Computer Science Canada

Compsci Chat
Author:  Cervantes [ Tue May 04, 2004 1:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Compsci Chat
before i get to my idea, first comes some genuine praise:

Hacker Dan wrote:
deleting all the users with no post whould just use up time i could use to help some one with progaming or study for a test so i can get in to uni or make somting to help the site.


when I read that i thought, "damn, what a great guy, helping people to learn programming in his free time as well as running compsci."

So, on to my idea: I propose a chatbox like aspect to compsci.ca. There are times when someone has a question that can be answered in a single post (often a question as to how to fix an error, or how to do some specific task). However, other times people want to learn how to do something, and it is hard to teach over forums, because it takes too long for their question to reach you and then for you to reply and back and forth, back and forth. A chat room for compsci would solve this problem. Users log into the chat looking for some help or looking to help others.

Some specific thoughts I've had
This would easily turn into spam. So, like with the forums, we have a channel or two for spam.
However, for those that want to help or those who need help, they log into a different channel, where they ask their question of anyone who is there. Tutor and tutee go to a seperate channel and the teaching / learning commences.

Yes, this can be done through MSN. The compsci chat would be better I think though, because it would connect ppl who need to learn with ppl who actually want to teach at that time. over MSN, you might not feel like teaching or you might be really busy or whatever. Also, if Dan made this himself, it could have special features kinda like [code] tags to keep things organized.

I'm not sure whether this is a good idea. I can see a lot of problems with it. It does, however, have potential if compsci users are active and online enough to help others when they need it. It would also require moderation, which i don't think could be done by a bot (to keep the spammers out of help channels, that is).
I like the fact that through a chat there is more of a direct connection than over a forum. I think it makes teaching easier.

Lemme know what you think Smile
Author:  Paul [ Tue May 04, 2004 1:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
having a chat would be the death of the GD section... Sad
but its a good idea.
Author:  shorthair [ Tue May 04, 2004 1:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
would stop useless posts , and its a good way to stop spam in the boards
Author:  GreenTiger [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
I voted yes, and here is why;

At the beginning of the year, in homeroom, we got this sheet all about tutoring online at this school site with real school teachers to help you.

NONE of the compsci chat rooms I went into had teachers that knew a thing about turing at all...(they knew good languages like C++ and Java...ones I'd prefer to use. Still...not what I needed when I was beginning my year)

Anyways, so I think a chat room would be good here because we have TONS more ppls that can give specific help.

Just as long as we make it a normal chat, not like the retarded raise-your-hand-and-teacher-has-to-accept-your-question method they had on this tutorial site.

See the problem with old fogies making a website is that they have no clue what makes a website work.
Author:  Paul [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Lol, we couldn't use the chat in school, infact don't make it so that its on every page, or else this site wouldn't be accessible.
Author:  Mazer [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
I like the idea, but I seriously doubt it would cut down on spam.
Author:  Cervantes [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
paul -> "don't make it so that its on every page"
wha?
It would be a seperate IE or firefox or netscape window. the link would be on the main page (/mx). it would be kinda like valors chat on his site.
Author:  Amailer [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
havng a chat will do nothing, as it did before when compsci had a chat.... it sucked and no use to bring it back.
Author:  Cervantes [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
we had a chat before? this is news Confused
anywho, i don't know when this was, but im assuming there are less users then than now, so it might have a shot now? i dunno. i think its worth a try.
Author:  Amailer [ Tue May 04, 2004 2:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
it was when.. compsci was more compscie?, less spam, before v2
Author:  Dan [ Tue May 04, 2004 3:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
well i did make a compsci.ca irc server awhile ago, but i did not think many poelop whould uses it so i stoped working on it. if u guys whont some kind of chat i could try geting that up agaen. i do not like the idea of php/mysql based chat tho, b/c that uses up alot of banwith.

so whould any one uses an irc based compsci.ca chat?
Author:  Paul [ Tue May 04, 2004 3:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
I dunno how irc works.
Author:  Cervantes [ Tue May 04, 2004 4:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
problem with irc is that ppl who want help would first have to DL it, if they don't already have it. also, from the actual irc site, you can only get an evaluation prgram that expires after 30 days. Thinking
Author:  shorthair [ Tue May 04, 2004 5:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
it never actually expires and ( literally ) there are about 700- 1000 free versions of irc

its Mirc the one your thinking of , i use

Xbox-Tirc and i love it , you just have ot find a client you like ,
Author:  Cervantes [ Tue May 04, 2004 5:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
oh thats interesting. i thought ppl said irc as a short form of mIRC. and ya, thats the one im talking about. Confused
Author:  Dan [ Tue May 04, 2004 5:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
i could make or get a java irc applet for the site posably. that whould mean they do not have to download anything.

any one know of any java irc clinets that are free?
Author:  Cervantes [ Tue May 04, 2004 5:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
i googled free java irc applet and got this.

whaddya think?
Author:  Dan [ Tue May 04, 2004 7:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
intresting, i will look in to it more latter.

at worst it will be a crapy clinet with tones of adds, but u whould not have to uses it could just be for poleop who can not figger out how to dl a good irc clinet.

beside there is even the code to make your own in turing some where on this site, lol.
Author:  naoki [ Wed May 05, 2004 6:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
Chat wouldn't be very effective because not many people would be willing to hang around such a room waiting to be asked a question. Since most of the programmers I know don't have their lives revolve around compsci, this would be rather useless.

If possible, consider those little "shout-out" boxes they have on sites narutofan (well, that or narutobloodline) where it's a little window that instantly updates when somebody posts in there so everybody can see right away. This could be useful for some instant messaging sorta thing. And if you really wanted help from somebody, you could just ask for their MSN.

Luckily, all the good programmers go to Massey (cept Catalyst)

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