Tech: New Mudcat Chat Prototype 28-Aug-1997

Subject: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Max
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 04:51 PM

Hi Guys and Gals. Yet another feature, but I am not sure how this will go over. It probably won't go over well, cause it's hich tech and all. It requires a Java capable browser. Currently there is only the main room, and if interest is shown, we have a whole set of improvements and gizmos. Please remember that this is really a prototype. It may have errors and such. If you discover a bug let us know. Play, play, play.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 05:24 PM

At the risk of sounding dense, which browsers have JAVA capabilities? Netscape 2? Netscape 3? Explorer X?

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bob Landry
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 06:35 PM

Max, it was nice talking to you in the chat room. Two recommendations: 1) a window showing the names of those participating in the chat at any given time and 2) an exit button. The rest of the chat window, speed, etc. all worked very well for me.

Congrats to you and your staff.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 07:55 PM

well folks, it really works! You need one of the newer browsers....I really prefer Netscape over IE Explorer, but what ever you want....You can now get Netscape 4.01 as a standalone..free (If you use it at home privately) this means 'without' the mail & news programs and other gadgets....since I use Eudora Email & 'Agent' newsreader, this was perfect for me...(I only got it a few days ago, and it is GREAT!).

For those who are scared to death about 'downloading' and setting up new programs & such, it can be really easy with a few hints...I will be glad to correspond with anyone who needs help and offer suggestions.Max has a lot of neat features planned, but you really need to learn a couple of things to make 'em work....It really is not too hard...2 years ago, I knew NOTHING about this stuff...now if Max could only help me tune my autoharp.......

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From:
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 08:05 PM

Great idea. I couldn't get it to scroll up, though. I'm using MSIE 3.01.

How do you exit? I just hit the "Back" button.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bob Landry
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 08:15 PM

Tim, I'm using MSIE 3.02 with no problems. Another Java-Based chat room I belong to posted the msg that MSIE 3.0 works fine. The Mudcat system did freeze me out momentarily and when I went back, I had the same problem, no scrolling. So I backed out of Mudcat completely, went back in and everything worked just fine. I used the "back" button to get out too.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Sharon
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 10:13 PM

I was in chat room earlier and it worked OK. Now I enter, It welcomes me. I type a message. All I see is my message. Nobody else there???

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Barry
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 11:21 PM

I heard you Sharon. There were some forced exits. I was told I left but was there all the while. I also found that I could be in the chat room & pull down my favorite bookmarks & go back & forth with out losing the dscussion. Great piece of work. Barry

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Barry
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 12:55 AM

I was jumping from window to window, while inside the room & got booted out & back to my startup page, what happened in the chat room

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Dale Rose
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 01:00 AM

It said it was a nullpointer exception (whatever that means~~nothing to me) I was there when this happened to Barry. I was not jumping around, so It does not seem that would be the cause. It told me to Reload, then I got the nullpointer exception message.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Barry
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 01:05 AM

Thanks Dale, goodnight, I can sleep in peace now. Finally Barry

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: pantleg
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 01:07 AM

it's down right now. I'm gonna try to bring it back up. Check back later.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Max
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 01:21 AM

Drewwwwww

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: alison
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 02:06 AM

Hi,

I'm feeling very lonely.......there I was standing in a chat room talking to myself........nobody wants to talk to me...... (have I mentioned my paranoia before??????/!)

I realise that all you Americans have to sleep sometime, and will try again later at night (Aussie time) to see if any of you early risers are there.

Max, is there any way of making the chat box smaller so that it can be permanently on the screen, (like Excite PAL), so that we can carry on with what we're doing, and still be able to see who is having a chat? eg to search the discussion forum I have to come back out of the chat room.

You know how much we Irish like to talk, (no comments from you Alan), so hopefully some of you will be awake later.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 02:58 AM

Gee, ya gotta watch those null pointers, they're always such fun to fix.

OK Alison I won't tell anyone how much you Irish like to talk, it can just be our little secret.

The system here at work can't make any sense of the chat room, which is surprising - it's the latest system with a nice fast T1 connection (no slow 33.6K modem). But it's 5pm Friday & I'm not going to fix it this week. I'll see how it goes at home (at 33.6K).

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 03:10 AM

Well, darn it, Alan, I've been hoping to find somebody to chat with. Here, you're online, but you can't do chat. I'd like to see if you're able to post your special effects in the chat room. I'm not all that fond of "chat" areas because I don't like communicating in one-liners (and I like to be able to check my spelling before posting).
The chat function seems to be a nice setup, as such things go. There is one flaw, however - you can't tell who else is online, so you can't tell if you should head to the chat room for conversation. Otherwise, it's a nice little doodad.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 04:50 AM

G'day anyway Joe,
Sorry I missed you earlier in the chat room. Now I'm home & it works fine & I suppose you've given up & gone to bed. I'm out now for a night of music

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bert
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 09:04 AM

How does one overcome the "Null Pointer" problem???

