The name PRIVATE CHAT implies that you need to evoke this to chat privately. In reality, you are in the most private chat possible as soon as you initiate an IM with a single classmate. I think that the current PRIVATE CHAT should be called something like CHAT ROOM because thats what it is - the ability to chat with a select group of people.

The current LIVE chat is an open room that anyone can join in. It is all LIVE - maybe LIVE CHAT should be called OPEN CHAT or ALL CHAT or something like that.

We went through extensive discussion both internally and with Admins here before coming up with the names. We don't consider IM to be chat at all, it's simply Instant Messaging and most people know what that means. It's very important the "private" part be in the name of the private chat because it distinctly differentiates the chat from the public chat, where any member can walk in at any time. A private chat is exactly that, private. The word implies that only those you invite to the chat room can see the chat. So while we don't wish to change either name globally your recommendation is still well taken, because it would be better if each Admin could take control of both chat chat names and thereby have exactly what they want. I will add this to our Advanced Options wish list to develop after the release of all Class Creator 3.0 elements. Thanks Charlie.

Brad
My point is this. Not everybody understands IM. I would venture a guess that 70% of the time, when I try to engage new users with IM, they respond by hitting the PRIVATE CHAT button.

My site rarely if ever has used LIVE CHAT. Maybe its because we are still in start up. But it seems to me that LIVE CHAT and PRIVATE CHAT should be married to each other. I like your name PUBLIC CHAT better than LIVE CHAT because it differentiates better with PRIVATE CHAT.

Maybe it's positioning - maybe PRIVATE CHAT is too prominent on the IM window. Maybe it and LIVE CHAT should be secondary choices under a heading of CHAT ROOM or GROUP CHAT. Once the user selects that they want to go into CHAT ROOM (or GROUP CHAT) then they choose PRIVATE or PUBLIC.

The CHAT ROOM (or GROUP CHAT) could be on the IM window or on the Left Side or BOTH.

When both the CC 3.0 elements are done, and the options of renaming both chats are in Advanced Options, it will allow people to name and position both in any fashion desired.

Am afraid to ask
CC 3.0 element 1 is expected?
CC 3.0 element 2 is expected?

The Class Creator 3.0 elements will be released between now and the end of summer. I know you're looking for exact dates but these updates involved numerous related things in the existing system and I don't have any specific release dates yet. Just one example, most people wouldn't have an understanding that The Reunion Planner registration module, the Survey Maker, and Profile Generator are really all the same thing. So when we're making updates to that module all of the other things regarding the Reunion Planner, Survey Maker, and Profile Generator all have to be done at the same time in order to release anything. When the CC 3.0 revisions launch they will be extensive revisions.

I have been in IT for over 25 years. I have designed, tested, and managed multi million dollar projects. I chose my word - expected - carefully.

Brad - I think I figured out where the confusion comes in

In FACEBOOK if you initiate a chat (or someone initiates a chat with you) the IM window opens and the cursor is positioned in the blank TEXT INPUT area. there are no instructions. It is ready for you to type in the window immediately.

In CC IM, the TEXT INPUT area is filled with instructions and the user must CLICK in the area to make the instructions go away so they can type there.

I believe the novice users do not immediately recognize that they must CLICK in that area to make the instructions go away and to activate the TEXT INPUT box.

My first preference would be to make CC IM work as similar as possible to FB and AIM. Don't know what all would be involved in that but.....

A simpler fix may be to just change the text of the instructions from "Type message for Charlie Taylor here then press Enter to send" to a simpler 2 line msg:

CLICK here to type message
Depress ENTER to send" (Maybe CLICK should be BOLD)

As you said before, most folks are familiar with instant message. As a result, I think there is a real advantage to make CC as similar as possible to other IM systems.

The problem is we initially launched IM with the cursor blinking there with no instructions and all kinds of people didn't know what to do... In fact numerous recommendations came in suggesting we include some type of instructions so people knew what they were supposed to do. Many users had never seen IM before. One thing to consider is 1 in 3 Admins on Class Creator are senior citizens. So they won't inherently know as much as the typical Facebook user. Although since then and now it's entirely possible the "older" crowd has become more tech savvy with the recent explosion of older users on Facebook. In any case, I like your recommendation of going with this simpler text:

CLICK here to type message
Press ENTER to send

Thanks Charlie, as always!