Group: alt.discuss.tvml Date: Mon, Mar 29, 1999, 9:13pm (MST+2) From: Chat-Sorceress@webtv.net (Chat-Sorceress & The Chat Cafe) Talk City IRC Changes!

ALL READ Just to let you know that the IRC's need updating due to Talk City changing our server to the server at:

                             morechat.talkcity.com

Apparently they needed to expand so they have done this. It will cause the webtv IRC users to get a "CHAT ROOM IS FULL" notice if they use the old server address. Pass the word so we can help out everyone so they aren't left in the dark. :)

More info...... Talk City has grown to the point that we have actually expanded beyond the user limits of our Microsoft chat server software. We believe the user complaints about how much trouble they have getting on-line and staying on-line are related to the capacity of the chat software we use now. To meet the needs of our growing community, we must find a way around this limitation immediately. Since we can't just change software platforms overnight, we need to make interim changes that will accommodate our community now. The immediate solution we plan to implement is as follows: We will run two chat networks (i.e., two sets of chat servers), which aren't linked together. A subset of our rooms will move onto the new second server network, with all of the designated rooms for a common topic moving together. We'll have Bots and CSAs on both networks. Hosts will work during their shift on the server where that room is located.

WebTV, EZTalk, and Talk City Pirch users won't have to do anything differently to join a room. Other users will have to select the right server to join a particular room. We plan to make the change at 4:30amPT, Monday, March 29.

The new network is named

morechat.talkcity.com

and will include all of the rooms for the these forums:

@Music ForumCollege ForumGames Forum JesusCafe ForumKidzKorner ForumMusicTalk ForumNew2 ForumParenting Forum Religions and Spirituality ForumSports ForumTeenNBC ForumTeenTalk Forum The Insite ForumYouthOnline Forum As par of the move, these rooms -- @Music, CollegeTalk, Games-topic, Music-topic, Sports-topic, NetNoir-topic, New2Internet, New2TalkCity, New2WebTV, ParentChat, ParentCenter, Parenting-topic, Spirituality-topic, TeenTalk, TheInsite, TheInsite-Casual, Youthonline, Youthonfocus -- will be located on the new network, morechat.talkcity.com. Forum leaders will discuss specific room-related issues with their forum crew.

The original server network will still be chat.talkcity.com and will house all of the rooms not mentioned above. While the standard IRC ports do still work, we will publicly advise everyone to use port 7000, as it works best for 99.9% of our users.

The launcher for EZTalk and for WebTV will be modified to automaticallysend about 85% of our users to the right server each time they select a room to join. TCPirch will also do the same thing. So, most of our users will not need to do anything differently. They will simply select the room they want to join, and the chat software will put them on the right server automatically. The room lists for EZTalk and WebTV users will include rooms on both sets of servers, since these lists are generated on web pages already. The 10% or so of our chatters who use some sort of IRC client other than TCPirch, WebTV or EZTalk will have to manually select the server they want to join. If a user seems to have a problem doing so, suggest they use EZTalk or TCPirch. For on-duty hosts, ifyou are on Talk City Pirch or WebTV, you don't have to change how you logon or how you change rooms. Typing /join roomname will open a new server window in TCPirch (if the room is on the other server), connect you,and drop you in the room.

If you are on a Macintosh or are using another chat temporarily, you will need to manually log on to the server where your room is located. We will probably set onjoin messages for many of the moved rooms soon after we make the change. These onjoins would tell users on chat.talkcity.com that they should connect to morechat.talkcity.com. However, while we first observe how the system works when we implement the change, there will not be any redirecting onjoins.

Other details to note are:

-- Users can still /msg CSA for help on both networks, or sets of servers

-- Newsflashes, TalkCity Bots and all the usual things we provide will be available on both networks.

-- Users on one set of servers will not be able to /msgusers on the other set.

-- Special events will be broadcast to both servers. Any changes for SET staff will be explained to them later.

-- When you send someone to a room on the other server network, assume they are using WebTV, EZTalk or TCPirch and that the client will do all the work for them.

-- The /whois command will continue to tell you /whois information about a user on the same server as you. But you won't be able to /whois users on the other server.

-- You can be on bothservers at the same time if you are using TCPirch or ircle chat software. This change should move approximately 25% of our traffic onto the new second network set as soon as we start it. In the future, we will also be able to add more rooms to the split list, or even more server groups, as needed.

This change is a win-win situation for everyone.. The users will be able to access Talk City more reliably, and more users will be able to join in on Talk City's great services. We understand thoughthat no matter how simple we make it, some users are going to be upset. So please be patient and gracious. Thanks for your support in making this important transition to help Talk City continue to grow. And mark your calendars on Monday, March 29th at 4:30amPT for the launch of morechat.talkcity.com! Thanks to all those that have forwarded information to me about this. :)