Chat Event! Thursday Oct. 2nd

Greg Bernhardt

The second chat to get things rolling will be Thursday Oct. 2 at 3:00pm and at 8:00pm central time. You'll find the main page turned into the chat program. Please use an updated browser and have the java plugin or runtime on your computer.

Hope to see you there!!

chroot

Why can't you put a link to a chat page on the main page, rather than making the entire forum inaccessible for a whole day?

- Warren

Greg Bernhardt

Who said it was inaccessible? Last time I had a link to the forums. On past experience, not many people will join in the fun unless you slap it in their face [:D] [6)]

Monique

I think it was a very sharp idea Greg. Once you jump into the chatroom, how can you leave without saying hi, bye; and by then the conversation has already started..

Guybrush Threepwood

hey, that's tommorow...[:D]

Nereid

[s(] Sigh, "central time" = the time in Chicago, USA (not Central European Time, or Central Australian Time, or ....). It's 6 hours behind UK time, or 7 GMT (note that the "All times are GMT. The time now is 04:20 PM" on the bottom of the main PF page is incorrect; the UK is still on summer time, so it's now 15:20 GMT) [:)]

Perhaps I'm the only one who finds the "US default" irritating? [:(]

Could someone be kind enough to offer advice on how to raise 'cultural awareness' on this? [?]

Zantra

US default because a majority of the users are in the US, but it's not like you don't have the OPTION to change the time right ?

Oh and a non java chat engine that doesn't require an applet to be pushed through a firewall would be nice too[;)]

Nereid

Thank you Zanstra.

No, it's more that I have to parse "central time". Sure, after I've read this a couple (a dozen?) times it sticks. And then I sometimes get confused when switching from another site.

I guess what gets on my goat is that it is such a small, simple thing for those who use the "US default" to add a word or two - or to think for a few seconds (does this make sense to someone in China? India? Indonesia? Brazil?) - to help 'the minority'.

Of course, it may just be me (minority of one, cf ~10 to 49%?) [?]

Monique

My time is displayed correctly, Nereid, CET = GMT + 1 hour.

You do have a point that it would be usefull to have some standard indicators what the central time would be on different continents

ie. CET = US central + 7 hours.

A chat event at 3 pm means it will be 10 pm in central Europe.. a little late Greg? 8 pm is 3 am..

Nereid

Daylight saving (or summer) time does cause confusion. In Europe it's not too bad, as everyone (?) changes on the same day (which is not the same day on which our friends across the pond change).

However, GMT remains GMT; there's no summer! The formal name for summertime is "British Summer Time" (BST, not to be confused with BSE!).

More time trivia, from a site which should know what it's talking about:
http://greenwichmeantime.com/

KLscilevothma

Nereid, I live in one of the places you've listed above and I live in Hong Kong SAR, China. My time zone is 12 hours ahead. 3pm to 8pm US Central Time means 3am - 8am to me. [:D] I got up at 4.30am and logged in to the chat room last time. I don't mind getting up early as it's my choice. I also think its fair to use Central US time coz most users are from the US.

By the way, I think it's pretty cool to have such a large time difference.

Guybrush Threepwood

argument by server location....., oh no, wait that's just nonsense

here's something to help us all non US central time people
http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc

Monique

That is very nice huh, Shadow? First of all, I would like to see the demographical distribution of members. I am sure you don't know them?

I hear you Monique but lets face it, greg cant do it for everyone unless he left the chat up for 24 hours which, im not sure he'd do that. But like it was said before the majority is US and if he favored the times in Europe it wouldn't make sense...

As for right now, it is now 6:19 am US central time and there are 46 active users of which 8 members. Who knows where they are from, not from the US.

Oh common, so a 3 pm chatevents works for those highschool/college kids? It was my impression that the 8 pm chatevent was for the US people and the 3 pm chat for other continents.. but neither Asia nor Europe really fits that time.

No hard feelings, it is up to Greg, I am not sure why the particular time was choosen (maybe he has to physically start the session?)

I am just saying that it would be nice for US people to consider the other world that is out there over that ocean. I am sorry to say that your attitude in not helping Shadow.

Greg Bernhardt

First of all I apologize for not being specific with what "central" time zone I was thinking of. Secondly it is impossible for me to set a time that everyone around the world can participate in. I set 3pm-8pm because the stats I have lead me to believe are the most highly trafficed times. So to me that means where ever our members are, quite a few are on between thoses times on average.

STAii

Nice link, but not very accurate.
The DST is in effect in Amman, while this site thinks it is not (and therefore calculated the time in a wrong way).
I guess the chat time is not conveinient for all people in the middle east, east europe, and west Asia. But i think you are right Greg, you can't satisfy everyone, but you are still satisfying the most possible [:)].
Once (About a year ago), i planned to wake up at 5 AM to attend a PF chat, but ... i was unable [6)] (school, sleeping late, and ... stuff).

EDIT:
If we disclude PF, i think that (decucting from their behaviour) people in US don't even know that there is anyone outside US (well, i have to admit that they know Canada, and they know Mexico, since they flee to it when they do crimes [6)])

Monique

I agree. And Greg, that didn't apply to you. You seem to have got a good argument there, but wouldn't it be possible to next time to do it ONE hour earlier? To give people in eastern Europe a chance..

Greg Bernhardt

Yes, and as I push to make a set reoccuring chat time I will make a poll as to what day/time works for the majority.