We’re presently polishing a new JavaScript login which will allow for better methods to provide a chat login on your website. You can see an example of this on the front page, and on the Chat Now page. In its generic form it now has a dropdown box containing a dynamic channel list. It will contain any registered channel that isn’t secret or private. It will also show the present number of users in the channel.

Soon to come will be the ability to customise an HTML snippet to include this on your site.

The colors for the Java have been changed to be a little nicer and more original.

On the network front, we have introduced a new statistics server (which helps run the channel list for the above dropdown box), which will allow us to expand the scope of the website’s integration with chat in the future. We’ve also set up an alert system on all of our servers which we are testing, which will send email and SMS alerts to admins if there is a configuration fault on a server. In the future we’ll be able to expand this to alert on other faults that are occuring on the network.

If we can do anything in order to improve our services, please let us know! We will probably be able to accomodate any feature that is requested with valid reason and would be well supported and used by our community. Feel free to drop on to the server, join #Help and talk to one of us. If noone is available, leave your ideas, and a contact email address if you feel necessary (Privately to zEkE or peer), and we’ll be open to discussion.

We would like to make our service as good as it can be. Please, tell us what we need to do for you!

Firstly, while this is a Christian service, not all who use the service are Christian. We often have atheists or agnostics connecting, either to ask questions or merely to chat like the rest of us. We welcome diversity, so long as it is within our network rules. Christians and Non-Christians alike will be disciplined upon breaking the network rules.

Secondly, we do NOT log private conversations. Never in our past have we logged private conversations, we do not currently, and nor do we intend to do so in the future. That being said, we have some filters configured intended to prevent spam which may check messages being sent. This is NOT the same, and we cannot see what is being said in private messages - this is purely server-driven.

Thirdly, registering of nicknames or channels is entirely optional. Aside from guaranteeing ownership of a nickname or a channel, no service is limited by not registering a nickname. All services are equally accessable, including private chat. You can register from within the chatroom - no need to register on a forum or website, nor share passwords between chat and any other service. Advantages you do receive from registering a nickname:

1. Ownership. Anyone using your nickname needs to identify using your password in order to gain the security levels your nickname has been given.
2. Channel access. By registering your nick, channel owners can grant access within their channels to allow you to be an operator or a moderator. You will also be able to register channels if you desire.
3. Slightly elevated rights during time of attack. If the server is being attacked, we may activate special modes throughout the network to reduce the implications. This may prevent unregistered users from joining channels, or talking within channels. However, this is usually temporary and will often not last more than 30 minutes (generally around 10-15).

Point number 4: No complicated channel registration process. You need not ask permission to register a channel. Merely type /join #channelnameyoudesire, followed by /msg chanserv register #channelnameyoudesire secretchannelpassword a breif description of your channel. If you have difficulties, staff can usually be found in #Help, and will be happy to provide assistance.

Finally, if there is anything you’d like to ask about, or desire clarification on, please don’t hesitate to ask! We are pleased to answer any questions you may have about our network and our policies etc. Our network rules are available on the website, and our staff policy has also been posted previously. We endeavor to be as honest with our users as we can, and that begins by providing information about how we operate. Undoubtedly, there are questions remaining however, and we would appreciate those being asked so we can provide that information also.

Feel obligated to read them (and agree with them) before using the services provided

Link can be found here.

If a server is online, it should show a green tick. If offline, it should show a red tick. It also caches the results for 5 minutes to prevent the tool from becoming a DoS tool.

We try to keep everything up to date as much as possible, posting known downtime, and informing when we are informed of reasons for recent unscheduled downtimes.

There are also the occasional miscellaneous postings. So sit back and enjoy hearing of the news without having to leave chat!

Please note this is unrelated to the scheduled outage posted previously.

Hub01, Israel and Romans are all affected by this. The present network configuration should allow the remainder of the network to be complete via Kings. Network Services (NickServ, ChanServ, etc) will be unavailable during this time.

From the provider:

Window 2:00am-3:00am EST  SUN 09-28-2008
This notification is to inform you that we will be performing maintenance on our core network.
This maintenance will affect network connectivity during the window.
Expected reload times are approximately 10 minutes.

Firstly, we saw the return of HostServ, and vHosts can now be requested by using /hs request host.name.com, and will be accepted if they are within the vHost rules.

Secondly, we were provided with a bot in #Help to answer common questions about registration, what an op does, etc. If you are in need of any kind of technical assistance on UCCN, /join #help and we’ll try and help as we can.

Finally, and this is the most exciting, is a new form of webchat. Until recently we had Java, with or without smiley faces. That was all, and it worked. But not everyone can use Java for whatever reason may be, and so we present the Mibbit client. With thanks to Mibbit, we are now able to provide, for your enjoyment, a 3rd option under the Chat Now page. Enter a name you’d like to use, select “Mibbit” (or Java if you prefer) and click the button.

Don’t worry, Java-lovers, Java isn’t expected to be going anywhere any time soon, and we’ll likely keep both options (or even add more) in the future. If you have any questions, be sure to join #help and ask one of us!

Recently, requests have been made for its return, and so it will - under the following rules:

• vHosts being requested must be clean and appropriate, falling within network rules.
• IP addresses cannot and will not be used as vHosts.
• If a vHost is requested, we need proof that you either own, or have permission to use the domain it falls under (example, we will not permit anything.microsoft.com). Proof may be provided in the form of a webpage being displayed, or any other suitable verification.
• vHosts are not for ban evading. Anyone caught using HostServ to evade bans or otherwise escape disciplinary action will at minimum lose their access to HostServ.

vHosts can be requested by joining #Help, and talking to a staff member. Note, your nick MUST be registered, and the vHost will be in place until rules are broken, it is requested to be changed, or until the nickname expires.