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Max
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 11:09 AM

If you get the Null Pointer Error, that means it's down, and it takes one of my guys to get it back going. We are working very hard on this now. We have determined that you all like it and it's worth improving.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Catfeet
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 11:26 AM

Help! Whenever I go to the chat room, all I get is a blank screen with Chat Room written in the upper left corner, and am unable to type anything. I am a member, and do have a Java capable browser. What am I doing wrong? Help! Catfeet

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Max
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 12:27 PM

Which Browser do you have? Everything seems fine from here.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bert
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 12:59 PM

Max, Any chance of a Flag on the chat room link at this end to let us know if anyone is there?

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Max
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 03:17 PM

Working on it.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Jon W.
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 03:50 PM

I get the same thing as Catfeet (blank screen). I am running Netscape Navigator 3.01. One possible problem is that I am going through a firewall. It may be filtering out Java applets (whatever that is), though I thought they had disabled that security feature.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Catfeet
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 06:30 PM

I'm using Netscape Navigator 3.01 too, maybe it's a glitch with that browser? Catfeet

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: RS
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 06:42 PM

Just a thought - I have been keeping two web browsers open side by side, (using "File" - "New Web Browser") - one with the chat room open - the other for general surfing - and going back & forth between the two.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Dale Rose
Date: 29 Aug 97 - 06:56 PM

Has everyone made sure that their Java is turned ON? (It is under Options, then Network Preferences, then Languages. When you get there, check Enable Java.) I routinely have mine OFF, because it causes so much trouble for my poor old PC. Some Java sites actually turn my hard drive into a quivering, clattering mess, and I have to shut down to straighten it up again. I only get a gray screen in the chat room with it off. I am leaving it on for now, and will turn it off again if I go to a known Java site.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bill
Date: 30 Aug 97 - 03:20 AM

Howdy Max,

You said, "and it takes one of my guys to get it back going." Wondering just how many guys you've got. Do they help with all of this magical programming you do, or do they just look after things like bringing the chat line back on line, serving drinks, and washing the galsses?

Allinkausay,
Bill

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Max
Date: 30 Aug 97 - 12:20 PM

I have a team of 4 people. They are all very talented. 2 of them are programmers. Drew is one, and he did the chat. I am no programmer but I did all of the Mudcat except the chat. I am formally educated in Philosophy. My team mainly works for my for-profit company, Onstage Media. Because the Mudcat loses money every month, I cannot pay anyone to help me. Don't really want any help either, this is my favorite thing to do. I spend more time on my non-profit which is probably why I have trouble paying the rent every month.

Oh, and I always serve the drinks. It's a hobby of mine.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Catfeet
Date: 30 Aug 97 - 04:57 PM

My programmer fiance, when told about this problem, said that "I believe that it's a user based problem, due to Netscape 3.1 being an older version," and, that "At some point, the ability to turn Java on dissappeared from the copy of the program that we have," he also said that to fix it, we would either have to reload the software, or even more likely, get a newer version that didn't delete such neat features. So, it's all on my side, and absolutely nothing to do with any glitches in the new chat room. Thanks though for replying so quickly to my plea for help. Catfeet

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Carl
Date: 01 Sep 97 - 04:20 PM

OK, I tried it many times but only had a look at an empty page. Is something wrong with my browser or is it just because I´m lost in space and all alone because nobody joins ?

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Carl
Date: 01 Sep 97 - 05:56 PM

Well, what does that mean exactly, I need a "java capable browser" ? I can enable "JavaScript", but not "Java". What´s the difference, is that good or bad, what shall I do, oh Lord I´d rather play music than work on that computer-stuff. So long, I´ll be back when the next string on my mandolin is broken,
Carl

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Sep 97 - 03:28 AM

Well, Carl, the chat function seems to work for me with Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 3.something - but sometimes it doesn't work and I get something that says there's a null pointer error, I think. Netcape is stil the standard for Web browsers, so you should be OK with the current version of Netscape.
but I've never found anybody there in chat. I type a few messages to myself, and leave. Oh, well.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Catfeet
Date: 02 Sep 97 - 06:43 PM

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Earl
Date: 03 Sep 97 - 05:42 PM

Has anyone thought of having scheduled discussions? Often when I go to the chat room no one is talking. When people are talking it's mostly small talk. How about picking a time to meet and discuss "What is a folk song" or somthing like that. I doesn't have to be officially organized, people talking within a thread could agree to meet in the chat room at a given time. Just an idea to prime the pump.

And, speaking of obvious problems, is there realistic time when people from the US, the British Isles, and Australia might all be in the chat room at the same time?

