As many of you may know, chat is in very real danger of being permanently shut down, as of July 16, 2012. The reason is because of the steady increase in rule violations, and member complaints about unruly behavior and the ways in which the rules are being enforced.

None of us wish to see chat go, as it has been a vital part of the building of this close knit community. Therefore, in an effort to save chat, we are opening the metaphorical podium to the community itself. In other words, YOU.

We are asking for input. We want to hear your comments, suggestions, and thoughts on how we can better manage and improve the experience in Dokuga chat.

There are, however, some very important rules that need to be followed if you plan to contribute to this thread. We are taking this very seriously, and expect everyone who contributes to follow these rules to the letter. Any deviation from the rules and your post will be removed.


1. All posts are to be only your own thoughts and suggestions. DO NOT reply to any other person’s posts.

2. Again, it can’t be stressed enough, NO comments on other posts, only put down your OWN thoughts and suggestions.

3. No posts that mention specific people or instances that may have occurred. This is not a referendum on the Mods, the Admins, or your fellow chatters. This is not the place to hash out a prior grievance. All we want are your comments and suggestions on how to make chat better.

4. All comments must be received by 7/2/12


At which point the thread will closed in order for the admin team to review each post and convene over the suggestions. It is our goal to post a decision on the fate of the chat room by July 9, 2012. Nothing guarantees chat's longevity, but it is our hope that, with your help we - the Administrators - will be able to come to a satisfactory course of action for managing chat and its rules.

If you are unsure about a post you wish to make, its always wise to err on the side of caution. However, we urge any and all of you to come to us (the admin team) with those questions as you need us. We’re beyond pleased to assist so USE US!

Hmm, I'm not sure if it's at all possible, but violation warnings resulting in being kicked off chat could be displayed to whoever is behaving in an unruly manner. Maybe a three-strike rule could be put in place about the unruly behavior. The unruly chatter could be warned via PM about said behavior. Three strikes and you're out of chat.

I have no negative comment about chat.

I like having chat and being able to talk to my fellow dokuga writers and artist. They have saved me a lot of times with their advice, writer's block and even go as far as correcting some sentences or paragraphs when I have had a problem with one of my stories.

I am thankful chat exists. I thank all the mods who have taken time out of their life to be there. Thank you.

I don't participate in chat, so I can't say yay/nay about it. However, if it is a big enough problem for the mods, just tell people they need to organize their own chats on tinychat.com

People could post times and URL in the Dokuga forums, but because the actual chat happens off this site, it would be unmonitored and therefore the mods wouldn't ever have to worry about it again.
It would be like a Speakeasy on other forums, where by entering the room you agree that the mods cannot be held responsible for any actions therein (therefore, don't complain to them about anything that is said).
It would be up to the members at large to police the room. If folks feel uncomfortable with the direction that the chat is headed, they could simply make another chat room. That is the beauty of tinychat.


One of the online communities I belong to has more than 20,000 members. We use tinychat because it saves the admins and mods from having to deal with it.

I would really hate to see chat go. I'm there quite often. I don't know what has been happening lately though so it's hard for me to come up with solutions. I haven't witnessed any problems.

The rules always pop up so everyone is aware of the rules. I have made a few mistakes myself in chat, I think we all have but I always listen to the mods and do my best not to repeat my mistakes. Is there a way to temp ban offenders? Perhaps that might be a solution. If a mod has to talk to you more than once about your behavior you receive a week to a month ban. If you receive to many bans you are out for good.

Another option could be that people earn their way into chat. But that would be rather elitist and I think that would take away from the warm friendly environment that is Dokuga.

personally if i had a better understanding of what is considered unruly behavior i think id be better able to leave a suggestion on how to possably fix the problem. but as of now id recommend that chat stay open and continue the way it is. this is the only place that actually has a place for authors, by authors. other places such as say yahoo or even anyother chat service always get people in there that have no clue what is going on and just cause more trouble and unrest and even in some cases cause friendships to falter, i can say that from experience.
if for some reason i am found to be a guilty party of the civil unrest in chat i truely am sorry and if someone were to point out what was it was i was doing i would surely take measures to correct to problem or even if asked, would gladly relinquish my account so that others may use the services of chat uninterrupted.

