Live Chat feature

I also agree. Although the one over at the other forum I frequent at seems to be okay, (I'm a Chat mod right now )

Skype, Yahoo, MSNM suits me fine really

I've never used a feature like that before. I would imagine it would be fatal ion this forum if Hornby digital was discussed!

QUOTE I find that most people tend to act pretty much as they do in threads. Thats what concerned me

Dear Gary,

I was the moderator of a Yahoo Group that did run a number of chat sessions that did not get out of control. What we did was that we would have a regular Friday evening session advertised at a time set by the person running the chat session. We posted a timetable with a topic for each Friday night, several weeks in advance. You obviously poll the members for what topics they would like to have or just add new ones as they are suggested (whichever method of deciding the subjects works best). You could just choose the topic on the forum that received most views and/or posts in the last few weeks.

By deciding the subject in advance, this had the advantage that members were encouraged to research the topic and post photos to an album ready for the Friday night session. We started off with a few quiz photos at an obscure location that we had to guess. This helps break the ice and gives newcomers some time to get comfortable with the s/w.

By structuring the Chat sessions and focussing on a subject or a group of photos, you can then ask that chatters to stay on topic or quit. That seems to stop idle or silly chat. I don't know if these ideas would work in this forum, but it may be worth a try. Until you try the idea, you don't know if it would really work. Of course, if it produces the negative behavious reported by others in this thread, then you can easily turn it off. Who knows, we might turn out to be a bunch of mature adults that only behave like schoolboys when playing trains (sorry, but I could not resist saying that!).

Just my 2 eurocents worth.

Hi John

That was exactly how I was thinking!

A structured live chat on a pre-arranged subject with a specialist on hand to keep things on topic may be of interest to members.

Doug's experience with Scalextric slot car racers may not be replicated among a group of railway modellers!

There could be sessions where a model railway club member introduces his club and a group of club members particpate.

Or there could be a session on a specific DCC manufacturer or subject.

Or on a certain prototypical theme.

Or on an aspect of modelling.

And so on.

Happy modelling
Gary

Sometime past, I joined a Computer related help chat show - regrettably this chat line proved a disaster as all the participants chatted in all subjects with the exception of Computer matters. In some cases, discussions became entirely filthy in content and answers most past remarkable. It may be worth a trial in this Forum - though a watch to subject content would probably require some form of censoreship and ensure that only "chats" relate to railway modeling and this service allowed only to registered members of this Forum.
I maybe again, treading in dangerous ground - at another "Forum" I suggested a similar scheme, unfortunately left out one or two railway modeling gauge. The response to my suggestion was immediately received with sarcasm and most hurtful comments from members of that Forum.
Choosing carefully subjects or help topics would I imagine be a must, if Model Rail Forum decide to introduce a "chat line" and remain a popular feature.