For several years now I've wanted to implement a real-time conference
on the Internet for film/TV educators, scholars, and students.
Something like SCREEN-L, but *live* and *immediate*.
 
Just recently I came across some new software that may help facilitate
that:  Conference Room.  Without getting too deeply into the nuts and
bolts of it, let me explain that this software allows users to enter
into live chats (typing messages back-and-forth) using either
 
1. Their Web browsers (though they must be Java-capable) or
2. IRC (Internet Relay Chat) clients.
 
(And these browsers/clients operate on all manner of computers:  Mac,
Windows, Unix, mainframe, etc.)
 
Kate Bowles (U of Wollongong, Australia) and others with an interest
in the potential of real-time conferences have been using CR's
capabilities to chat about chat--to discuss what sort of discussions
might spin off from SCREEN-L into what we've dubbed:
 
SCREENchat
 
If you're interested in exploring this with us, you are invited to
join the discussion next week:
 
8:00 p.m., Monday, July 15, Central Daylight Time
11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 16, Wollongong, Australia, Time
 
We'd like to make SCREENchat as international a gathering as possible,
though time differences may make this difficult.  If you're unable to
join us at the above time, but have comments to make about real-time
film/TV conferences, please e-mail me personally and I'll include your
comments in our chat next week.
 
To join us, or to test out SCREENchat at any time:
 
1.  Point your Java-capable Web browser (e.g., Netscape Navigator 2.0)
to:
 
http://www.tcf.ua.edu/SCREENchat.htm
 
2.  Point your IRC client (e.g., mIRC--which is freeware) to
 
irc.tcf.ua.edu
 
then enter the #SCREENchat channel.
 
"Talk" to you next week.
 
----
Jeremy Butler
SCREEN-L/SCREENsite coordinator
mailto:[log in to unmask]
SCREENsite: http://www.sa.ua.edu/SCREENsite/
Telecommunication & Film/University of Alabama/Tuscaloosa
 
----
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in the message.  Problems?  Contact [log in to unmask]