Chat?

[Wanderer]

This post sort of falls under the gripe/suggestion category, with regard to chat, so feel free to tell me to shush. I've been noticing that people rarely use chat, and when they do, they seem to get timed out rather promptly. That being the case, it seems to me that it would be better to establish an IRC server/channel alongside a Java-based front-end that could be used to connect.

I'd imagine one could link the IRC server to the same SQL DB that manages authentication, thereby forcing people to login with their IDs. It'd give folks a wider range of options when connecting for chat, and ensure that people have the ability to get notified when a chat pops up. Any thoughts?