I sincerely hope that chat does not go. The connections and friends I made through chat has been one of the main reasons I love Dokuga so much. The chat room usually has a very friendly, relaxed, playful atmosphere, and from what I've seen the mods are generally very polite and nice about enforcing the rules.

However, if there are complaints, unruly behavior, or enforcement abuse, perhaps then the mods could give a clear warning and explanation for unruly behavior, and do the same if they ever have to kick someone out? And perhaps if one violates the rules enough times, he or she could be 'suspended' from chat, somewhat like school, and enough transgressions could get him or her permanently banned from chat?

The only things I see that need to be thought about is clarifications.

What words you can say in main chat, and clarify more on what "Roleplaying" is.

Other than that I think chat is fine its just the vague descriptions that need to be more detailed.

I have had only positive experiences in chat. I use it very frequently, and I enjoy it very much.

The people in chat always have something encouraging to say when I'm feeling down/writer's blocked/artist blocked/ etc. I would hate to see chat go.

I believe that a good solution would be "warnings" from the mods sent in PM. I know that this may be an extra hassle for the mods, but members could help. If there is someone violating the rules, there should be an option to report them to the mods. (I'm not sure if there is already an option like this. Although I use chat very often, I haven't been a member with Dokuga for very long so I'm still a little lost with some things.) Perhaps a stronger consequence could be put in place for violating chat rules.

Honestly, I'm very surprised to hear that there are problems since I have never experienced any myself. This recent development makes me a little nervous. I'm wondering if maybe I broke a rule in chat somehow without realizing it. If this is the case, I sincerely apologize, and I will review the rules of chat again ASAP.

That aside, I would also like to stress the fact that chat is an amazing tool for Dokuga. It helps us all meet new people and meet the "face behind the name". I've already met so many friends here just through this tool, and if there is anything that I can do to help it stay alive, I would do it. Dokuga is so special because of how close the members are. It is a warm and welcoming place. Naturally, what must be done must be done, but please consider keeping it active.

Chat has played a very big role in helping me come back to the fandom and stay after a multi-year absence. I would hate to see it go, because it is a fun, relaxing place to come and find other members and talk about everything from fanfics to our personal lives and problems. I've only been visiting for about six months or so now, possibly less, and I've met a plethora of people that have been encouraging not only where my fics are concerned, but cheerleaders for everyday life.

I was unaware that chat was having problems, and I know from having been warned before that warnings come in private messages and that to some degree the rules are viewed somewhat subjectively from mod to mod, and it has taken time to get a feel for what each mod finds appropriate for chat. But there have been hard and fast rules that everyone agrees on, such as language and mature topics.

I suppose making it more clear what is and is not allowed, such as clarifying on what role playing is (I still have no idea to be honest, but because I've never been warned I'm supposing I haven't done it) to what sort of language is allowed. As for offenders of those rules, a warning first, and then a temporary ban, and tiered for each added offense with a number (pick at will?) for when it is a permanent ban.

I don't know if it's an easy, practical solution, but I like to think there are a lot of people that would be sad to see chat go.

I am relatively new to Dokuga and therefore to chat. I would really hate to see it go because it has become a large part of my Dokuga experience. It's a place where we bounce around ideas/plots, and where we can all unwind with one another sharing about our days or things that make us laugh.

I know that I am still navigating what exactly is Pg-13 behavior just as Iam navigating it for T-rated fics. Since the time I have been using chat, everyone (including the mods) have been very helpful and have worked to keep it yim friendly. Because mods aren't always there, nor should they always have to be.

