CHAT ROOM

Cos they're dull and miserable, and talk utter nonsense (I mean more than us) in the million sub categoriers they have all over the site. Why would they need one.

[quote:c3c4bc1193="Mother Bear"]Considering some members on another forum have been subjected to dodgy and abusive PMs, anything's possible.[/quote:c3c4bc1193]

Here we just post dodgy and abusive statements in the forum! :icon_wink: You never know with those unregistered chatters, though. They could be immigrant stalkers, getting kinky thrills from being near new and future kiwis. Or they could come in, drink all the beer and throw up in the potted plants. ...Seriously (sort of), if I were to play in the chat room I'd be a bit put off by chatting with a complete stranger in there, rather than the completely strange people I've come to know and love on the forum.

[quote:6fa164b5fe="SteveyC"]Half the mebers who register don't post anyway or neccessarily come back[/quote:6fa164b5fe]

Yes, I'm off topic... I noticed that there are a lot of people who signed on ages ago, yet never posted, or posted a couple of times and then disappeared. Any plans to periodically weed the membership roster, Taffy? There are over 700 members listed. I'm just OC about tidiness, that's all.

[quote:353e15abff="selchie"] Any plans to periodically weed the membership roster, Taffy? There are over 700 members listed. [b:353e15abff]I'm just OC about tidiness, that's all[/b:353e15abff].[/quote:353e15abff]
Yes, me too. I?m afraid I?d be having a spring clean of members who haven?t posted at all during the last year or so. Clear out the deadwood, although our membership list won?t look so impressive anymore. I have to admit to registering in Jan.2005 and not posting until August myself, but that was because I?d been about to answer someone?s question, but then decided not to, as I found they were talking about something different.

Perhaps putting up a post of non-active members? names (maybe just the 20 oldest to begin with) and requesting that they register their intention of wanting to remain a member might be an idea. Do I feel another list coming on?

With regard to non-members in the Chat Room, I?ve been in twice when such people were in there. It was a bit nerve wracking not knowing what sex they were, what age group they were, which part of the world they were from, whether they were in NZ, waiting to go to NZ or not even mildly interested in NZ. Could have been kids for all I knew. First one I had to rattle on several occasions before I got a reply and it was very embarrassing as I didn't realise non-members could get in there. There was a very awkward few minutes of cross chat where she didn't know what I was on about and I didn't know she wasn't a member, although I didn't recognise her username.

The second one didn?t reply to me at all, yet was showing as being in the Chat Room for many hours. Just feels a bit weird to me to enter a room, not knowing who I was going to meet up with and how do you start a conversation?.?Who the hell are you then?? [img:353e15abff]http://www.invision.smileyville.net/smilies/greets%20(4).gif[/img:353e15abff]

When meeting up with a member, at least you both have some common ground and often know a little (or a lot) about their background and have a basis for getting a good conversation going. Difficult when you know nothing at all about a stranger. Of course, there are ways around that if the person is friendly and open, but you don?t know that until it?s too late.

I've been in several chat rooms in the past, cannot remember for what reasons now - but absolutely sure they were for entirely innocent reasons. On one I was within minutes the amused recipient of someone's desire to get together with graphic descriptions of the 'fun' we could have, and on another I was bombarded with someone's Nazi opinions garnished with plenty of expletives.

I am not saying that it is going to happen to this forum's chat room, but some people do get their perverse entertainment from them and I fear our chat room will in time attract one of them. Maybe at such a time, the chat room membership can be altered to 'invitation only' - sounds cliquey, but IMO that may be the only way to continue it.

My, I'm being a bit pessimistic! Had some nice chats in our chat room, but if someone unknown came on, lurked and said nothing ... well, it would be a conversation stopper for many.

:icon_biggrin:

[quote:1aac71a9cb="Glenda"].....but if someone unknown came on, lurked and said nothing ... well, it would be a conversation stopper for many.

:icon_biggrin:[/quote:1aac71a9cb]

I can only liken it to being in a totally dark room and knowing someone else was in there, but not who or what they were doing or wanted to do.

Da, dada, da....[img:1aac71a9cb]http://www.smilies.smileyville.net/smilies/916.gif[/img:1aac71a9cb]

hehe everythings a drama man. Taffy's already said he's incorporating it with the forum but it should be said they're are plenty of chat rooms that don't have pervs or staunch racists on them and people have happy discussion. If someones in there being leary, then you just leave don't you, it's hardly brimming with people bearing in mind it's always been there. Just because it's been revamped a little doesn't automatically mean it's gonna be a target for stalkers.

How would they find it anyway, do a google search for "chat"? No people google "NZ emmigration" or "move to NZ", not "mmmm, NZ forum with a homepage that you can log in seperately to a chat room and be really REALLY freaky and creepy despite having no interest in NZ"

[quote:02ffcbdc44="SteveyC"]people google "NZ emmigration" or "move to NZ", not "mmmm, NZ forum with a homepage that you can log in seperately to a chat room and be really REALLY freaky and creepy despite having no interest in NZ"[/quote:02ffcbdc44]

[smilie=lol 2.gif]

As Mr C pointed out, this is a niche website that only people with an interest in NZ would want to search for, not a free for all chat service like MSN used to have. And you've only got to look at a certain 'other' forum to see you're just as likely to be abused on a forum as you are in a chat room. You might also be pleased to know that a log is made of everyone who uses the chat room, which can be traced to their internet provider, and can be used by authorities if something bad happens.

As for spring cleaning the members database, just because they don't post doesnt mean they are not active members! What most of you dont see is the volume of non-posters who prefer to just read what goes on, rather than join in. Some people just don't like typing on forums, but find the information contained invaluable, and being a member means they can see new posts since their last visit. No doubt there are plenty of members who joined and never returned, but it's not harming anything!

I think I'll have to start distributing some 'chill pills' to people!

Oooo can I have a pack please, :icon_cool: I'm not sure I'm laid back enough.