Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
Your evaluation of a "General Chat Area" says that you will not have it, yet we can all search for this thread to use. A thread and a Chat Area are two different things. OK, we shall limp along and maintain the Status Que .
What's next, walking backwards ?
P.S. Where is this Chat Thread to be found ?
Radagast, you have brought this up multiple times to multiple members and each time we have cordially declined. I went out of my way to explain the dynamic that I or my peers who have/had been doing this for over a decade are wanting to avoid. I appreciate each member individually but also in the best interest look at things as a whole and there's far from an overwhelming demand for this and that's being generous. This is something that YOU want to the point that you're lashing out at people who disagree. I can give you more reasons that it's bad. Most of these forums use a rolling chat box at the top of the screen. There's no editing powers in a chat box so to avoid drama or potential trolling our staff who do this for free would have to sit in front of a scrolling screen just to monitor rather than check a thread. You are right, a chat thread and chat area are different. Off Topic is pretty much a chat area itself. It can't get more open than that. I stickied the general chat which someone would have to be blind not to notice but maybe just maybe the members aren't as interested in general chat as you may think. The proof is in the pudding as nothing was or is stopping others from using it. We also have another vent thread as well so there's no more ground to cover in my eyes. It's a free forum that has all the tools needed. What keeeps it afloat is the community and how members choose to use it. This is my last statement regarding this affair. Peace!
Here are two followup chat threads also in the Off Topic section:
The Complaint Thread aka "Our Vent Thread"
and
I Don't Know Why You Say Goodbye I Say Hello aka "Members Logging In Or Out Thread"