I have three possible suggestions. The first about rule number 4, about keeping it pg13 unless there is no chance there are minors in the room. Perhaps we could open the gm room for more than just DDN nights. I know that I have had "spillage" from private messages that have somehow ended up on the reg. chat. I am in no way proposing total separation, but just allowing entrance so we can discuss fics and other things not yim friendly so there would be no chance of mess ups. My second suggestion is coming up with some way to identify the yims without having to ask. I have gotten some weirdness about asking, and people have left the room before. I have started to put my bday up on my chat profile. Maybe that is something that can be made mandatory because most of the time we don't know until we have been reminded that there is a yim in the room. And finally, making some kind of consequences chart for bad behavior. Sometimes a repeated friendly warnings don't work, and a "grounding" is needed. Maybe that may help to rectify the problem

I hope that throughout all of this, that there will be acceptable suggestions to keep chat alive. It would be really sad to see it go.

Thanks!

I think that for one, everyone should help with stopping rumors, and consult with the mods and admins about any unsubstantiated heresay. Not only do the mods and admins work to keep chat clean, but the members should take it upon themselves to monitor what is said. I love chat; it has allowed me to connect with so many people I otherwise would never have met and built friendships with. I simply think everyone should pitch in a little to help.

I'm gonna post my thoughts.... I hail from the time of Dokuga chat that had the Piller and the Pool. My personal opinion was roleplaying was a fun way to get you past writers block and starting giggle-fits. I have many a chat log of weirdness that has fueled my madness and helped me with my writing (mostly the smut but I digress).

I miss that....

Man, I miss the RP-ing....

............Ok, I cannot remember where I was going with this.

Nevermind.

That is my thoughts, whether good or bad.

~phishbon3s

I would be really sad to see chat go. It's one of my favourite areas of the site. I go to chat to talk with other members of Dokuga, find some inspiration or just to lurk. It's a great place that allowed me to make (and continue making) new friends from all over the world.

I've been less active on chat recently so I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but I haven't heard any rumours or the sort while I've been on.

As for improving chat, I think the rules could be looked over and changed, so new rules are added and some of the old ones are clearer. Also, perhaps a policy where repeat offenders could be temporarily or permanently banned depending on the severity of the offense.

In my personal opinion, Dokuga will seem very different without Chat. I can honestly say it would not be the same for me if Chat was removed. The reason why I fell in love with this site was because of how welcoming and loving everyone was. Everyone in chat is so quick to ask what is wrong and offer their advice and support. We are all so willing to help each other whether it be with our drawing, writing, or even our personal problems; it reminds me of a large, loving family.

Dokuga, to me, is the place where I go first when I am feeling down or off because I know that is the one place I am never judged. I can honestly say I have made good friends on DOkuga and it was definitely because of Chat.

Personally, I do not know any of the rumors going around nor what kind of violations have occurred. I know that sometimes some of us get caught up and make a tiny mistake, but we usually catch it and apologize profusely to the MOD in charge, or in general if we are unsupervised. I know I have done it, unfortunately.

I really hope this wonderful privilege does not get taken away from us. It would be too unfortunate

-MissKatt

My experience with chat is pretty limited, mostly to DDN and GM-DDNs. If it goes I will really miss it, it's a lot of fun, interacting with other Dokugans in real time, as it were. Regarding suggestions...

Is there a way to pull age status from a profile and modify the person's avatar/icon? So it will show in the list of participants, that they are under age? Or have a banner running across the top that gives an alert if an under-age participant enters the room?

Perhaps the banner could have other standard warnings... topics of discussion. When the topic changes maybe one of the participants could click the button and add the warning. So anyone entering is not caught off guard?

About misbehaviour and rowdiness.. only thing I can suggest is a time-out. Block chat to repeat offenders. If the usual PM warnings were ignored. Strike one, two, three, you're out as it were.

I would be really sorry to see Chat go, because it is both energizing and inspirational.

Just my thoughts on this.

Hmm, what about if the person is being unruly, the chat leader(s) can send a message to the person and tell them they are banned for three days from chat.

So let that be the first warning, if the same person does something again send another message saying:

"Hello, I am sorry to inform you but you are being banned for two weeks/a month...etc"

If they do it again, then the leader can send them a message telling them they are banned permanently from chat. That way, they don't lose their profile and we don't lose chat.

