@ibstubro The only time I’ve seen it become lively is when a few people are discussing something, and decide to take it to chat, so that it can move faster, and people who aren’t interested don’t have to keep reading. So – if you find yourself in such a situation, saying “Hey, do you want to go to chat?” might be a good idea, and could spark a lively conversation if others are as keen.
I don’t really know why people don’t like chat on Fluther. The only thing that I find uncomfortable about it is having one’s presence announced. It’s that odd feeling of walking up to a group of people who are already talking, and having all eyes turn to the newcomer.
But I think one of the reasons that there is resistance to it is that a lot of aspects of Fluther are already chat-like. We can see how many members are on a thread. We can see who’s writing. If you type quickly, it’s no slower than chat. So, why go to a separate place for that?