what about adding a chat box?
the forums already are a chat box, there’s mundane babble. or do you mean for two people at a time? for that there’s PM
i mean live chat…but yeah your probably right
We used to have it, but it wasn’t used very often. I used to chat with Xunzian every now and then, and then peeked in virtually everytime I logged in, but there was never anyone except for mine and Xunzian’s semi-planned chats.
I’ve talked to a few users through things like steam, MSN, phone, etc. I wouldn’t likely use the chat client with those same people because I’d have to leave it open.
Right, I’ve talked to one fellow Member on the phone on numerous occasions and another via Yahoo! Messenger.
One of the other philosophy forums at least used to have a chat area, which seemed to be used a lot. I couldn’t find a way to make it interesting.
This thread did make me think of the idea of having real time debates. Start at a certain time, with only so much time for your whole set of posts, say five minutes per person. The moment your opponents post is up, your clock is ticking - so obviously a moderator has to be online.
Essentially speed chess but a philosophical argument. The debate is judged, but your time running out, as in chess, results in a loss.
Probably best if the moderator is the judge and also chooses the topic - participants could agree beforehand on an area, ontology, whatever.
This would prevent the use of prepped text that is pasted in.
I think the real time debates are already happening. That’s kinda what I use the site for. The thing is that in real time, debates are nasty and involve all kinds of shit besides just being right. It’s almost never that things will get fully, or even clearly articulated, and for the most part I think that’s what people like. Even if people here could cite all kinds of things and quote all kinds of people…no one wants to. The reason for that is that everyone should know that those things don’t prove anything. Moreno, if you think I’m wrong…then you’re wrong. The end. That’s an internet debate.
I’d probably call someone a name. Then I’d get banned! I’m opposed.
I agree. Which makes me nervous.
Captain just boycott everything but the rant house when you wanna make a thread, and in other threads don’t call anyone a name until they call you one.
I got banned in rant house for calling someone a cunt 
In the rant house?
yeah and they even called me a name first!
It doesn’t make any difference what forum you’re in. You NEVER call anyone a name. You don’t call them a cunt, you say they are acting like a cunt. There. You’ve just called them a cunt without calling them a cunt and you might get a warning to cool your jets, but you didn’t (technically) violate posting rules. There are ways and then there are ways…
can I say “from your posts I gather that you are in fact a cunt” or is it still not cheap and misdirected enough?
I’d suggest making an IRC channel except I imagine the hassle of installing and learning how to use IRC for most users on here would be a barrier into getting that going. IRC is not very beginner-friendly.
I kinda hope this was supposed to only be funny. Otherwise you don’t really know the rules.
I mean, pardon me, you are acting like you don’t know the rules.
IRC is also old and ugly, and not 1 on 1
old, yes. ugly, yes.
not 1 on 1? I thought that was the point…
people can already arrange 1 on 1 chats. I didn’t think this thread was about 1 on 1.
(and besides, irc inherently has 1-on-1 functionality, so that’s not even remotely true anyway)