> Basically, it wouldn't affect me a lot if RinkChat disappeared. On the other hand, it doesn't affect me at all if it stays, and a lot of people would be very sad to see it go, so I say, let's keep it.
>
> I'm not sure whether that got across properly. Just remember that RinkWorks is very special, one of a kind, and is extremely important to a lot of people.
>
> Si-"My habit of always posting while tired doesn't help"-gi

Well, I am late to the party, as usual, but wanted to reply here because I think Sigi's point of view matches my own most closely. Well, almost exactly, actually, and thank you Sigi for doing all the typing.

The few times I have been in chat, people were kind to me (thank you Gremlinn, Eric, and Cynthia particularly)...but I am sure my discomfort was evident anyway. It's just not my thing. I don't know if that that disqualifies me from legitimate comment on the subject, or gives me an edge as an impartial observer? --

--but for what it's worth, it seems to me this kind of fragmenting that you're describing happens in social groups all the time--both cyber and real life. I think it's just human nature that it happens, Sam, and I think it will have its ups and downs despite any "social engineering" you do, or don't do.

...but I know you feel like you need to do something. Well, the only practical thing I can think of to suggest relates to the size of the chatroom. What I'm hearing in more than one post is that too large a crowd in the chatroom hinders conversation. Okay, then why not limit the number of chatters per room? Wouldn't this encourage the use of *both* of the public rooms, and the creation of private ones? It doesn't sound like limiting the number per room would discourage your regulars from participating any more than they are discouraged now.

Okay, someone come along and tell me why that's not so :-)

koalamom