Life In 19x19

I’m considering bringing up a multi-user voice chat server* specifically for use by Go players (*either ventrillo, teamspeak, or mumble). I am thinking it could be useful for study groups, game reviews, or possibly even lessons & group lessons.

More so than that, I think it might be an interesting community building tool. At least for me, interacting with someone on the forums is much different than something as simple as a five minute conversation.

Of course a server is nothing without users. I’d like to get a feel for if there is anyone else interested in this idea enough to give it a try if I set it up. If a handful of people are interested, I’ll fund a month or two of server time to see if it catches on.

I’d be interested in any other opinions about this idea as well. Particularly if this has been tried in the past, or someone else is already doing this now.

I realize that playing serious go and chatting don’t mix. so there would definitely be a mute channel / room for those who don’t want to be disturbed as an alternative to just logging out.

I'd give it a shot?

It's a good idea, but it's likely to degenerate quickly to chats about many things other than go. And I'm not sure that voice is the best way to do it; text can be a lot better for people speaking in a language other than their own, assuming that it's possible that many discussions would be in English and many participants would not be native speakers.

Be sure to post when and where you are willing to test this, I'd love to give it a try. Might indeed be fun for study groups, and seems like a solid combo with KGS. Cool idea

As Kirk says, there are a lot of people who write English fluently but would be reluctant to speak it. I also agree that conversation might degenerate - look at KGS as an example. From a personal point of view I would not use it at all as I never have sound turned on. Mostly in the evenings I am sitting in the same room as my wife, working on the computer while she is watching a movie.

I'd be interested

An IRC (text chat) channel about go exists (#go on Freenode) and is completely dead. I'm afraid there would be even less interest in voice chat.

^

But I'd be willing to give it a shot.

DrStraw wrote:...there are a lot of people who write English fluently but would be reluctant to speak it...

But this is offset by the people who speak it but cannot write it intelligibly.

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

DrStraw wrote:...there are a lot of people who write English fluently but would be reluctant to speak it...

But this is offset by the people who speak it but cannot write it intelligibly.

You may be right. But go players are generally of above average intelligence I have a strong feeling that there are a lot more who have learned to read and right it but don't feel as comfortable speaking it. Maybe I am wrong.

Helel wrote:

DrStraw wrote: I have a strong feeling that there are a lot more who have learned to read and right

Not everyone obviously.

I think that he did that on purpose.

I have the server up - but have had very little time to clean house. Go users are welcome.



I went with TeamSpeak 3 just to try it. Could switch if there is a compelling reason.
I'll be fairly tolerant of off topic (a.k.a: starcraft) - just so long as it doesn't become an issue (a.k.a: whole wow guild moves in).

Um. How does it work?

You download the teamspeak 3 client, tell it to connect to the given address and hope somebody is online.

What's wrong with, say, skype?

Second Life enables voice chat for whole groups, and there is a Go community there, sort of.
I think such existing venues should be untilised first to make the small community stronger.
Otherwise it just leads to dilution, imho.

There are probably other services like that already in existence.

Personally, I do not see much value in what you propose. Many Go players, me included, have thick accents, and adding to this the distortion of voice chats - it is usually easier to communicate by writing than voice. Just my opinion.