Where to Chat

Should we have Single Channel or Multi-Channel Chat for DWeb Vancouver?

The DWeb community is an organically growing worldwide network with regional nodes coordinating local activities. The question inevitably arises in any organically growing network - where to chat?

The lowest barrier option is often a single-channel group chat. Over time as a community expands, the impetus grows to have multi-channel options to streamline discussions on discrete topics into their own channels.

However, migrating entirely from single-channel to multi-channel too soon can actually detract from a community's energy. Community builders with experience creating multi-channel platforms that become virtual ghost towns will think twice before attempting to migrate to a multi-channel platform.

Here are a few questions worth asking before investing energy into creating a multi-channel chat space:

- How much communication happens via existing single channels? Is there enough volume to fuel connection on a multi-channel space?

- Is there enough cohesion in the community that every member, or a sufficient number of active members, would be willing to move platforms entirely?

- What portion of the community is already engaged with the proposed alternate platform? What barriers to access would exist with this platform for newcomers (e.g. needing to create a new account)?

- Are there existing multi-channel chat servers that can be leveraged to trial engagement before a standalone server is created? Another "where to chat" question for DWeb Vancouver is - what Chat Platforms align with DWeb principles?

Present winner: Single Channel 'Local' Chat on Signal, with connections on DWeb Global Discord and Matrix

As of the start of 2024, DWeb Vancouver has:

• Dedicated single-channel Signal group chat.
• DWeb global Discord, join the #dweb-vancouver channel
• DWeb global Matrix (basically unused)

See the Contact page to access these channels!