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Replacing AIM/GTalk/iChat on profiles

Last posted Dec 05, 2016 at 07:00PM EST. Added Apr 08, 2016 at 12:00AM EDT
40 posts from 19 users

Nobody uses these applications anymore, so it's about time for a revamp. I discussed some newer candidates with a few mods, and these seem to be the most popular sites/apps among KYM users:

• Steam
• Twitter
• Tumblr
• Skype
• Discord
• IRC
(especially the first three)

So, how's it sound? We already got Ari's attention, and she says she'll ask James about it.
pls give ur inputs.

I'm personally in favor of Steam, Tumblr and Skype, but the first 3 are fine too. I think it's a good idea to replace these, since but iChat and Google Talk are defunct, plus no one uses AIM.

If you add Twitter, you might as well add Facebook.

Discord is redundant, as only some obscure IRC spin-off chat groups ever use it. I'd consider IRC redundant too as you can add no links but only a nick (likewise Skype, but it's more popular).


I don't really see what makes this idea mod exclusive that it requires mod forum. Should we move it?

Last edited Apr 08, 2016 at 01:22AM EDT

+1 for moving it out

+1 for steam, skype, twitter

a lot of users have made non-personal twitter accounts, so it would be used

you couldn't link anything with irc, same with discord. the idea is to share a social media account (i.e the link to your ichat acct)

i'd also be open to tumblr

I'm also up for adding Twitter, Steam and Tumblr, maybe Skype too. Also up for moving out, which I will do now since there's no real reason not to. If we don't want the thread to be forgotten and die, then we could just like, not let it die? Hell, contact the admins to come check the thread, if you want things to move forward.

I agree with adding Steam, Twitter, Tumblr and skype instead of ichat and things, since they are far more used and more known.

List of social sites listed on profiles:

  • iChat
  • AIM
  • Google Talk
    List of social services commonly used and shared by KYM users:
  • Skype
  • Steam
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • Facebook (lol 2010 was great)
  • Instagram
  • Last.fm and all those music whatevers

The fact that there's 0 overlap between any of these bothers me. Not only do we have a feature that's barely relevant to any of our users, we also have the wasted potential for something that a lot of people would use. People could always list it manually in the "about me" section if we removed it entirely, but as it stands the section for AIM/iChat/Google Talk names is two levels of redundant.

People still use AIM? Did this site got hit by the 90s when it was created? Anyways, I think Tumblr, Steam, Skype, and maybe Twitter could be great replacements.

Also, I think we can include Miiverse into the mix.

Last edited Apr 11, 2016 at 01:13AM EDT

We can implement this much quicker if we can get a consensus on what to put there. That way the staff doesn't have to bring it up in a meeting, and only James needs to be informed.

Based on tiny bits of discussion thus far, it's probably best to avoid things that can be linked to personal lives (Facebook) or simply don't have linkable profiles (IRC, mail); focussing on areas that can overlap with internet nicknames and personas.

This would, based on this thread as well, result in:
- Steam
- Twitter
- Tumblr
- (Skype?)

Is Skype linkable? If not, I'd just suggest users to make a list of nicks for things like IRC and Skype in their description.

What I'm looking for here is a consensus so that this can be implemented much faster. Only make additional suggestions if something really must be added according to you; otherwise just "yea boi" will do.

Last edited Apr 28, 2016 at 05:51AM EDT

Yep, agreeing with all that. Tumblr, Twitter and Steam seem to be the most consistent suggestion, so they should all do fine. Skype would be cool too, but I don't think there is a way to just link it, so I don't think we can do that.

I'm not sure why you wouldn't just replace iChat with its successor iCloud (which includes iMessage, FaceTime, and email), which has far more users than any other service listed besides Facebook.

Last edited Apr 28, 2016 at 12:54PM EDT

^We need stuff with broad coverage able to be used by a large majority of our users, so stuff limited to a specific brand (iCloud, Miiverse) is best avoided.

(Also Apple is fucking gay.)

RandomMan wrote:

^We need stuff with broad coverage able to be used by a large majority of our users, so stuff limited to a specific brand (iCloud, Miiverse) is best avoided.

(Also Apple is fucking gay.)

But it has more users than any of the other services listed.

