Should forums run Shoutboxes / Chatrooms?

[Mark.B]

Should forums offer a shoutbox or a chatbox?

I often see this being requested by forum owners, they are generally add-ons only though. I know of no forum software platform that offers them 'out of the box'.

What is your view on forum chatrooms? I think they are too server instensive and they detract from actual content being posted. I'd rather see a 'chat' thread in the forum where people can post the type of stuff they would post in a forum chatroom.

[GTB]

Yes, I would and did use a shoutbox on my forum for a while. But it had a few bugs and the author of the shoutbox isn't updating it, so removed it.

But would use one again if good enough and liked it

Paul now uses same one on his admin forum that I used before.

[Paul]

I think both take away from forum activity, a shoutbox does it less than a chatroom does. The only time I've seen chatrooms not be harmful to a forum is when the forum is already very large. I've seen chatrooms kill smaller forums pretty quickly.

[Mark.B]

I suppose there is quite a difference between Shoutboxes and actual chatrooms.

I have a shoutbox on my site, but it's only available in the arcades (and only shows when logged in).
It enabled me to build a small community of arcade players and they actually talk to other by posting in the shoutbox. All attempts to get them into the forums failed, so this is the next best thing.

[GTB]

We've now got an on-running discussion posted on WoltLab forum today asking for an official one.

https://community.woltlab.com/thread...70#post1513170

[Mark.B]

We've now got an on-running discussion posted on WoltLab forum today asking for an official one.

https://community.woltlab.com/thread...70#post1513170

I really don't think they should be in the core product.

vB occasionally get threads asking for chat rooms. Not going to happen. There are addons though, even for vB5.

[GTB]

I wouldn't mind seeing one created as an official add-on you can buy and install.

[Mark.B]

I wouldn't mind seeing one created as an official add-on you can buy and install.

Doesn't this take developer time away from the core product though?