Suggestion: Better Steemit Chat integration with the main web site

One problem with the Steemit web site is lack of tight integration with several useful services that have sprung up around the platform. Steemit Chat is arguably one of the best such services, but using it involves going to a completely separate web site and logging on to a separate account, forcing you to divert attention away from whatever you were doing on the main site. This is not a good user experience.

Right now much of the Steemit web page is empty space. Look at all that blank, unused space to either side of this post. That empty space is just begging to be put to better use! Adding services integration using sidebars that unfold from the side of the page, pushing the main content to the left (or the right depending on preference), would be a more intelligent use of screen real estate.

Here's how this concept might look applied to Steemit Chat:

There's still plenty of room for the main content, and this way you can chat and browse posts at the same time, without breaking the immersion of the Steemit experience. Also, you would not need a separate chat login, as it would simply be an extension of your main Steemit account. The chat sidebar could be toggled on / off using a menu option, for those who prefer not to use it:

And yes, I know there's already a "Steemit Chat" link in the main menu, but it would be more prominent if moved to your profile actions menu as above. It also fits this menu better because having chat turned on or off basically becomes one of your profile settings. If the chat sidebar is open, it could be indicated with a check mark besides this menu option. Clicking the option again would remove the check mark and close the sidebar.

I suggest having chat turned on by default, so that new users see it right away and can be welcomed / ask questions with a minimum of fuss.

This idea is not just limited to chat, either. I can imagine other services also being displayed in sidebars, with options to toggle them on / off (your ranking on steemwhales.com for example).

Image credits: all images in this post are screen shots taken on my desktop computer, which I've edited to show a mock up of what my idea might look like if implemented.