I dunno if I'm the first to whine about this, but could we have a choice of choosing java chat or irc chat? Chatting in an applet is really annoyingly limited (the window cant even be resized, to say the least of the many boo-boos) Most regular chatters would be using chat programs anyway .. I was thinking of adding a link on the bottom of the chatroom page that states the server and channel of the irc chatroom so ppl can connect to it that way. I would offer to do admin on an irc channel myself (since I'm online almost 24/7) if enough ppl think java chat is lame :Cast your votes here folks! ;)

Well, I can't connect to anything Java based from my work. But I can't connect to IRC either LOL so... But the chat here seems rather unstable so anything better would be an improvement I guess. Not that I've used it much, as I can only use it at home and there I'm normally busy making props and stuff AND chatting on Trillian. But well Trillian has IRC capabilities too. So.. I vote for IRC.

Corel has an irc server going for the BryceTalk which can be accessed by either java or mIRC. I prefer IRC. Hope to see that here.

Yes I'd much prefer to use an IRC client like mIRC.Too many times I have whispered to the wrong person, or worse the whole room :)

Of note, there are also CGI-based IRC clients which would allow the web frontend to not be a Java applet.

I like this idea. I don't use that chat right now, mostly because it hasn't worked right for me yet. I'd chat in IRC, especially if there is some good moderation.

I've got mIRC with multi-server capability. I'm always on one channel, and it's no problem for me to add another... I never visit the chat right now, but if it was on an IRC server, I'd be there a lot more.

Actually, this is the only site where I actually use the chat. Can't chat at Poser Pros cuz theirs doesn't work in netscape and I stopped using IRC a couple of years ago because it was such a hassle and I had to totally shut down my firewall to use it. Nope, won't catch me using IRC for anything ever again. I like the chat here just the way it is. Kate

Kate: That doesn't mean that multiple options shouldn't be made available. The Java chat applet thingy uses IRC on the backend, so all that should have to be done is to make the IRC server available outside of the Java client's domain.

yep, the double option thing was what i mostly had in mind.. there're a few servers that allow both java and irc, so whether you use irc or java, you can talk in the same chat.

funny, we were talking about this in the bryce forum about a week ago...

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1228719

I would like to add that in an irc chat, there can be a topic set on the channel by ops so announcements can be made.

I'm already on IRC 24/7, whether I'm home or not, simply because I run a compendium of channels there, for RPG stuff. So I'd most definitely prefer IRC.

I was told that the common reason most sites, like Renderosity, don't have a Java/IRC chat is the cost....true if you were to get one of the pro-packages it would cost a lot of money, but Webmasters Inc have a Java/IRC chat that's just perfect and it's free. All it would take is removing the chat code from the chat room page and replacing it with the 15 lines of code from Webmasters Inc. and the chat rooms are run on WebNet's servers which are dedicated chat servers - so no chat burps or down time either ;-)
The free pack is called Backpack and if the admin are seriously interested in applying this code I can give them the code needed via e-mail...all they'd need to do is copy and paste the code.
Of course if they wanted this client for more than 1 room then the'd need to list the names of each room as I'd need to generate a seperate code for each and register each room (so no one can steal it). After that it's just a case of me helping to register those who need to be Ops (Chat room operators) for the rooms which would usually be the mods and admin...;-)
This is really a task that could be done in about a day or two and all the rooms could be set up, running and useable within 30 minutes...lol.
Incidently, Webmasters Inc are the ones who created and maintain the World Wrestling Entertainment chat (WWE Chat) at www.wwe.com and this IS a world famous chat.
I Use Backpack on my Kanefire site, although not many people go in there as I'm merely a fan of Kane...but I'm sure more people would use the chat here if it had backpack on it...;-)
I also have some pretty cood chat scripts for running and maintaining Java/IRC chat rooms.
Also, no one can tell me that the current chat CAN'T be replaced...if you have the abbiltiy to modify the current chat with things such as a pause button then you have the abbiltiy to remove the code and replace it with a better one...lol. :-P
I Heard about XP haveing probs with Java....if you have all the service packs and security patches (not the same thing, they are both differant) then you'd get Java on XP...I had XP with all the patches and packs already installed on my new pc and it works fine ;-)