Restricted access to chat room

[nomorepanic]

Today we have introduced restricted access to chat in that you MUST have been a member for more than 5 days and done a post on the forum before being allowed in chat.

This will be increasing to 30 days in the next couple of days but was put in as an emergency action tonight following some recent problems in chat.

This, we hope, is a positive step forward and is in no way intended to prevent people getting into chat when they need instant help. We are merely hoping to stop people who are creating logins just to go in and disrupt chat for genuine users.

We will monitor this closely to see if it helps prevent some of the problems we get in chat with new members.

[bottleblond]

Thanks Nic!! Fingers crossed all goes well now!!


Lisa
xxxx

[jodie]

thanks nic

i am sure this is a good move forward and things will be right in no time

jodie xxx

[kazzie]

Nice one Nic

Kaz x

[The Fool]

cool idea i think it will be good for newbies to get a feel for the site and waht you guys do first then there will hopefully be no more upsets

[diane07]

Sounds like a good idea.

Fingers are soooooooooooooooooo crossed

Di xx

[Mystical]

HI there Nic,

I'd go for a half-way point, something like 14 days.... I feel that 30 days might well put people off, even those in real need and the chat is after all a most valuable aspect of NMP. Also it is important to remember that one on one chat support is what people new to the site are seeking when come looking, not necessarily to be prepared to write an essay. Indeed there are some who find stringing more than a few words together most difficult and I doubt whether they would partake much in forums. Once the dust settles I'm sure a new perspective will present itself and you will see matter from a different viewpoint too! Sad if a few dissenters won the day, after all... wouldn't it ? Mystically yours, hoping that tact and recourcefulness win the day instead. To fall prone to errror is human: to forgive unreservedly if most definitely divine.

[samc100]

Having seen the disruption the Chatroom has caused this forum over the few years I have been on this forum. And seen the hard work Nic and her happy team of Mods have had to do to straighten it all out once an incident has occured in Chatroom - I think the 30 days is deffo worth a go for their sanity as well as those using chatroom.

In fact I am often amazed that Nic keeps the Chatroom function running as it must have turned her hair grey by now.

Mystical - no essay is necessary to write on the forum and often help can be found by scanning and searching previous posts by those suffering from similiar issues and symptoms. It is sad that chatroom has to be so tightly monitored but that's a result of misuse by idiots that have to be deterred....

[nomorepanic]

We have left it at 5 days and so far I think it is working well!

[Mystical]

Hi there Nicola,

Glad it is working itself out; my only concern was for those people with acute issues and therefore with need for instant access to chat support. Also for those individuals with either a low take-up of the written word or whom are unable to string more than a few words together and close to illiterate.

I have also - as have others - noticed an increase in staff and a decrease in members after midnight; this in the main because they are located hours behind GMT and therefore it is still early for them to be connecting to the web.

Hope it comes together and stays together!!

Mystically yours....