CyberDarts

Rick Osgood: CyberDarts Editor

 

This is the NEW DartsChat Forum. This new CHAT software is still being modified and improved, please email to let me know of any problems, please. rick@CyberDarts.com

 

System Requirements:

• Frames-Capable Web Browser is reqired to run this CHAT software (Netscape 2.0 or newer, or a recent MS Explorer version)
• Java Plugin Enabled, this is usually part of your Web browser installation package.

How to use Darts-Chat

1. Type your name in the "your name" box, and a brief message into the larger "message" area.

 

2. Click on the "SUBMIT" button.

 

3. WAIT! Clicking on "SUBMIT" automatically tells the server to Refresh the Page. Within 30 seconds, your message should appear.

 

4. If for some reason, your message does not appear, you may click on the "Refresh Now" area at the top of the Page. This will instruct the server to reload the Page and display any new messages.

 

5. Approximately every 30 seconds, the Page will automatically Reload, and any new messages will be displayed.

 

Troubleshooting

No Automatic Reload

If the Page does not Reload automatically, make sure that you have a recent version of your Web Browser, and JAVA enabled in that browser program.

Slow Typing Input, or Slow Reload

Quit any other programs running in the background or in other Windows on your computer.

Increase Memory allocation for your Web browser by 25% to 50%.

If you hear your hard drive come on each time the Page reloads, then go to your Web Browser Settings, and set the Browser Cache to "Never" or "OFF", or set the size of the cache to "0". If each Page is being saved to a hard drive cache, you will definately get a slowdown, and perhaps a crash.

Do NOT just keep clicking on the Refresh Now button! Each Refresh causes the server to start a new connection, and several users, going click-crazy, can quickly bring the server to a near stop. If there are several people chatting at once, it really is faster to wait for the auto-refresh

Computer Crashes

First, check for the problems above... and try turning off the Cache, increase memory allocation, close other programs.

Check your Browser Settings, make sure that "Connections" is set for "3" or fewer.

Some users of Prodigy and AOL seem to have constant problems with crashes. As a last resort, suggest completely reloading the browser software, in a "clean install".

Most computer crashes are due to lack of memory, or too low a memory allocation setting for the Web Browser. Some Web browsers use enormous amounts of memory, and you may need to upgrade your computer if you also experience problems with other sites on the Web.

Messages Disappear

Several times a day, we "erase" the Chat Page. (All old messages are lost forever, we do not archive them!)

If you just happen to Post a message at the same time that we change the Page, your last message may be lost. The changeover only takes about a minute, so this is not very likely.

Wierd stuff happens..

Late, late at night, I sometimes get the urge to mangle the software further, and will do maintenance, backups, and format changes to the software. This is usually between midnight and 5AM Houston (USA CST) time, and I try to check for user activity first. But, if you get an occasional interruption with no obvious reason, in the wee hours of the morning, it is probably the webmaster fiddling with the server...

Thanks for Visiting CYBER/DART Chat!