Just set up a an irc channel.
Server: irc.blitzed.org
Channel: #hammockchat
Just set up a an irc channel.
Server: irc.blitzed.org
Channel: #hammockchat
I'm with AngrySparrow. It's not a good fit for our community. We are all about sharing ideas and the forum documents those ideas fairly well. The forum gives everyone access, not just those who may happen to be involved in a chat.
Ideas are good, but I can't help but recognize that there's an obvious social aspect to a community, too.
Nobody HAS to use the chat (and short of one other person, nobody has)...but I'd argue that those who are more interested in a rounded community have it available.
Of course, if by operating an unaffiliated and unofficial meeting place (not unlike an in-person group hang) I'm overstepping my boundaries as a part of this community, I'll gladly shut it down.
Respectfully, I've been a member here less than a week. I've been a lurker for considerably longer.
That said, if you're suggesting I no longer offer an unaffiliated chat room as a source of information, communication, and camaraderie I'm perfectly willing to shut it down until this conversation about whether or not it would be beneficial or even useful has run it's course and the powers that be pass a mandate.
If you're suggesting that you (and some others) are not interested, then I'd encourage at least popping in...there's a good conversation about tarps going on currently. :)
You need a third party client, like MIRC or you can go to http://www.wsirc.com/
Click "New connection" in the top left corner, and put in the following info:
server: irc.blitzed.org
Auth Method: NickServ
Username: YourNameHere
Channel: #hammockchat
The rest is not important.
Hey all,
Let me start by saying that I think I speak for everyone when I say I truly appreciate the hard work and commitment of the HF moderators and developers and that without their efforts, there wouldn't be the kind of fantastic hammocking community we have now. It is my go to website and have spent countless hours reading, watching videos and looking at pictures about the great hoppy of hammocking.
When I first posed this question, I was interested in finding out what the HammockForum community thought of the idea since my own experience with on line chat has only been positive.
But I also want to respect the HF team's vision for their site and don't feel it would be right to do an end-run around them and establish any kind alternate hammocking chat without their full endorsement and participation. I think that would only be fair.
Well said. I agree.
I think some people might be missing the point here. Chat is not meant to replace the forums as a way to disseminate information, but a way to bring people together for other activities.
An IRC channel could be great for planning events or having a way to communicate in real time to a specific group of people on a specific subject that is time sensitive. It really could be very beneficial for certain aspects of what this site was set up for. IRC is not very user friendly (for someone new to it), but it could be a useful tool to facilitate certain things for those willing to put in the time to use it. Personally I don't see myself using IRC much, but I'm a pretty solitary guy beyond these forums. It sounds like a good tool for those who would use it though.
And if I could put in my own 2c here about change to the site, I for one feel like an outsider many times due to draconian tactics employed by some of the moderators in limiting any change or deviation to what they personally think the site should be. I've had threads moved and removed because one moderator or another didn't personally like the thread - even though it did not even come close to violating the TOS. No explanation, not PM, nothing. I bring this up, not to beat on the mods -who are doing their best I'm sure- but it can feel like getting hit by a sledge hammer around here if you're not in the inner circle. Again, just my opinion as a donating member, and I'm trying to keep it relevant to this thread about change and additions to the site.