Locally Grown Northfield

The people, issues, and events of Northfield, MN

Locally Grown informal live group chat in right sidebar

By Griff Wigley, on March 3, 2009, 6:07 am

meebo I’ve had my Meebo group chat window on the LG Live page (1-to-1 chat with me) for a while but people don’t seem to find it. So after last night’s test run of our new (moderated) Live Chat feature, I thought I’d experiment putting it a Meebo Room Chat (many-to-many chat) in the right sidebar. You don’t need an account or username to participate but it helps if you put your real name in the ‘edit nickname’ window before you start typing.

3 comments to Locally Grown informal live group chat in right sidebar

1

Griff Wigley says:

March 3, 2009 at 9:29 pm

I think there might be a middle road someplace with the informal chat. On the one hand, it’s probably not going to generate much in the way of interesting or fun interaction by leaving it on/available 24x7 with participation wide open to anonymous visitors. On the other hand, it’s too time consuming for me to tend to it all the time. So I’m inclined to try a hybrid of some kind but I’m not quite sure how to do it or whether it should be in a sidebar or blog post.

Suggestions welcome.

· Reply
2

kiffi summa says:

March 3, 2009 at 10:15 pm

I would be really opposed, as you would expect from my displeasure with the problems of anonymous comments on the NFNews site, if you/ the triumvirate/ Locally Grown allowed anonymous comments, Griff.
Watching the news’s site, you can see how quickly it degenerates into a freeforall of often irresponsible, inaccurate , and sometimes outright untruthful comment. The anonymity allows an escape from accountability.

Is that what you want for Locally Grown?

How would that square with your desire for a responsible citizen journalism site that is a new model of communication?

· Reply
3

Griff Wigley says:

March 3, 2009 at 11:22 pm

Kiffi, the live chat test we did last night had the names of everyone, as would the bix chat we’re planning. It was only the Meebo room chat I did in the right sidebar earlier today that didn’t. And that’s why I wrote above that I’m looking for an alternative. So I agree with you.

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Locally Grown informal live group chat in right sidebar

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