While any member is always welcome to suggest new features for the site, we have to remember that Tintinologist.org only exists thanks to the kindness and dedication of Irene, our site Admin, who owns it. It is purely at her discretion to add (and indeed remove) services, and not the result of a popular vote.
She provides all the technical services, looks after the server space, and pays for the domain registrations and outgoings which keeps the place running, granting free posting access to her site for all members who agree to the (few) conditions she asks of us all.
Furthermore, she acts as a mod, bringing that team to a total of four; as such it seems unlikely that a feature such as chat-rooms is feasible, even if it was to be technically possible.
On the matter of personal conversations, we ask that all members keep posts “on-topic… …and of general interest†(
rule number 2, in our terms and conditions).
We know that in a discussion, or interacting on the forum, there will always be an element of “conversation†between two or more people, and that the nature of things is for the conversation to wander somewhat. This means that the mods will try to allow a little latitude, but nudge things back on course when needed.
However, when it becomes only about two people chatting, removing the required element of “general interestâ€, and making it of limited worth to the wider community, then it is indeed possible – in fact probably inevitable – that the conversation will be brought to a close and/ or removed.