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Bruce.... First of all, m'dear.. ya GOTTA get another ISP! <smile> I've sat in on a chat using NetMeeting and it has possibilites, however there was about 12 or 15 people eventually, all going at it, and the darn screen scrolled by SOOO fast that we had to stop the meeting due to complaints from the group. Still.... possibilites. I logged into the #Parkie chat on the Undernet this evening, and found real, live people there! HUBBA HUBBA!!! Got SO excited I nearly had cardiac arrest! <g> I jumped right in, typing away, and it slowly dawned on me that I was seeing only my OWN type on the screen! It was obvious that the others couldn't see my words, either WHAZZIS?. <puzzled look on gorgeous face> Logging off, I started plowing thru the mIRC HELP files, but as near as I could tell, the default settings which I'd left untouched SHOULD have permitted me to join in any chat. I sure have no problems chatting on MSN... tho that uses the Win 95 chat host, which is very different than the Un*x chat. Hmmmm.... I wonder if this is a case of my having to reset the echo-thinggeef? And if it is, where the heck in this system of mine IS that command? (Just tihnking out loud - so to speak - here, People... I'll find it.. somehow... somewhere (GAWD, I hate and love these infernal machines we spend so much time sitting in front of!) 'Nuf of my ramblings! IF anyone has an idea of why I wasn't able to have a normal chat on the Undernet, I'd appreciate some insight. And to Henry J. (WHICH "Henry" are YOU, Henry? Last name, please?), ^yak (huh? Who's the real YOU, ^yak?"), Lady Di (real name?), Barbara (Ohh, come ON, Barb! HOW many "Barbaras" are there on the Parkie List? <giggle> What's yer last name?), I'd have loved to chat with ya all. Hopefully my next venture onto the #Parkie Chat on the Undernet will be more successful (so close tonite, and yet so far!), and we'll get that chat yet... Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of Bruce G. Warr Sent: Thursday, December 05, 1996 7:37 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Re: Internet Chat Barbara, How well I know the feeling of sitting in an empty "Chat Room" My ISP does not haave a connection to the UNDERNET so I can only chat using a regular IRC connection. I have set up a Chat Room on a web site operated by a couple of my friends, but I think their design might be a bit intimidating to newe users. I also have run into the problem of newcomers not realizing that on any web page you have to refresh it to view any new messages. Another problem is one of getting a convenient time to schedule a meeting. There is a narrow window between the time the west coast gets off work and the east coast goes to bed. Besides the IRC and web chat rooms, there are several personal/group communications programs such as Powwow and NetMeeting which are available at no cost. These have the advantage that you can leave the program in a receive mode while you are surfing the net, so you are not just sitting there talking to yourself yet know instantly if someone is trying to contact you. (In fact, at least with Powwow, you can "Cruise" the net as a group!) Another intimidation factor is that when you get more than five or six people chatting at once it becomes difficult to follow the conversation. Being a HAM radio operator (KA6ZDY) I have participated in many "round tables", a group chat technique for radio where only one person can talk at a time. The trick is to having a good moderator who can keep order. Both Powwow and NetMeeting have a Moderated Conference mode. I have had Powwow for quite a while. The only problem is that because I use a SLIP/PPP emulator others cannot initiate contact with me. I have to call them. I have just downloaded NetMeeting and havae not yet checked it out so I don't know if it has the same problem. What I am going to try to do is setup a regular conference schedule using NeeMeeting or Powwow. I will get back with the specifics before the end of the year, In the meantime, anybody who wants to chat at a time that is convenient for them just let me know by e-mail. The easiest way to get to the chat room is to go to my home page and click on the PD Forum Chat link which will take you directly there. My home page URL is: http://umbc.edu/~warr In case it didn't print out, there is a tilda before the w in my last name. Bruce 55/8 [log in to unmask] * That which does not change dies *