Two simple new features would, I think, be of great use.

First, it would be useful if we could opt to have each /msg we send immediately echoed back to us as well. This would allow a Monk to keep better track of the conversations he was having, and would be of use as well to writers of Chatterbox clients.

Thus if you enabled this option, and said:

/msg Petruchio Foo!

(which I'd prefer you did not) the feedback which you normally get when using the web page to speak would be sent to you via /msg as well.

you said "Foo!" to Petruchio

Second, it would be useful if we had some way of verifying the identity of Monks outside the Monastery. This can easily be done now, if the Monk is willing to entrust you with his password; then you (or the program you set up) can attempt to log in as the Monk. This, for obvious reasons, is not a practical option.

It would be simple, however, to allow the Monk to specify a second password in his user information. The only use of this password would be in a CGI program on the PerlMonks site, which would take in the username and alternate password, and reply either YES or NO. If, then, someone wished to provide services for PerlMonks, but only for PerlMonks, it could be easily accomplished.

This, of course, is not an optimal solution either, but it is a quick and easy one. Anything involving encryption would, in my opinion, be overkill while our actual passwords are sent in cleartext to PerlMonks.

In reply to On Chatterbox Echoes, and the Identification of Monks in the Wild by Petruchio

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