Archivio dei testi con tag 'chat'



Meebo, addio alle chat room

Un nome dal business model variabile e spesso incerto; una serie di chat discretamente frequentate; l’annuncio della chiusura delle chat, ufficialmente quasi senza motivo. Perché Meebo abbandona le chat room?

Esiste dal 2005 ma non ha mai sfondato, nonostante negli anni abbia avuto capitali e finanziatori di tutto rispetto (tra questi ultimi Sequoia Capital e Time Warner). Chi lo conosce associa il suo nome all’instant messaging e a stanze di chat sparse qua e là per la Rete grazie all’embedding.

Stiamo parlando di Meebo, che dallo scorso 9 agosto non consente più la creazione di chat room private dal proprio messenger, né di stanze pubbliche di cui poi fare l’embed suoi propri siti.

Se Meebo Messenger non sarebbe di per sé una cattiva idea (consente di chattare con tutti i propri contatti su vari network come AIM, Yahoo, Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk e via dicendo) va detto che intanto esistono altre applicazioni che fanno lo stesso; e inoltre, bisogna pur ammettere che spesso chi conosce questo nome ha incontrato durante la propria navigazione non l’IM di Meebo ma una qualche finestra di chat realizzata in embed grazie alle Meebo Rooms.

Già lo scorso anno un primo taglio alle suddette “stanze“. Che la community non ha proprio compreso, provocando una seria emorragia di utenti.

Ufficialmente, era come se Meebo volesse concentrarsi su alcune funzioni, e le chat room non rientrassero più in questi piani.

In effetti il servizio attuale sembra proporsi come un misto di messaggistica, social network e barra per messaggi pubblicitari, nel tentativo di creare un mix tra una piattaforma di advertising e le funzioni social così diffuse ed apprezzate di questi tempi. Non manca la presenza sui più popolari smartphone, con app dedicate per iPhone, Android e BlackBerry, che potrebbero essere i prodotti più interessanti; ma questi continui aggiustamenti e cambi schizofrenici risultano in un business model altalenante e incerto. Col a rischio di mettere su qualcosa che potrebbe non piacere né agli utilizzatori, né agli inserzionisti.

Come dicevamo, da agosto non si possono più creare nuove stanze; a il 4 ottobre 2011, la chiusura definitiva di tutte le chatroom ancora attive. Sembra un po’ un “seppuku” digitale, un suicidio online poco comprensibile. Le motivazioni sono ancora nebulose.

Il comunicato ufficiale non dice molto:

Siamo spiacenti di comunicarvi che abbiamo deciso di chiudere il prodotto Meebo Rooms. Non è una decisione presa con leggerezza. In Meebo creiamo prodotti che collegano le persone ai propri interessi e ad altre persone che condividono gli stessi interessi, e siamo giunti alla convizione che le Meebo Rooms non ci aiutino più a raggiungere al meglio quegli obiettivi. 

Noi una mezza idea ce l’avremmo. Needaddys è un sito dove persone in cerca di contatti si scambiano indirizzi generalmente per MSN o altri programmi di messaggistica o social network come Bebo e Facebook. E’ frequentato per la maggior parte da utenti britannici e la chat room altro non è che un embed realizzato con Meebo. Entrando nella stessa, si può leggere un messaggio che avverte come non essendo moderata la chat, la stessa potrebbe presentare contenuti non adatti ai minori di 18 anni. Di fatto, entrando in una stanza teoricamente riservata agli adulti, si può notare che oltre il 90% degli utenti abbia un’età media di 15 anni, con picchi verso il basso anche di 11-12 anni.

Una situazione potenzialmente pericolosa. E’ probabile che qualcuno abbia pensato che moderare un fenomeno del genere, su vasta scala, sia praticamente impossibile. E che Meebo abbia deciso di “amputarsi” questa parte piuttosto che spendere notevoli risorse per ristrutturare il servizio e creare sistemi di verifica del’età e dell’identità dei propri utenti oppure aree separate per minorenni e maggiorenni, come avviene in alcuni servizi di chat e mondi virtuali.

[Pubblicato su Mytech http://mytech.it/web/2011/09/05/meebo-addio-alle-chat-room/]

Weird IMVU Chats #5: A Love Letter for Lady Wallace

This is not a proper chat log, but a message that my friend Lady Wallace (IMVU: LadyWallace) got in her IMVU mailbox.

She entered a room and without a reason was kicked out twice by a person she didn’t know and who was apparently a friend of an IMVU staffer.

