Keep in mind that it is a beta feature, so there are bound to be glitches and what-not, but fear not, as we'll be continuing to put in work to fix and improve everything.

*quality idea!

Awarding lucky760 with one star point for this contribution to VideoSift - declared quality by Hybrid.

Cool idea.
I don't know if this is related, but Vs is real slow for me today.
Also, in the IM window I see lots of code.

Well, that was a quick/short initial beta test run. As anticipated, server load skyrocketed instantaneously from IM, but it was too overwhelming... This means we'll only be able to roll it out to a smaller group of members to figure out how big a group of simultaneous IM users we can support.

That's a nice idea. Though most of the time I am horribly antisocial and shy and obsessed with privacy (sorry!) so I am hoping there will be a way to just turn it on and off.

>> ^mintbbb:

That's a nice idea. Though most of the time I am horribly antisocial and shy and obsessed with privacy (sorry!) so I am hoping there will be a way to just turn it on and off.


Yes, definitely. Just click the "close" tab on the box and it will go away, only to return if you manually re-open it later.

Although I have no clue how this is setup, but maybe the fact that each page opened on videosift will get a chat instance is what's causing the most trouble?

Yes, which is why in addition to restricting what group(s) of members can send messages, we may just restrict it to functioning on individual video pages.

At the moment, Charter members and Bronze Star (and above) members can send messages, but all members can read them.

Nice the dark format looks good!

Having the IM only in places where you can write a comment may be redundant if anything could promote people to comment less.

"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

>> ^ant:

"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?


This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^ant:
"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.


Ah, does that mean they can't IM me too?

>> ^ant:

>> ^lucky760:
>> ^ant:
"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.

Ah, does that mean they can't IM me too?


You can see what's going on in the IM window, so if someone types something directed at or about you, you'll be able to read it. You just won't be able to add any messages.

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^ant:
>> ^lucky760:
>> ^ant:
"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.

Ah, does that mean they can't IM me too?

You can see what's going on in the IM window, so if someone types something directed at or about you, you'll be able to read it. You just won't be able to add any messages.


Thanks.

I haven't seen it in action yet but it sounds like it's more of a local (ie per-url) chat rather than an IM along the lines of AIM or GTalk. There are no private messages on this system, right?

>> ^xxovercastxx:

I haven't seen it in action yet but it sounds like it's more of a local (ie per-url) chat rather than an IM along the lines of AIM or GTalk. There are no private messages on this system, right?


You're right on both counts. It's a real-time instant messenger for the current post, and private messaging is not supported.

I just noticed that the user list in the IM box doesn't seem to update very often.

The page I was just at
http://videosift.com/video/Why-Eliot-Spitzer-was-really-removed-from-office

The IM box shows me and a user that is no longer on the, "who's viewing this post right now" list. And the IM box doesn't show a diamond member who is listed on the, "who's viewing this post right now" list.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Seems to work great. I don't think that it will restrict commenting. It's a very different form.

>> ^Boise_Lib:

I just noticed that the user list in the IM box doesn't seem to update very often.
The page I was just at
http://videosift.com/video/Why-Eliot-Spitzer-was-really-removed-fro
m-office
The IM box shows me and a user that is no longer on the, "who's viewing this post right now" list. And the IM box doesn't show a diamond member who is listed on the, "who's viewing this post right now" list.


It's still pretty slow at the moment (like 5 seconds) because we're trying to support more concurrent users without server load killing VS.

The user list in the IM box is always current. If someone is there but not on the video page, they probably came in after you did. If someone is not there but they are on the video page, they probably left the video page before you got there.

The other option, of course, is that the person might not have their IM window open. In that case, they wouldn't show up in yours.

Is it me or does the IM windows open up after a while being idled? I went to sleep and had many tabs of VS videos opened overnight (after midnight PDT). I came back after overnight in the late morning hours, and saw every VS tabs with IM windows opened. I didn't even open them. What the heck?

>> ^ant:

Is it me or does the IM windows open up after a while being idled? I went to sleep and had many tabs of VS videos opened overnight (after midnight PDT). I came back after overnight in the late morning hours, and saw every VS tabs with IM windows opened. I didn't even open them. What the heck?


Hmm. That sounds really unusual, and it shouldn't be possible given how the IM window is designed to function. Once you close the window on a page, it completely ceases all activity until you click to open it again. Not sure what happened with your browser.

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^ant:
Is it me or does the IM windows open up after a while being idled? I went to sleep and had many tabs of VS videos opened overnight (after midnight PDT). I came back after overnight in the late morning hours, and saw every VS tabs with IM windows opened. I didn't even open them. What the heck?

Hmm. That sounds really unusual, and it shouldn't be possible given how the IM window is designed to function. Once you close the window on a page, it completely ceases all activity until you click to open it again. Not sure what happened with your browser.


I will keep my eyes opened for it. It was very weird! I tend to leave my web browsers, with many tabs (can be up to 50 , up for many hours especially overnight. FYI, I was still using Mozilla's SeaMonkey v2.0.14 web browsers with AdBlock Plus, disabled referers, FlashBlock (only play videos when I am ready), etc.

Maybe there's need to be an option to disable/hide IM too.

>> ^ant:
Maybe there's need to be an option to disable/hide IM too.


If you leave the IM window closed, that preference is remembered, so the next time you load a page, it will not be opened automatically. Just don't open and they should stay closed (if all is functioning as intended).

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^ant:
Maybe there's need to be an option to disable/hide IM too.

If you leave the IM window closed, that preference is remembered, so the next time you load a page, it will not be opened automatically. Just don't open and they should stay closed (if all is functioning as intended).


OK, maybe that is what happened. We'll see! I forgot to test it overnight. Weird, that I didn't get an e-mail notification of your reply. Oh well.

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^ant:
"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.


Hey, is this the same as "Current Users" list on the right side and I see myself? Or is that a different one?

>> ^ant:

>> ^lucky760:
>> ^ant:
"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.

Hey, is this the same as "Current Users" list on the right side and I see myself? Or is that a different one?


No. It's different than any other current user type of listing.

>> ^lucky760:

>> ^ant:
>> ^lucky760:
>> ^ant:
"You cannot send IM messages while your presence is hidden.]" Eh?

This is to keep users hidden who don't want their presence to be known. If you have opted in your account preferences to hide yourself from "viewing this post" listings, you will not show up in the IM window, and since your name is not showing up there (meaning you're hidden), you cannot send IM messages.

Hey, is this the same as "Current Users" list on the right side and I see myself? Or is that a different one?

No. It's different than any other current user type of listing.


Ah OK. Where are the options to enable/disable the two lists then?

Maybe I misunderstood your question. To ensure your name does not show up in "current users" in the ST sidebar, in "who's viewing this post" on a individual post page, as well as in the IM window, the option is in your account filter preferences.

As far as disabling the IM window from showing up at all, you just need to close it and it won't automatically open for you again.

I'm not sure I like the idea either, as I like the comments on videos being there for all to see no matter when you come to a video. Having an IM which may make people put their funny little one liners into that rather than for all to see reduces the value of the comments I think.

Only my thoughts of course, and it may prove to be a huge boon... who can tell?

>> ^spoco2:

I'm not sure I like the idea either, as I like the comments on videos being there for all to see no matter when you come to a video. Having an IM which may make people put their funny little one liners into that rather than for all to see reduces the value of the comments I think.
Only my thoughts of course, and it may prove to be a huge boon... who can tell?


I think it's really a much different experience than commenting. The few times I've used it, it's been a personal conversation with a lot of back and forth, not really ever any witty one-liners that would work as a standalone comment.