Now we have to gossip at a slower pace! Disasterous!

I didn't have a doubt in my mind that Google was behind this and not the people at DS. But it's still a disaster for people like me who are afraid to open up on the boards (I'm still convinced people are out to hurt), and who can count the number of people they're comfortable chatting with on one hand.

I know this isn't the fault of DS, but even if Chatzy is recommended the fact that it's a new place still scares me, and I have a very bad feeling about it. Once that comes out it's already too late to stop it, so I really fear this will not end well.

1.>>>At this time, DS is not going to provide a chat service nor will they make an official referral to one.

2.DS COULD pay Chatzy for an 'official' DS CHATROOM ... and then publicize that particular room as 'the DS Chat service' .. but they are not going to do that ... at least not any time soon.

3.What that means is ... someone else COULD.....but that is quite a commitment ... and they MIGHT run into legal problems if they use the DS name, website, etc etc in connection with the room.

4.Therefore, I predict the DS chat will actually be a BUNCH of unofficial Chatzy rooms created 'on the fly' .... ad hoc if you will, by DS members, as needed. There will not likely BE an official DS CHATZY room ... of any kind. "

1.So are you not referring us to Chatzy or are you making an unofficial referral to chatzy even though you do not wish to associate yourselves with in anyway.

2.Didn't someone say earlier that Chatzy is a free service? Why not just create a virtual room with a DS name and password that is kept in a sticky so DS members always know how to get in.

3.The main issue would be keeping it up 24/7 which is possible with chat mods switching in and out every now and then.

4.The main problem with this is that people don't always get their messages right away nor do they check their mail often. So it would take a while to get several people together which is time that not everybody is going to wait. You could do it with one on one chats but to have to create a room each time you want to have a one on one session may be too much of a hassle for several people on here.

Meebo chat was convenient, but it made everything run SO SLOW while it was enabled...so using Chatzy might actually be a better way to go, anyway.

However, Meebo was indispensible if there was any question whether someone wanted to chat on the spot, quickly, or was in any kind of crisis (needed a response right away). For that, it will be missed.

The thing that I like about Meebo is that it is as private as the two people involved will make it. I have several very good friends with whom I have 100% confidence that what we said in meebo stayed in meebo. I fear that a chatzy room that is open to all will not offer that, so I'd be in favor of on the fly chat rooms that are created and destroyed on a regular basis.

>>1.So are you not referring us to Chatzy or are you making an unofficial referral to chatzy even though you do not wish to associate yourselves with in anyway.

UNofficial. I am not an employee of DS. The Chatzy alternative is solely my idea.

>>2.Didn't someone say earlier that Chatzy is a free service? Why not just create a virtual room with a DS name and password that is kept in a sticky so DS members always know how to get in.

It is free .. but they have a pay plan too. The pay plan COULD step in as the 'official' DS chat service .. technically speaking. However, there is no likelihood of that happening at this time. Chatzy will need to be used in their free offer . and would REMAIN completely disconnected from DS. There will not likely be a sticky .. as DS has legal issues and other reasons to NOT do that. DS has NOTHING to do with CHATZY at this time and not likely to in the future.

Chatzy would not be a substitute for the DS MEEBO service ... but an alternative ... patronized by DS Members who seek a chat service. It is free. It is flexible. It is as PRIVATE or as PUBLIC as one wishes to make it. Investigate it ... and see for yourself.

>>3.The main issue would be keeping it up 24/7 which is possible with chat mods switching in and out every now and then.

Yes .. that is why I said it would be a BIG commitment for someone to try to use Chatzy for an 'official' DS chat feature .. especially since DS has no interest in supporting that idea. ON THE OTHER HAND, aspects of CHATZY could easily and safely stand in for those DS MEMBERS who want a chat feature.

Understand: Chatzy offers AD HOC chat rooms.

A Chatzy room 'open to all' would be a disaster for DS Members . you would NOT KNOW who is who. I could go to the CHATZY Room in question and log in as THEPEPPERMAN or Barak Obama or Wanderingvet, or Marilyn Monroe as long as I know the LINK to the room ... ... hence the ad hoc approach, . where a room is created (by ANYONE) and a LINK to that room is sent to specific people elected by the creator. IDENTITY is the responsibility of the creator of the room .. if he/she PMs the freekin link to a DS FRIEND, ... then the two presumably know each other ... it is as private as you care to make it or as public as you want to make it .. depends on what the creator does with the link.

some of us have decided that Skype is a good choice to chat privately with your friends. You don't have to video/voice chat, but chat just like you do on here.

Blame Google. It has nothing to do with DS. There would be e better solution if DS could find something they can implement into their message board engine. I know the language, but don't know how to code that well for it or I'd offer one up open-source and free of charge :/

I just wanted to mention a chat client I used to use years ago that could serve as a meeting ground for DS members wanting to chat in groups or individually through IMs. The program is called Voodoo Chat (http://www.voodoochat.com/). It looks like it has changed since I last used it (seems to run wiht Facebook now) but it allows you to create your own unique chat room setup. The main server could be labeled "DS Members" or something and sub rooms could be created for the various boards.

Here is the link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Voodoo-Chat/250692475042258

And instructions on creating your own rooms: http://www.voodoochat.com/make-a-room.html

I wanted to get this out there for anyone who's interested in doing something like this.

I didn't know you could do a live Chat. How you do That? There is another site you can chat live, it's called dashboards