Dokuga would be SO strange without chat. Most of the real friendships that I have developed here have been through chat. It wouldn't completely ruin the experience for me, though I don't know if it would be the same. When I'm stuck on something, it is where I go. I also found it useful when doing homework - for some reason, I'm more productive when I've got chat going on, even if it's in the background.

I don't really have any suggestions that would make chat any better, honestly. A scheduled round table would be nice, as there would be multiple sources of input and a way to foster discussion and build off of what has already been thrown out on the table.

I've been thinking for weeks after weeks on the best way to describe how much chat on Dokuga means to me, but no amount of words or futile attempts at reconstructing sentences to portray my thoughts in the perfect way will pinpoint exactly how I feel.

I am not certain what troubles have been arising in chat, but I've never had a negative experience there. Though I have not been to chat as often as I used to be, it is practically a second home. Through chat, I have met SO MANY amazing people, made so many friends and even best friends, and given opportunities to know these people that I would never get to, otherwise.

It is a place for creativity with the DDNs, IDDNs, and GMDDNs. It's a place for laughter, fun, friends; and a place for support - when someone is feeling down, when someone is suffering from writer's block, when someone needs suggestions, advice, or a positive word - chat is the place to go because it is full of amazingly warm people. People who are so loving, so encouraging, so amazing that I would truly be upset if I couldn't talk to them here on Dokuga anymore as a group.

When someone is ill, the amount of love and well wishes are astonishing. When someone has good news, it often feels like the Dokugans in chat are more excited and happy than the person sharing the news. When someone is upset, the amount of support and advice giving and consolations are never ending. When someone is frustrated over their writing, the amount of support, encouragement, inspiration, and motivation is instantaneous. I have never met better people than the Dokugans in chat.

Without chat, I honestly feel that Dokuga would never be the same again. A little less welcoming, a little bit colder - it would still be home, as Dokuga is always the first site I go to when I am near a computer, but it would still be different. A community like this is extremely hard to come by and I hope that chat will stay because chat ties everything perfectly together.

The only suggestions I can think of as far as how chat can be better managed or improved... Increased mods. Especially now that most mods are busier than they used to be and don't have the opportunity to look over chat as frequently. A clearer explanation on chat rules. What constitutes as over PG-13? How can we ensure that everyone is over 18 when M - MA topics are mentioned? What constitutes as role-playing? How far is too far for any jokes or moments of negativity? When should disagreements and debates be stopped? If there are clearer guidelines, if more detailed examples could be given, I think that would also eliminate a lot of the potential issues - such was the case with story ratings. When more details were given and rules were edited by the admins, Dokugans had a better comprehension of what rating their story should be given. The same concept could be applied to chat rules.

And that is all I've got at this point. In the end, I just hope that chat can stay. =)

While I haven't been on chat in a while, I love the feature. It's nice to be able to get into a large group and just talk. Where I live there aren't many people that I know that like the Sesshomaru/Kagome pairing and many that don't even know what Inuyasha is. So coming to chat to talk with like-minded people is good.

As for the rule violations, there should be a couple of warnings and then kick them out of chat for an amount of time (say a week or so). And after three repeated offenses where they are kicked out of chat, ban them from chat. It helps to keep chat around for those that do obey the rules and like chat and those that don't want to follow the rules, don't have the option of participating in the awesomeness of chat.

Since July 9th - our deadline - is almost past, it's time to announce our decision regarding the future of chat.

We will be renewing chat for another year, however, we will also be posting revised rules in the near future. Please be on the lookout for them and, when they are posted, take the time to review them CAREFULLY. We want everyone to be on the same page when we institute the revisions, so that no one is caught unaware. Yes, that means I'll most likely be making a site-wide announcement as well.

I'll try to keep it short, although the revised rules are kinda long, but I thought I'd apologize in advance for stuffing your inboxes!!

~~Wiccan~~

YAY! I'm so excited, Wiccan! Thanks to everyone who decided to renew chat!