Chatbox - Poll

[tr1age]

So we have had a little time with the new Slack Chat Chatbox replacement for TAB.

The chat statistics have sky rocketed. It is truly an awesome program. But alas it still isn't embed-able into the site. Site activity has been going well too since we implemented the new features and such, but something about the external chat still gets me. I dunno just having that stream of comments moving across the screen every-time I opened AltTabMe made me happy. Regardless of hating it on my mobile device. There is a new chat app that allows for tagging and such, so you can reach one another still when not around. So if we did swap it would be to a new integrated program, with a better mobile view. Perhaps one idea is to just try it. Turn off slack for a few days and see how another chat goes.

My question to everyone is do the pros outweigh the cons:

Pros

1. Mobile app smooth as butter
2. Instant linking
3. Smooth interface

Cons

1. No website integration
2. Feels detached from TAB
3. I WANT MY CHAT COLORS BACK!

Feel free to post why as well as vote on the poll.
Statistically it is hard to tell if the chat is taking away from site activity or increasing it. With all the new awesome features, I want to make sure we are using both to the fullest extent. But honestly don't know what direction to go here.

So I am open to all opinions!

 

[Crake]

I do miss being greeted instantly by live activity when I log in, and I think that does add a great engaging element to the site. Having the chat app on my phone, however, is excellent as well. Overall I think slack is detrimental toward new members who might be slightly more hesitant to get involved since it requires a few more steps and is a bit less obvious/accessible, but it is beneficial to established members that want better and more efficient ways to communicate. I do think if we went back overall I'd miss the convenience and features of Slack, but I would appreciate the basic and open nature of the original. I'm about 63/47 leaning toward keeping Slack. I still can't believe a simple embed feature doesn't yet exist (still hopeful) as that would solve all our problems. Let's write a petition about it.

So I guess overall I'm for Slack, but I wouldn't be completely heartbroken if we reverted back to the original.

Edit: One minor suggestion, and maybe this is just my preference, but I would appreciate it if the Slack link on the side of the forum opened it in a new tab instead of directing away from the site; makes it feel even more disconnected to me.

 

[tr1age]

See I use the desktop app so I never have to have a second tab open. Chat is on one screen and TAB is on the other. obviously this is the ideal situation but not the one everyone has.

I have tested the options out there for our chatting, we would not go back to the exact same chat box because there is a better one with tagging going to user notifications and embedding urls and youtube etc, kinda exactly like slack does but with site integration. To use it on the phone you can use the mobile theme and a full page chat client. However it is not as smooth from testing, but it isn't broken either.

 

[tr1age]

Oh there is an option to integrate slack with IRC and then embed IRC into the forum but that is like 5 billion levels of disconnect and ugly as all getup.

 

[dainjre]

Yeah, haven't used slack once and I don't intend to. I'm not going to download an app on my phone or computer. I got a nexus 6 specifically so that I wouldn't have a billion apps on my phone. I didn't mind the chat on the site and would be happy to see it back.

 

[Milleuda]

I admit it is nice to have a separate app for my mobile devices. I do, how everyone, feel like I have to make an effort to check the forums. I'm not sure it affects me, but I could see it being a problem for others to flip back and forth between the two.

All in all, I am pleased with the new chat functionality.