Looking for mod / instructions: want whispers removed from / not stored in the database

[npffifthfiend]

Basically in the interests of the privacy of my users, I'd like to modify AJAX chat so that whispers are not stored in the chatlog database.

If there's an existing modification package that does this then great.

If not I'd appreciate any help or information that someone could offer on how to carry out this task.

My level of expertise here is minimal aside from editing the chat CSS and having installed it in the first place.

I do have some general programming experience, in C++ and a bit in Javascript.

If what I'm asking is something that can be broken down into steps that I can do myself with the above amount of experience then I'll do that.

If heavier / more complex modifications are required I am interested in working with outside parties and discussing what sort of commitment would be involved.

Thank you for your time.

[npffifthfiend]

My vague understanding of how this works is that chat lines are sent from the users to the server, written to the database, and then sent from the database to users.

So I guess what I am asking for here is something that modifies the above so that whispered chat lines are written to the database, sent from the database to users, and then deleted out of the database immediately thereafter.

[Frug]

You're right, that's how it works. I suppose what you're suggesting is to have the chat client issue a delete command to the server when it receives a whisper. I don't see any reason this wouldn't work, although if they refresh their page for any reason the whisper would no longer be on their screen.

[npffifthfiend]

Hello Frug, thanks for the answer. Also thanks for the chat program, it's worked really well for my forum.

Yes that's exactly what I'm looking for.

Losing whispers on a page refresh isn't a problem. In fact it's actually good, since it will make for an easy way to demonstrate to users that the modification is in place.

My only minor concern is the possibility for abusive messages over whisper - or alternately, bs accusations of abuse; everyone loves a good he-said she-said - but I prefer that over the risk of my / other admins' reading conversations people expected were private. I don't like the possibility of doing it inadvertently or the temptation to do it deliberately. 

Is this something you'd be able to do for me / tell me how to do? I don't know what your time commitments are like, and I don't wanna assume that it's an easy thing to put in because god knows lots of things sound like they should be easy until you actually go and do them.

If so then great, if not then hopefully someone else here can help me out. If not that then there's a couple other places I can go for help, I know one or two, like, Javascript Guys I can talk to about it. 

In whichever case, thanks for taking the time to look at this, and again, thanks for the great chat client.

[npffifthfiend]

So it's clear to Frug / others, and I'm not sure if bringing this up is some sort of... faux pas or anything, but I'm willing to talk with either Frug or other modders / experienced coders here about what they'd consider a reasonable rate of payment for getting this job done.

Again i'm not sure if this is a sort of thing is considered appropriate here, if so I can drop this particular line of inquiry.

[Frug]

No faux pas. Devs work like anyone else.

I'll see what I can do for you during the week.