What about active users on KYM, Taryn? That's more important than overall number of users. The demographics for Facebook or iCloud would be different than KYM, and I'm guessing KYM and Steam have closer demographics than KYM and iCloud.

Mom Rivers wrote:

What about active users on KYM, Taryn? That's more important than overall number of users. The demographics for Facebook or iCloud would be different than KYM, and I'm guessing KYM and Steam have closer demographics than KYM and iCloud.

I am not sure what the limiting factor is for including more than three of these fields.

I'm not sure if it'd be just a replacement of the 3 we currently have, or if we could add more. Matching the 3 we have with 3 others would probably be faster than having James implement more areas. Plus, it's simpler.

So, I don't think we necessarily HAVE to keep it at 3. However, it's probably best that we do. I know many KYM users have Tumblr, Twitter, and Steam. I haven't heard any of them mention iCloud, although maybe many do have it. That's my view on it.

If you're going for simplicity, you could just remove the fields altogether and let users put the information in the bio. If you're adding fields, I don't know what the problem is for adding a lot.

I think having it higher than 3 is a good idea. I don't think we should go overboard with it to make sure the profile creation page isn't too long, so maybe we could limit it 10?

We wanna reach consensus or we wanna have a gauntlet list which is never getting implemented? The longer the list, the more we gotta rely on staff meetings, the longer it's gonna take. We had a consensus today…

Gotta agree with Rivers that I never see folks mention their iCloud but frequently those other 3. Maybe it's too personal after all.

I'd rather pick something with frequent usage amongst our userbase. More is cool, but don't get it complicated.

Last edited Apr 28, 2016 at 07:55PM EDT

Bumpin the shit out of this


Let's get to a consensus this time, alright? It looks like people like Steam, Twitter, and Tumblr. Let's go with just 3 or 4, because it's quicker and simpler.

Speak now, or forever hold your peace.

Hey y'all,

I've asked James to look in and see how many users actually fill in any of the fields in the contact info section, and if the usage is negligible, I suggest we replace the entire section with a section called Social Media Profiles that includes the following. So this would be more of a personal media portfolio than contact info. Let me know what you guys think:

• DeviantART
• Instagram
• Reddit
• Steam
• Tumblr
• Twitter
• YouTube

So James says there's approximately 1000 ~ 2000 active users who have their AIM or Google Chat accounts listed on their profiles.

I personally do not see the use value in listing third-party instant messaging accounts (especially at this level of usage), since that kind of socialization can be done via other means of communications on the site (PM on the site for example), so I'm all for replacing the entire section with a Social Media Profiles section.

If you have any objections, I'm all ears. If we can get another round of consensus by tonight, James can implement it right away.

So James says there’s approximately 1000 ~ 2000 active users who have their AIM or Google Chat accounts listed on their profiles.

I'm willing to bet a around 99% of that number is folks who wrote stuff like "poop" in the fields.

The suggested idea is fine by me.

well, it's been this long. anyone who could've been using those things probably doesn't even exist anymore, or at least associate with KYM as much anymore.

i'm down for connecting a few Steam and Skype accounts here and there.

Last edited Nov 28, 2016 at 10:06PM EST

Thanks guys, it will be updated shortly!

@RandomMan, lol that was the estimate after discounting spam accounts, so after we take shitprofiling into account, you're probably right :D

Tumblr and Reddit often involve usernames that aren't your real name, while Facebook is often personal. Friends, family, your real name, and pictures of you are often on there. Given that basically nobody has put their real name as their username on KYM, and barely more have shared it purposefully (there have been a few slip-ups), I'd guess it wouldn't really be used.

Mom Rivers wrote:

Tumblr and Reddit often involve usernames that aren't your real name, while Facebook is often personal. Friends, family, your real name, and pictures of you are often on there. Given that basically nobody has put their real name as their username on KYM, and barely more have shared it purposefully (there have been a few slip-ups), I'd guess it wouldn't really be used.

Makes sense, it's not unusual to see facebook accounts tied to youtube accounts or other kind of internet personas though, instead of just real people with their real personal information.

If there is a large demand for it, it can always be added at a later date. Now that the system is in place, it can be edited at any time.

Skeletor-sm

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