Here's an idea for IPB 3.0:

In addition to personal conversations (now PCs ), it would be a great feature to have if users could instant message each other. When you click their profile or in the drop down menu in a post an "Instant Message *name here*" option comes up. If the user is online, then a box on the bottom of the screen opens up like gmail chat and the message is displayed. If the user is online but in a different window, either a sound could be made or a box opens up from the bottom right of the screen notifying the user of the incoming IM. There would be options to customize the IM system and block and unblock users from IMing you. If you are offline and an IM was sent, that message would be sent to the inbox and when you login, you are told that *member name here* messaged you and *this time*.

Obviously JAVA is not ideal to use to make this so maybe AJAX is a better choice. What code does Google use for their Gmail chat? Maybe that code could be used to make it.

Thoughts on this?

Do not want...

ewww.... not as a standard option..that is more of a custom component/module whatever you wanna call it..

Shoutbox's have this option, well some do.

Agreed. This is more custom, this sort of gets into bloatware. They are already doing amazing with the PC's.

IP.Shoutbox should take care of this. Otherwise it should be a custom component/modification.

Yep thats what I was thinking.

Anyone use the Facebook chat system? I really like that, and the whole bottom bar thingy for navigation.

Keith

Yeah, if IPB were to include some type of live chat system, I think a Facebook-type system is the way to go.

Yes and its some what like google talk that is in gmail. Oh AOL has one too for aol and Netscape email.

Anything additional to PC's id disable instantly. I would never need more than that.

It seem IPB getting alot ideas from Facebook now.

I made a mod for IPB out of the open source Ajax chat a while ago. Didn't work well but if you consider if the person is online, you can click Send IM (only if they are online), and a message box appears, and you can write back. Not a bad idea at all.

I think a forum is a forum and a chat is a chat...

Good point, better left a mod for those who wish to have this feature.

I think this should be a 3rd party mod.

It's of no real benefit to a forum.

In my opinion adding on to the IM profile fields would be a better option, ie being able to launch a chat window in the IM client clicked on, along with the ability to add additional IM clients and there html click api.

This would pretty much accomplish the same thing as the OP's suggestion, just keeps it in the dedicated IM client, therefore not slowing your forums down.