in close to a real time conversation. You can just go directly to the IRC channel and start up a conversation there in the room or your own person to person query.

I've done lots of work on it so far, it's got its own layout that matches the theme of this forum. I've got a bot in the room and custom scripts to welcome members and display the rules in the chatroom. Basic help on basic IRC commands in a convenient location below the chat window.

I've even went through the time to go through all of the W3 Validations for html and css, and there are no more errors, they both pass 100%

The only real thing wrong with it would be the domain name, but it's up and running so what else could you ask for? lol I created the page, the channel will always be there, so it would be no problem to move the webpage around wherever.

IRC yay.......... Time to troll on th.... I mean i hope its fun..