This is pretty bad.

There are some of us who rapid cycle---and when in a crisis turn to DS chat.

That is me.

Meebo chat has stopped me from doing regrettable actions of self harm and despair.

Honestly...I will say that Meebo saved me from myself. Maybe I'm alive now because I found a kind soul to chat with for an hour or more.

Messages and hugs don't have that sort of dynamic energy. There is more of a lag.

I have also chatted with people in despair and considering desperate actions. Some of them I have never seen again round these parts. I hope they are ok.

I don't know if they are alive, but I can say with fair certainty that they did not suicide while I was chatting with them on meebo.

Nothing is perfect. I know I am not owed anything by DS. I don't think my thinking is entitled.

But for some of us, chat is a huge, huge big help and comfort. I have made 2 really great phone friends through chatting with them for hours and hours and hours.

I honestly am grateful that DS is here for us. I love having cute avatars to look at, like Gina's. I like PMs. I love posting and the different parts of boards we can post on.

I love hugs...I wish I could give more hugs.

I hope that someone with decision making ability...and power reads this and has mercy.

I don't know how much money it would cost to keep Meebo running, but I am curious. How much is one life worth?

We won't know because chat won't be there to possibly make a difference.

ps: I love you Oprah!

and regarding chatting with another anonymous soul...most did say their mood lifted and they changed their plans and had a plan to get help.

And I am angry that chat is being ditched.

Nothin wrong with that I hope.

and amen to #16--last line.

I think it will make a big difference for some and no difference for others.

It's a shame for many that we are losing this.

But unless you have personally integrated a chat programme into a site like DS I don't think any of us can comment on how difficult or easy it is because we don't have the programming skills.

The other little wrinkle is that I wonder how many free chat programmes that exist now - also how many that don't require some kind of login and tie you into some other suite of programmes giving away some of your personal info (like the whole youtube thing where it keeps trying to get your real name and tries to tie you to a google account, as does blogger now).

Re the question is this the first notification, the answer is yes. The Cls were told over the weekend. I think the press found out about it and then DS saw it. Since acquiring meebo last year Google have done a number of things without telling their clients.

I am very sorry to see chat go. I was not a frequent user, however the times I've used it, I feel it helped me get to know the person on another level. I also recognize that to some, losing chat could be very upsetting.

I may be really dense or uninformed, however is DS owned/ran by Oprah's organization???

good,to,finally,hear,from,a,CL....acuriousfish,in,the,old,days
you'd,have,been,vocal,long,before,now..is,there,nothing,to,be,
done?

I do know losing something, you use often SUCKS - I respect grief and disappointment.

But for the closest friends - there are so many IM's.... faster and nicer then meebo! There are solutions, I don't use google or yahoo - but I have a few DS members offered on "chat" or my "circle"

We tend to forget - DS is a few people in a small office....

Disappointment and loss sucks - add that to bipolar's chemical imbalance. A silly thing like picking up a dog, can feel like the end of the world! Meebo going is not the end of chat or the world, friends can keep up! I also don't do facebook..

But I would IM or send message and hugs - didn't mean to come off like a bitch, I am aware I did.... sorry : /

there use to be a site I think it was called something like realmentalhealth, something like that and they had chat rooms. Or maybe it was everydayhealth, don't even know if it still exists, might want to google it if ur a chat person. Not so much for me anymore.

@ Irishwriter, I knew on the weekend and was asked to hold off until the announcement came out.

Google are witdrawing the product. DS have said they won't be adding a replacement. They must know the impact but as they say they don't have the resources. DS is more or less one non technical member support guy and two part timers. I don't think they have a permanent technical person now Lars has gone, the work is done via ShareCare I think.

I suspect DS itself runs at a loss but that is a guess.

Re is there anything that can be done?

I doubt it. You can all send in feedback forms saying how essential chat was to you, other than that I don't know. There's nothing I can do.

thanks,for,prompt,reply,mark.

Ummm what ever happened to write offs? Or deferred losses? Money isn't everything!

Oh hahaha listen to me. Better yet...listen to Emily Litella.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3FnpaWQJO0

"Money isn't everything"

But most businesses prefer to make money.

There's a line from an OMD song that is "Like soldiers who believe they are in control of the war".

I think those that are afected by this are better served writing to DS and getting other members to write in than arguing economics with me because I'm not the one who pays for this site.

I am curious as to why who do not use the chat are bothering to comment on this post. It seems that some are using the loss as a reason to rant, rave and cause negativity.

Losing the chat is important to many people, and sometimes using other programs is not an option. Many people keep their circle of friends in different areas. For some they have their family, their FB friends, their DS friends, etc.