Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!twg.com!david From: david@twg.com (David S. Herron) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Creative (?) Use of Internet Message-ID: <7851@gollum.twg.com> Date: 27 Aug 90 19:53:39 GMT References: <894@beguine.UUCP> <1990Aug25.170503.21457@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> Reply-To: david@twg.com (David S. Herron) Organization: The Wollongong Group, Palo Alto, CA Lines: 42 In article <1990Aug25.170503.21457@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> gl8f@astsun9.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Lindahl) writes: >In article <894@beguine.UUCP> dfiled@uncmed.med.unc.edu () writes: > >>We now feel that an electronic conferencing system is the answer to this type >>of need--indeed is tailor-made to address this sort of thing. However, >>with electronic conferencing, all the conference members need to be able to >>access the same host system--the one that is running the conference software. > >Not necessarily. There are several "chat" programs out there which are >distributed, such as Internet Relay Chat. All you need to access it is >a machine which can speak TCP/IP to the Internet at large. IRC and ForumNet both aren't appropriate -- "electronic conferencing system" in this case means long term storage and retrieval of TEXTUAL conversations. Neither IRC nor ForumNet don't archive the discussion, and are not long term. Perhaps something like IRC or ForumNet (a distributed conversation system) could be a part of their solution. Usenet, on the other hand, is an electronic conferencing system which is distributed and therefore doesn't require a central machine, and goes to places where the Internet does not. One might or might not have to go through the rigamarole of setting up an Official Newsgroup, depending on your exact goals. I guess that you should want to set up your own newsgroup hierarchy & distribute it to the participating places. One problem with Usenet is that the default expiration time for articles is fairly short -- 2 weeks or so. Depending on the project you might want to keep the conference archived for longer than that. The expiration times can be juggled and, with the "C" version of News, can be settable on a per-group basis without large performance penalties. >No reason to live in the stone age. Agreed.. -- <- David Herron, an MMDF & WIN/MHS guy, <- Formerly: David Herron -- NonResident E-Mail Hack <- <- Sign me up for one "I survived Jaka's Story" T-shirt!