Several issues

[mkinawy]

I just purchased the chat plugin, and after some testing I'm quite disappointed, several issues which are obvious:

1. I don't like this Firebase thing, we already have Wordpress db so why we need an extra layer of complexity and dependency?
2. If for some reason websockets are blocked, the whole chat will stop working, this is not mentioned in your docs
3. Which keyboard button do I need to click to just send simple text? I tried everything and the only thing possible is to use the mouse to click over the send button
4. It keeps showing "user" is typing... but that is not correct
5. After sending, lots of the times the text still there in the text input
6. How to limit the members search? what if I want students to only search within the available instructors?
7. HUGE console logging, seriously guys? this is a production version, how I would debug my js and my work if my console gets this polluted by this plugin logs? how to stop this?
8. I'm using the default WPLMS style, and the layout of the chat doesn't look right, mouse doesn't show pointers on action buttons, fonts are pretty bad...
9. When new message arrives, the chat window is not automatically scrolling to the bottom where the new message is, and that's without do any scrolling ahead.
10. New message is not giving any feedback if the chat box is closed

Plus of course several other minor bugs. Obviously I was expecting better quality than this, specially in this price tag. I like your WPLMS but this plugin is diffidently a step back.

[Diana]

1. The answer to this is "PHP" limitations. WordPress is a PHP based software and PHP does not support "live" events. That is you (browser client) make a hit to the server and wait for server to respond. Applications based on firebase or parse server or node.js update the client without requiring a hit to the server. If you have ever used any PHP based chat you'll realize it makes hits to your server every second/millisecond. This type of architecture is extremely poor for chat interface, becuase a. the user is not updated in realtime and b. if you're not chatting your server is being inundated with hits. So, this is a considerable impact as even when there is no activity, your server is penalised for using poor software. All realtime chat platforms are now using firebase or node.js based architechture.

2. Firebase does not necessarily use websockets, if web sockets are blocked or not available then firebase uses a different technique called longpolling refer this link : https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18638917/firebase-callbacks-whats-the-underlying-trigger

3. Are you using firefox browser ? This was reported as a bug in WPLMS Chat and firefox. We're releasing an update this week with the fix.

4. Yes, user is typing bug is also fixd in the update. Sometimes the browser does not get confirmation and keeps on showing this message, we've set a max timeout to remove this message.

5. Yes, this is also resolved in the upcoming update. The issue is same as 4.

6. Yes this is not possible, only when user seaches the members directory information. I think this is a good suggestion for our next update.

7. Yes, this is now cleared in 1.4

8. Thank you for reporting, if possible please share a  screenshot.

9. Thank you i will check this. last we checked it used to scoll to the bottom of the chat messages.

10. There is a red dot on the chat box whena new message arrives and the chat window is closed. Let me check this agian, if found then we'll add a fix for this in out 1.4 update.

 

[mkinawy]

1. I searched online for some good php websockets "push/server" examples, and I found some good ones. And actually simplicity should always drive architecture decisions, so if I end up with a recursive hits, so be it, you can minimize the overhead of these hits on the server by handling them properly, or at least give me the option to take that decision not forcing me to have another service/database to manage. And no, not all realtime chat apps are using node.js or firebase, I built it myself before with .NET SignalR and Golang, and I'm pretty sure it could be done using php as well.
2. I know about this long polling thing, but did you test your chat plugin if it works in case of blocked websockets?
3. Actually I'm using Chrome
4. When will be this update?
5. good
6. Can you elaborate more on that members directory search thing? at least to get some direction into my own approach for implementing this requirement
7. good
8. https://mkinawy.tinytake.com/sf/MjkxNTIwMV84NzQ1MzU0 I'm pointing on that top icon and the mouse is just a regular pointer + emojis text should be replaced by the equivalent picture + the hover font is quite ugly and weird
9. it doesn't in my case
10. it's not the case here

[MrVibe]

I think your query is regarding the code design decision that we took while developing WPLMS Chat. Unfortunately, it is too late for us to go back and change the core technology. Several issues pointed out by you are fixed in the upcoming update. However, if you feel that our decision to go with firebase is not just, then at best we can offer you a refund for WPLMS Chat. There are many advantages with firebase esp. when it does not cost add anything extra plus provides all resources in one place. Our "Live" addons are based on firebase, like push notifications. it helps us and others in avoiding infrastructure costs and hassle of maintaining them.

[mkinawy]

Thank you very much for your reply, I got your idea but still not convinced and still not "that" happy about the product. I noticed yesterday when I activate the chat plugin, it misses up with the whole website style, maybe something to check as well. I think the best option for me is to do a refund, I searched for a plugin refund page or something in this website but no luck, could you please refund me?

[Diana]

@mkinawy Please share your email id here in a private reply which is used to pay for chat Plugin on PayPal. So we will initiate the refund

[mkinawy]

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[Diana]

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[MrVibe]

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[Diana]

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[mkinawy]

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[Diana]

@mkinawy Thanks for the confirmation

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