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Sharon
Date: 03 Sep 97 - 07:34 PM

Scheduling might help.........Anything beats the empty room I always find.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Sep 97 - 02:21 AM

I have this moderately great idea, that might help us put a bit. We should start a "join me in the chat room" thread. If you see somebody else is online by their posting of messages or such, post a message in the thread, and go to the chat room. the thread will go to the top of the forum stack, and maybe the other person will notice it. I'd start the thread myself, but it's 11:30 PM in California and there's no evidence anybody else is on just now.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Laoise
Date: 04 Sep 97 - 05:36 AM

Can we do this GMT? I mean, I haven't a clue how many hours ahead or behind youse are in the States or Ozzie land and all the messages I write are associated with totally different parts of the 24 hour clock. I always found telling the time difficult but now I am REALLY confused. If anyone is out there (10:40 GMT)I'm gonna have a go on "Chat".

Laoise.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Sharon
Date: 04 Sep 97 - 10:31 PM

Another thanks to Max and his crew for the " 2 people in the chat room" on my screen

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Sharon
Date: 04 Sep 97 - 10:31 PM

Another thanks to Max and his crew for the " 2 people in the chat room" on my screen

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Sep 97 - 11:14 PM

Yeah, that notifier is nice. I'm still an unbeliever, though. Has anybody here actually had an actual conversation in the chat room? I've talked to myself several times, but that's all. Not particularly interesting...
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 05 Sep 97 - 12:42 PM

Joe, at least you can talk to yourself. Yesterday I got the dreaded "null pointer" message. Today there's a quick flash at the bottom saying something about security... and I can't even type on the screen, even though it shows that I'm in the room.

Max, HELP!

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Sep 97 - 02:59 PM

Whip...I saw that..I had just come in and got in one post when it quit...I think it was just Max's pewter telephone lines again....nothing would work. Hey! Lets take up a collection and buy Max a private T-3!(Thats like an 8 lane superhighway for data transfer)*smile* It would be nice, huh, Max?

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Earl
Date: 05 Sep 97 - 11:46 PM

Of course, there is a problem with listing the number of people in the chat room. If there are 0 there now, why would anyone go in. If there is 1, even more so. If there are 2, who would intrude? We'll never get to 3.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Sep 97 - 12:14 PM

naaaahhhh, you go first...I'll butt right in...(maybe the default number should always be 3, and when anyone else comes in, it triggers a dummy conversation to get things rolling..*wink*.....

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Earl
Date: 06 Sep 97 - 01:35 PM

The computer could generated provocative statements or randomly pull song titles from the database:)

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Sep 97 - 06:08 PM

We already have enough provocative statements in the threads...it could just randomly select one of those...;-)
.....or when things get dull,just post "RUS" as the current discussion topic...

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 Sep 97 - 06:23 PM

I am unable to get into the Chat Room without crashing it or something, thus (I am sure) disappointing Whipporwill, Dale, and RS (at least) who were in when I was trying to. I should say that I am working with severe limitations of a sort: a 14.4; Netscape 3.01 (which does do Java), and I guess Macintosh. I can get into the room, and it says that the chat is running, but I can find no space to type, and nothing happens when I try and type in the chat space. Any chance, or shall I give up. It was Emily Dickinson who said: "You don't have to be a house to be haunted" -- so perhaps I will ethereally haunt the room, never allowed to do more than peek at the solid beings who inhabit the space... Yours eerily, Peter

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: rechal
Date: 06 Sep 97 - 11:38 PM

Me, too, Peter! I'm on a Mac both at home and at the office. I use Explorer 3.01 at work, Netscape 3.0 at home. I've tried typing and hitting return, but nothing seeems to happen. I also opened the Java console window. I'm mystified. I'll keep trying.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: rechal
Date: 07 Sep 97 - 12:14 AM

Went to mudcat home, emptied my cache, went back to chat, scrolled all the way down, and found that I was able to type in the "Who's here" box. I suppose I could have surrounded myself with all sorts of interesting conversationalists--John Gotti, Bessie Smith, and so on, but really, how much can one say in that little tiny lime-green box?

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: RS
Date: 07 Sep 97 - 08:20 PM

To Peter T.,

So that explains your appearing & disappearing & appearing & disappearing ( ... etc) & not answering any of my messages! (The Bartender kept saying - Peter T. has entered the room; Peter T. has left the building; over & over again).

Well we can always communicate via the threads - but don't you think you need at least 28.8???

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: rechal
Date: 07 Sep 97 - 10:47 PM

I have 28.8. No dice.The status bar in my browser window insists that "Applet chat is running." Perhaps it knows what I'm going to say, and just isn't interested.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Sheye
Date: 08 Sep 97 - 10:28 AM

I'm on Mac too, and haven't found luck with the chat room, however, whenever I can get a few minutes of the technicians' time at work, they solve any problem I've created, so I think it's just me.

Poltergeists have moved into the tech era. There is one rather friendly soul living in my computer, and at least 6 moody little critters taking up space and giving attitude in the printer.

Subject: RE: New Mudcat Chat Prototype
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 Sep 97 - 10:40 AM

It may be a Mac-incompatibility. I was involved with a prototype chat room some months ago that I helped design and the software gurus (not me, god knows) had a great deal of difficulty getting me and other Mac users online. It worked smoothly in the end, but they had to do a lot of tinkering. Yours, Peter