Todd Ritter’s Blog

Our new staff instant messaging system allows group chat, either through the always-available Staff “lounge” or via rooms that you create.  Group chat is a quick/efficient way to have IM conversations with mulitple users.

To access the Staff chatroom, login to the IM system and click the “Conferences” tab at the bottom of your contact list.  Then double click the “Staff” chatroom (click images to enlarge):

Select the staff room tab at the top of your IM area, and begin chatting with whomever is in the room.  A list of users in the room is displayed at the right of the window.  To leave the staff room, click the small “x” on the top of the staff chat room tab.

To create your own chatroom (i.e. for a department chat), click the Conferences tab at the bottom of your contact list.  Click the + sign at the top left of the Conferences tab:

Enter a room name (no spaces) and click the “Submit” button:

Now any user can access your room by double clicking it from the Conferences tab.  To add a password to the room (to allow only your department into the room, for instance), choose “Customize” before clicking submit.

EDIT: If you want your room to always be available, make sure you choose the “Persistent” checkbox in the custom room settings.

~ by Todd Ritter on December 15, 2008.