I don't know if it would even be possible, but I think it would be really cool if there were a chat room associated with the site.

This idea has been brought up many times but due to the multinational nature of the site, logistics and the additional server bandwidth, costs, etc., it's not really practical at this time. Brian may have more to add on this.

There are several options that do not use your bandwidth at all, or very little if using java applets etc. I personally am not into chat rooms anymore - was heavily into those in the 90's when I was administrator at one, but I do know with all they have available today it is easy and cost effective to implement - as in free for the most part - depending on your desires.

I agree it would be a little easier than posting...and we are all together...

EVERY YEAR SOMEONE BRINGS IT UP. You want to chat with each other, pick up the phone, or go to a private chat room, there are tons of functions for this on the web, almost all for free if that is what you want. Your profile has provisions for you to list the types of other contact functions on the web (and your screen names etc. that you use). The boards are this way for a specific reason. The threads are read by hundreds of lurkers, they are cataloged by search engines, and the answers to the questions asked here are preserved forever in the history of the board, so new people can search the board for answers before they ask the question that has been answered 300 times before, and answered with good, compassionate, accurate, and usable information. The odds that there would be a large number of you on the boards at the same time, given all the time zones, and even countries, would mean that finding someone here that you actually wanted to talk to at that moment would be slim. Take at look at who is on line now. 3 people. The idea has been explored and decided against.

Good for you Brian
It was always amazing to me how many "good ideas" people had to "improve" projects I ran that almost always had already been considered and declined for various reasons. Pretty soon I had a standing rule that all such suggestions required a commitment by the suggester to staff, fund and run the entire project without raiding my resources. Not only did the flood of old suggestions stop, a couple of really good projects surfaced with dedicated proponents I could work with. Not a suggestion, just an empathic response.

Good answer Brian and just what I would have expected. That's why you are our leader.

Geez- Glad I didn't suggest it.

Wow, I certainly didn't mean to sound like an idiot nor did I mean to insult people. I appreciate the explanation...it makes sense....just not the little slap.

And yowser - I AM sorry I brought it up at all.

Don't worry- I was admonished for suggesting a phone line. A little slap and tickle can be fun but just a slap stinks! LOL

Thanks...my sensitivities are running a little high lately....

Brian could definitely be a little more gentle in his responses!
Please remember Brian there are some very fragile new people on this board who are in a very delicate emotional state. A simple non angered explanation would have sufficed really.

Respectfully,

Kate

Ouch. I don't think the suggestion was meant as a critique. This board is a valuable resource for everyone but asking what if should never be discouraged. No harm in asking.

Jeez - for cancer people you guys have a thin skin. It is only that with over 20 million hits per month on the site, 6k posters over the years on these boards, 85,000 postings (not including the thousands which have been pruned over the years), and the hundreds of emails that I get a month, you have to understand that most of this has come up before.

I was NOT angered by it misskate. (Never one to give me much slack about my manner, but greatly valued as a contributor.) I just wish once in awhile someone would search the message board database before trying to reinvent the wheel. I get that it was just suggested in a positive tone, and was not a criticism of the site. This site is far from perfect and there is much more I wish we could afford to do to make it so. And I'm sorry if my late night post sounded harsh, that was not my intent.

The chat room question has been discussed here several times and explanations for not having one have been offered each time. This is essentially what Gary said. If anyone wants to start a chat room on the web - which you can do for free, I will certainly support you and refer to it. As a side note, there are no protections in a chat room that you won't get erroneous information since no-one else ever reads your conversation once it has been closed for the session. OCF has always had people that monitor these boards, and if something is clearly in error, posted a correction. We are really lucky to have doctors here, and silent monitors, as well has highly knowledgeable people that have been through it all in spades, to see that what is suggested to new people does no harm. In the end that is the most important reason not to have them.

Brian,

Perhaps this is a topic for the �Frequently Asked Questions� forum and/or the FAQ �button� on the toolbar? I�ve done some searches on the website and often will get so many hits and reading through them all is time consuming especially for someone looking for a quick answer to a �simple question� or suggestion.

I agree your explanation makes sense regarding the chat room. There are probably other topics that could be added here also � like the suggestion for the phone line, and an acronym list. The site has a lot of valuable information, but for someone new it takes a while to know where to look for it.

This website in my opinion is the best source of information on oral cancer. I just wish I had found it earlier in my journey.

Thanks!

I will have Chester add it to that section when he works on the site next month. We're spent out with him for this month. But to be honest that is one of the least hit pages in the whole site. It is just human nature. You have a question/problem you want an answer from a real person right now. Posting it is was easier than working through 2000 plus pages of web site, no matter how efficient the search system. And your right - both the site system and the board search system find tons of things. There are tons of references to any given topic. The ask approach is way easier to most. I do it as well. It's easier to call a researcher I know and ask, than to search for several hours on MedLine or somewhere else.