The switch was due to lots of trolls and nastiness that was growing. Too many people, with too much time on their hands, would log in - say something nasty - log out and then log in under another name.
We actually made a game out of it called TC - Troll Check. Too bad you weren't in the room when I was on Friday. It was hysterical!
This new set up allows for better monitoring of who is in the room and enables the mods to track offenders who cross the line.
The new room does have a few quirks in it but they are diligently working on resolving the issues. I went in last night for the first time and also was a bit challenged when navigating around but eventually I got the hang of it. I'm just very thankful to be able to enjoy the chatroom last night without the hostilities and without all the phoney names popping in and out.