HTML chat has changed alot in the last few years. The models we used for chatsites in the beginning don't seem to work as well anymore. IRC chat has evolved into feature rich java chat. Instant messaging like ICQ has evolved into AIM, YM, MSN, complete with video and sound. Self contained social sites such as geocities, yahoo, alt and evolved into highly connected social engineering sites such as myspace.
Despite all these changes, HTML chat seems to have a faithfull audience. We have not grown over the years, just spread out a bit. It is hard to choose a reason why so many people still want HTML chat. herefore it is also hard to know what changes can be made and still keep our identity. Yet even so, most site owners recognize the need to offer something special. Certain sites try to do that with features, some with price, and some with customer service. To an extent, we have tried all of those approaches over the years.
I'd like to solicit ideas from you as to how you'd like to see us evolve as we go forward. I do not think we want to compete with the myspace type sites, but we could offer some updated operating policies, different features, and still maintain the personal touch, which can be lost at the larger sites.
current free member benefits- access to chatroom
- read and post message board
- multi site username/password
current premium member benefits- access to full chatrooms
- special color on user online list
- reserved chatname
- explicit membership to specific chatroom
- 50 MB webspace
- ability to apply for mod status
- ability to apply for chatroom leadership
Some of the benefits we are considering include:
possible premium member benefits (near future)- personal chatroom
- select category (section)
- select room name
- editable pulldowns
- editable entry page
- room leader is also room mod
- select room access list from free and premium member lists
- designate unlimited number of additional room mods
- designate unlimited number of technicians (able to maintain room)
- select privacy mode (public, password access, or access list access)
- select visibility on user online list
- personal message board
- select unlimited board mods
- may have public and private sub boards
- webpage authoring tool
- personal profile linked on user online list
possible free member benefits (future)- merged chat room and message board username/password
- telegraph
possible premium member benefits (future)- personal blog
- multiple identities or profiles per username/password (e.g. for roleplayers)
- widget library for personal webpage (games, tools, dice roller, etc)
- ability to cooperatively form a community from a set of chatrooms
- select age appropriate designation for personal room (teen only, adult only, all ages)
If there are other types of features you think we should consider, or if you think some of the ideas on the list are not appropriate, please post your comments.