The person (avatar name: LeCorpse) who kicked her seemed vaguely envious of her status as a popular music artist in the virtual world, so he kindly emailed her the following love letter (courtesy LadyWallace):

yes. wallace, you are right.. Thank you for showing me the way.. and for allowing me the privilege of seeing exactly how BUTT HURT someone can get when they realize that just because they are friends with people who have more power than them, that doesn’t mean they can ride their coat tails to get what they want ;) get over yourself girl. you aren’t hot shit. you are nothing. you have always been nothing
since I first ever met you and with your “better than thou” attitude, you will always be nothing. nothing more than a little cling on who has to throw big names around to other people, just so she can feel special, feared, appreciated, for having just KNOWN these people. I am curious.. Do you take time to get to know these Dev’s and staff? or do you just befriend them to get ahead on IMVU? I’m guessing you’re so pathetic and unloved RL, that the only way you can get love is by throwing on a mask, and allowing other people to see you for what you aren’t I have no use for your kind.. go rampage elsewhere.

Love is in the air, huh?

It has to be noted that the person this gentleman (?) is referring to, is in her own words “doing very well for myself; I have a 100 acre country estate and 7 cars and unlike him, my entire existence does NOT revolve around IMVU. And the reason for my friendship/liasons with staffers and top developers is purely to promote my music.”

Lady Wallace is a UK based artist who topped the IMVU Music Store charts between 2008 and 2009 and since then remained popular in the virtual world and outside, releasing a digital single and video (Lady Wallace Sings) and later an 8-tracks EP (Music to Watch Avatars By).

(Note: The guy was obviously reported) ;)

Weird IMVU chats #4: The scared n00b.

Guest_iiayookandieeii has joined the chat
Guest_iiayookandieeii: AAAAAAAH
djbatmanRuizN: hi?
Guest_iiayookandieeii: hi bye
djbatmanRuizN: lol
Guest_iiayookandieeii has left the chat

(note: my avatar was dressed in a Batman costume and didn’t say or do anything in particular to scare this person)

Weird IMVU chats #3: John Google’s nephew, in person.

djbatmanRuizN: has joined the chat
Ch1st0pher: hey
Ch1st0pher: wanna make a deal
djbatmanRuizN: hello
djbatmanRuizN: who are you
djbatmanRuizN: and what kind of deal?
Ch1st0pher: I make you famouse and i get paid (credits)
Ch1st0pher: you in
Ch1st0pher: HELLO
djbatmanRuizN: ?
djbatmanRuizN: uhm.
djbatmanRuizN: sorry
Ch1st0pher: you in
djbatmanRuizN: how could you make me “famous” and for what.
djbatmanRuizN: how can I say yes, I have no idea who are you and what the hell are you referring to.
djbatmanRuizN: :)
Ch1st0pher: your a Dj my uncle owns youtube so i cna post one of you mixes and my uncle takes care of every thing
djbatmanRuizN: HELLO
djbatmanRuizN: your uncle owns youtube. wow
Ch1st0pher: yes he does
djbatmanRuizN: you’re Mr.John Google’s nephew?
Ch1st0pher: yes
djbatmanRuizN: and your uncle takes care of what?
djbatmanRuizN : in which way.
djbatmanRuizN: details please, I may be interested (I have music in YouTube).
Ch1st0pher: makikng your mixes a big hit
Ch1st0pher: anyone
djbatmanRuizN: yes but HOW.
djbatmanRuizN: lol
Ch1st0pher: just give me the link of one ill show it to him
Ch1st0pher Whisper: but you gotta give me credits
djbatmanRuizN: in which way.
Ch1st0pher: (15,000)
Ch1st0pher Whisper: huh
djbatmanRuizN: let me figure this correctly.
djbatmanRuizN: I show you a link.
Ch1st0pher: i give it to myu uncle
djbatmanRuizN : You show it to your uncle Mr. John Google, is this the person, right?
Ch1st0pher: he makes it a hit and you get money
djbatmanRuizN: then I send you credits?
Ch1st0pherCh1st0pher Whisper: yes
djbatmanRuizN : are you sure you’re 31 and from the US?
Ch1st0pher Whisper: well you send me the credits now when you give me the link
Ch1st0pher Whisper: yes
djbatmanRuizN: you sound more like 14 and from Philippines.
Ch1st0pher: im a mature 31 year old man
djbatmanRuizN: oh yes I send you 15000 and you make me famous.
Ch1st0pher: jsut that im in a hurry
djbatmanRuizN: and youtube is owned by Mr. John Google.
djbatmanRuizN: amazing.
Ch1st0pher: yes
djbatmanRuizN: if you’re in a hurry you better go then.
djbatmanRuizN : cya.
Ch1st0pher: no
Ch1st0pher: is that i gotta pick up a package out side
Ch1st0pher: thats all
Ch1st0pher: you cna stay
Ch1st0pher: my uncle is right next to me he said Hi,
djbatmanRuizN: hi John.
djbatmanRuizN: I’m blocking and reporting your scammer nephew john
djbatmanRuizN: you both have a nice day.
djbatmanRuizN: :)
Ch1st0pher: why
Ch1st0pher: what did we do

(Note: even before the chat was closed, user was reported and then blocked)

Weird IMVU chats #2: say hi to the young Asian scammer.

