is-online feature

I have another wish 😉

I know this is a correspondence chess site, but it would be nice sometimes to know wether my oponent is online or not!
I think of something like ICQ, but not really (much easier!!!): I've seen things like that in forums (TBB)...
It would be nice to see a little message in the playgame page or in the buddy list: mwmiller is online an RHP...
no? what do you thnik of it?

I agree with people who say that they don't want the site be too socialized - it's a chess site here! okay, but this would be nice: If I see that my opponent is online and I want to play, I'll move...
th

Originally posted by thire
... it would be nice sometimes to know whether my opponent is online or not!

There is a slow way to do this. Open public games. Note the time of the most recent move. Type in the name of the player, click Search, and note the time of the last move when it is NOT the players turn (no little square). For example, I know that, as I write this, you are not on line.

I do agree that this is needed, and most vBulletin sites have it, so a module is probably availsble. I just don't know if Russ and Chris can get it cheaply.

How about a game?

Chuck

yop!
The method is good - but slow 🙁
I have the impression that Russ and Chris do not buy things, they code them themselfs, right?
th

Originally posted by thire
yop!
The method is good - but slow 🙁
I have the impression that Russ and Chris do not buy things, they code them themselfs, right?
th

Yes, but free PHP code is available on the internet. By the way I moved

But some people don't want others to know they are online. I know it sounds silly, but I'm one of them. Maybe I'm having a bad week, and I'm not moving, but my opponents see me logged in to read the forums and are thinking "why isn't he moving". I don't know exactly, but I would at least want to be able to block people seeing me.

Originally posted by belgianfreak
But some people don't want others to know they are online. I know it sounds silly, but I'm one of them. Maybe I'm having a bad week, and I'm not moving, but my opponents see me logged in to read the forums and are thinking "why isn't he moving". I don't know exactly, but I would at least want to be able to block people seeing me.

Yes, of course!!! (sorry that I forgot this to write...)
th

This is possible, we just monitor the last time someone had any activity. It would be an optional feature if implemented - but I'm still not to sure if I should put this one in....

[oh, a quick edit - remember we did try a chat room once, and it was anything but a success - so never again.]

-Russ

Also, I tend to leave RHP logged in at my desktop while I work away at my laptop for 12 hours or so... I'm logged in, but not really online, so, for some, it might not actually work, because the person isn't really there, but away, like in instant messaging

If you scroll through your games one right after another this is really not needed, but if you return constantly to the "My Games" screen after each move to pick and choose it would come in handy. I would prefer to move with someone who's online and waiting rather than someone who moved 6 hours ago. (btw, with a dial-up connection, I scroll ) Another option would be to let the people you designate as your buddies to see your online status.
-Bob