To chat or not to chat? What is the problem?

I don’t chat or IM because I type so poorly it’s like conversing with a terrible stutter.

I find all the pauses between comments tedious.

Meh…I’m not a “chat” person. I tried when I was still relatively new at the invitation of a couple other Jellys. Then we all sat around looking at each other, or got lost in the general confusion.

I tend to multi-task so I’m not always sitting by my laptop at the ready so it doesn’t work well for me.

Well you are never here to talk to me @Blueroses. You went and got too busy!

It’s mainly that in order to really chat, you have to have that tab on top. (Ok, technically, you could listen for the little sound telling you there’s a new message, but because so many websites now have video ads to pay for things, my computer’s default is mute.) And, I’m just not going to stare at that screen for several hours waiting for someone to come along.

It’s mind numbingly tedious & a thoroughly unappealing waste of time.

I do IM but only with one person at a time. The few times I went into a chat room, I found it chaotic and meaningless – a lot of “his” and “byes” and so-and-sos have left the chatroom. Not for me!

I don’t like the way people are talking across each other.

I feel awkward when I come in in the middle of someone else’s chat.

Will there be sex?

[He asks, hopefully]

@wundayatta There HAS been sex talk in that room before… you just missed it :D

I do enjoy Fluther’s chatrooms, but never know when others are there. Lately, there hasn’t been anyone there so I no longer check.

I can’t multi-task well enough to manage live chat whilst I’m doing other things online. Plus, I’ve never seen anyone in there whose username I recognise.

If we could arrange a set day & time when people would be chatting, (and if it is a practical time for my timezone) then I would certainly participate.

I just had a look…..

The Watering Hole – 0 people inside

Tidepool – Fluther Help – 0 people inside

If people want to use the chat room, perhaps we should schedule chats at certain times? Perhaps once a week – a bit like a party.

I think most of us forget it’s there because it isn’t used regularly. It has been used more in the past.

@Bellatrix That has happened before, scheduled chat sessions. I reckon it worked fairly well for a bit.

I think the problem right now is that Fluther’s activity has dropped drastically. There are a handful of questions a day, and compared to not so long ago, the activity’s flow has slowed to a near trickle. Okay, maybe I’m being dramatic. But it has been slow lately. Last year, I noticed the same, but it wasn’t as bad as now. kinda makes me worry So given that, I guess something secondary to the site such as the chat room is bound to gather some dust. (although it had gathered dust in more active Fluther periods, so who knows I guess…)

@Symbeline perhaps a regular chat would encourage people to spend more time on the site.

It’s worth a try hey @Symbeline and @downtide.

Well yeah, it certainly is an option. How would that work out though? Would people schedule a chat, like once a week or something, to start with? Would we appoint a certain subject to talk about, or would it be a social shoot the shit kinda thing? The idea is worth it though.

Attempts to revive chat never seem to work long-term.

because people just don’t seem to chat in there. Seems more like an elevator without music or a lobby or waiting room to me.

FWIW, I’d be down for a weekly chat session as well.
Maybe with the aid of some Jelly Shots ;)
What times/time zones would work best for everyone?

@bookish1 Great idea! Set the date and time and I’ll try to be there!