Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

A Hybrid Between Chat and Message Boards?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the not-so-instant-messaging dept.

qirtaiba asks: "Synchronous discussion software (in simple terms, chat) allows discussions to take place instantly and interactively, but asynchronous software (discussion boards, a la Slashdot) have the advantage that they allow people from different timezones to participate equally. Does anyone know of a hybrid? The closest thing I have found is a proprietary 'Commons Console' offered as a service by Conflict Lab. This is not just an idle question. The Internet Governance Forum (or IGF — you can find more information here) is meeting for the first time in Athens from October 30th to the 2nd of November, this year. A lot of people who might like to participate aren't going to be able to make it to Athens, so the IGF has asked for ideas on how best to enable remote participation. Can Slashdot help?"

4 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Take a squiz at Campfire by NeuralAbyss · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've been using Campfire as part of a group project. Initially I was against the idea.. but it's become useful, in that there's also logs of prior entries. About as close to a cross of chat and message board that's practical..

  2. It's not the instantaneousness by i+kan+reed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's the rate of buildup. The primary advantage of chatting is that replies are fast enough that they can in turn be replied to quickly, therefor allowing a dialog to made quickly. It's ideal for the "well, what about this" kinds of conversations. Message boards have their primary advantage in thoroughness. When you answer, you try and create complete answers that are useful to everyone reading it and aren't as specific. You do bring up an interesting point though, and it makes me think that it'd be neat to see a wiki that had chat built in. A permenant documentation with quickness in discussion.

    1. Re:It's not the instantaneousness by Jaruzel · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Parlano's Mindalign has sticky 'backchat' where recently joined users can scroll back and read the history of the conversation.

      Mindalign is one of the major IM/collaboration players in the Investment Banking market, and is installed on the desktops of a lot of global banks.

      (No, I don't work for Parlano)

      -Jar.

      --
      Together, We Can Make Slashdot Better. I Do NOT Mod ACs. - Check Me Out
  3. Metafoum - AJAX Forum Software by glowworm · · Score: 3, Informative

    I am now using Blursoft's Metaforum

    It works like phpBB or vBulletin but the active threads page, inside the thread itself and various other places are all built around Ajax so you get the realtime, non-refresh mode.

    If someone posts the thread is bumped and everyone knows. In fact if you use FFx and move the forum to a background tab the tab blinks when a new post is there so you can go on with other work and only look when something has happened.

    It's still beta but it's now quite usable. Plus... it has Ajax'ed Slashdot style moderation. Members can increase a post above the noise or sink it to oblivion. You set your floor with a fuzzy slider.

    There is a working forum at http://www.planetblur.org/beta/index.php if you want to look.

    --
    Orationem pulchram non habens, scribo ista linea in lingua Latina