Chat rooms and shout boxes are harmful

[Shawn Gossman]

Chat rooms and shout boxes could harm your forum.

They take away from the forum feature.

Do you agree or disagree?

 

[Dilip]

I try not to use them on forums. It will always take the chat from the threads. They do not get indexed or add value to the forum.

There was a time when people used them to reduce off-topic on forums. But in the current state, even off-topics can be useful.

 

[Papa Bear]

I don’t use them although I have in the past and they have taken away from members posting in the forums.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I don’t use them although I have in the past and they have taken away from members posting in the forums.

Every time I have used them, they have killed out a significant portion of forum activity.

If you put something easier in front of something more manual, people are going to choose the easier route.

It's easy to chat quickly rather than spend your time on the forum.

I stay away from them on other forums myself and keep them off my own.

@Papa Bear welcome to the forum, BTW!

 

[Papa Bear]

Every time I have used them, they have killed out a significant portion of forum activity.

If you put something easier in front of something more manual, people are going to choose the easier route.

It's easy to chat quickly rather than spend your time on the forum.

I stay away from them on other forums myself and keep them off my own.

@Papa Bear welcome to the forum, BTW!

Pretty much what you posted is exactly what I have seen in the past and thanks

 

[Elseb]

They can have a negative affect on a forum. We've had them previously and found that instead of making posts, they just typed there as it's easier and also, if it's not used, it can look a bit of an eyesore as generally dates and times are shown on the typed messages, you don't want your forum to look inactive.

 

[Papa Bear]

At one time instead of a staff area I set it up so only staff could see and use the shoutbox

 

[Shawn Gossman]

At one time instead of a staff area I set it up so only staff could see and use the shoutbox

That is kind of interesting.

That might be the one good use for a chat box, for staff only to give quick chats about something.

Great idea @Papa Bear

 

[Papa Bear]

That is kind of interesting.

That might be the one good use for a chat box, for staff only to give quick chats about something.

Great idea @Papa Bear

That was the whole idea for staff to give a fast reply or whatever and it did work

 

[ZandraJoi]

I have it enabled on my forum. I use it only to say Good Morning & Good Night so that people will see that I’m around, even if I don’t happen to be able to post much on that day. Other members have used it too for general chitchat.
I don’t think it takes away from a forum as the Shoutbox is for simple conversations, not in-depth ones. I have also not had deep discussions going as the people I know who use a Shoutbox use it for simple Hi & Bye. They still post in the forum.