Experimental Features on AO

Hello Anime Online Community!

In an effort to improve the user experience on AnimeOnline.net, we are exploring the implementation of some new third party products that will allow us to grow our offerings and eventually provide some desired features such as a new AO Chat, an AO User reviews and article recommendation widget, and more. Nothing will be implemented on AO in any permanent form until we test out the features for a few months and until the mods agree that they are adding value to our site (i.e. this is a beta test situation for now so feel free to use or not use the features and let us know what you think).

It may very well end up being that our users do not like the new features, in which case they will be removed after a few week test. For now, the initial feature being rolled out is a site userbar at the bottom of the screen which will allow users to comment to each other, etc.

I am not overly optimistic that these new features will stick, but figure that it can't hurt to try. Please let us know your thoughts over the coming days/weeks.

Cheers,
CB

Sounds like a pretty good idea, hopefully most of the members will use it. Have you thought about using a different third party software like the one Facebook or Myspace use?

Just so you know... it doesn't work well in Opera. It doesn't show the list of members or the comments and I really don't want to have to use FF just to read comments.

Otherwise, I guess some might the addition but I'm 50/50.

I'm all for this new thang, but I'm using XP so everyting is working and okay. I'm a little skeptical of how well it actually with play out; people might not be interested plain and simple. Which is silly.

This is like the fast track for new members to make friends one would think, but like someone said a pm is just as effective plus it's private. But I want it to work etcetc.

Back to cleaning!

I think, if there isn't a way already, that there should be a function in the chat bar thing to hide it manually per member like in the usercp or something for those that don't want to see it/do anything with it.

The problems I see with it are is if alot of people use it its really hard to talk to a certain person. Also alot of people will not really be watching what they say. It will not be like a post were you can easily see what they said they are saying its just going to be them saying fast stuff and not be really thinking about what they said which will take away from the conversation. Plus it could take away from the posting by alot so I say No dont keep it .

It's also very slow and the bar that pops up on the bottom is distracting and laggy.

not a big fan of the bar.
1. the bar covers some text when in the forums( unless ur at the bottom of the page)
2.there is no sensorship.
3. its basically one big vm

proably the only reason i would want the bar to stay is because of the ablity to post videos(if it worked), which we aren't able to do here on the forums.
but even that feature doesn't work properly. i wasn't able to view the test video.

so i am against keeping it.