(real chat logged July 18, 2010 on IMVU)

Charr11 has joined the chat
djbatmanRuizN: hi?
Charr11: Hi’ There., this is a message from one of the “Affiliate of IMVU for Access Pass (AP) Procuct. For Making IMVU such a Creative,Inspiring and Fun Place to play,Learn and Interact the Reality with the help of “AP Product”. As a sign of our Appreciation to all of you. We’d like to Inform to all of our “IMVU supporter will be given 100,000 worth of Credits as Our Thankful Gift”
Charr11: do you like to claim it now sir?
djbatmanRuizN: uhm.
djbatmanRuizN: there is no such “Affiliate”.
Charr11: what do you mean?
djbatmanRuizN: though if you wanna gift me 100.000 or more you’re welcome.
djbatmanRuizN: also it’s spelled “Product”
djbatmanRuizN: :)
Charr11: its not easy for me to gift you 100,000 Cr
djbatmanRuizN: then why did you say what you just said.
djbatmanRuizN: How are things in China, by the way?
Charr11: im not from china
Charr11: im from philippine
djbatmanRuizN: good. Spelling mistakes sounded very Asian style anyway. Not UK as you claim in your profile.
Charr11: yeah
djbatmanRuizN: So what is your offer, young male scammer in a female avatar?
djbatmanRuizN: :)
Charr11: huh?
Charr11: im not male
djbatmanRuizN: you have 5 seconds to tell me what was the message at the beginning of your stupid chat request.
djbatmanRuizN: 100000 credits. Bah.
djbatmanRuizN: 4
djbatmanRuizN: 3
djbatmanRuizN: 2
djbatmanRuizN: 1
djbatmanRuizN: hmmm.
Charr11: then?
djbatmanRuizN: it’s a timeout.
Charr11: so?
djbatmanRuizN: so?
djbatmanRuizN: it’s me asking “so?” here
djbatmanRuizN: not you
djbatmanRuizN: you haven’t explained what you have to offer.
djbatmanRuizN: learn English before talking shit to other people in here
Charr11 has left the chat
djbatmanRuizN: oh thanks for slapping my avatar. This will be reported.

(later, I flagged this person’s IMVU homepage, which also had badges claiming to be “Staff” and “Moderator”; unsurprisingly, the page had been flagged already).

Weird IMVU chats #1: a newbie and 90 billion credits.

(real chat logged July 9, 2010 on IMVU)

AdamMonsterr123 has joined the chat
AdamMonsterr123: do u hav creadits
djbatmanRuizN: yes, and why.
djbatmanRuizN: are you begging for them?
AdamMonsterr123: how many
djbatmanRuizN: not too many, about 2000 now.
djbatmanRuizN: and no, I am not gifting them to people I don’t know.
AdamMonsterr123: do u want 90 billon
djbatmanRuizN: it’s not possible having “90 billion” in here.
AdamMonsterr123: if u sav them
AdamMonsterr123: i just got on my stuff to day
djbatmanRuizN: English please
djbatmanRuizN: what do you mean.
djbatmanRuizN: trying to promote your objects?
AdamMonsterr123: i got on my account
djbatmanRuizN: you’re a new user?
AdamMonsterr123: yes
djbatmanRuizN: then how can a newbie offer me “90 billion credits”?
djbatmanRuizN: :)
djbatmanRuizN: I’d love to hear that.
AdamMonsterr123: my dad on imvu
djbatmanRuizN: your “dad” on imvu?
djbatmanRuizN: your real life dad
djbatmanRuizN: or some crap you call dad in here?
AdamMonsterr123: yes
djbatmanRuizN: he would send me those?
AdamMonsterr123: yes
djbatmanRuizN: this seems a funny conversation
djbatmanRuizN: ok, let’s see the “90 billion” then we can talk.
djbatmanRuizN: lol.
AdamMonsterr123: i need uur pw i swear to god i want do nun
djbatmanRuizN: LOL
djbatmanRuizN: kid.
djbatmanRuizN: I am 39 years old
djbatmanRuizN: have spent the last 15 years online
djbatmanRuizN: and got my first computer in 1981.
djbatmanRuizN: Do I look so dumb?
AdamMonsterr123: im 40 years old in real life
djbatmanRuizN: oh.
djbatmanRuizN: and this should convince me to give you my password?
AdamMonsterr123 has left the chat

ChatRoulette, la videochat con zapping umano

Da sconosciuto a sotto i riflettori del web in poche settimane: è il momento di ChatRoulette

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