This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE3929.CEC964E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable A Short Introduction I've been diagnosed with Parkinsons for three four years. Shortly after = the diagnoses, I started experimenting with some software and the = internet. Later, at the request of and with the help of some friends I = gathered together the required names and documentation, submitted the = registration request, and the #Parkinsons channel on the undernet came = into being. There are easier, more entertaining ways to meet people. And let's be = honest, in a place where people named Lioness, HomeBoy, Yak, Zebra, = HawkOwl, Zumbo, and Angel, not to mention a grouchy old coot named = WerBeagle wonder about, who knows what kind of person you'll be talking = to.=20 It's an interesting place. It's been a lot of help to a lot of people. = Some of whom visited only once, but received much needed help. People = drop in looking for answers, reassurance, or for company during = sleepless nights. Some come looking for a place to cry and a shoulder to = cry on. Some come looking for hope, and others because they think all = hope is lost. The people who regularly visit #Parkinsons don't pretend = to have all the answers, but we do have a truck load of encouragement = and a general idea where the answers can be found. A lot of people have told me by e-mail, and a few in person, that the = main reason they don't visit is because it's to complicated and to = difficult to get to. In this and my next few post, I'm going to try to = make it simple and easy. Be patient, this is being written during off = times, sleepless nights, and other non-claimed moments. But I'll get = there :) Chat Room Flavors And Location Chat Room: A location in cyberspace where people with a =20 common interest gather to talk about everything in general and nothing in particular. Types: Web Page chat rooms are, as the name implies, located on a private or = public web page. Usually, the only software required is a browser that = can handle any special graphics or software languages used to create the = web page. Although some of these rooms may be Restricted to specific = groups such as company employees or service provider subscribers, most = of them are available to anyone who has access to the web. AOL chat rooms are operated by America On Line. Access to these rooms = requires a Subscription to AOL and a copy of the software provided by = AOL. Access to AOL chat rooms from the Internet Or a web page, without = an active AOL account is not possible. UnderNet chat rooms are very similar to Web page and AOL chat rooms in = that they are accessed using software on a PC. Undernet channels however = are not usually on one computer although a specific computer or server = may sponsor a channel. As with AOL chat rooms, undernet channels may = disappear when the last person leaves the virtual room. Undernet = channels tend to be less permanent than other chat rooms due to not = being in a set location and the amount of effort involved in generating = and maintaining support for a channel on the undernet. Finally, unlike = Web and AOL chat rooms, in order to access an undernet channel the = individual must obtain and install additional software that is not = normally provided by internet service providers. Net Meeting or Teleconferencing is the last, and in some ways, the = newest form of chat room. This form of communication also requires = additional software that may not be provided by most service providers. = Net Conferencing allows you to speak to other people in a manner similar = to using a telephone or two way radio. Although conferencing in a group = is possible, communication between two people appears to be the norm. = The keyboard exists as an optional medium in the two most widely used = programs. In addition, net conferencing has a video component in the = form of live video or still pictures. The use of either live or still = pictures may require the use of a video capture card, some type of = digital or video camera, and possibly additional software. Next, The Undernet: what is it, where is it, how to get there, and where = do the Parkinsons People Park? In non-teckie, MotherHen approved, 1, 2, = 3 . . . you=92re there language. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE3929.CEC964E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#c0dcc0> <DIV><FONT face=3D"Courier New"> <P>A Short Introduction</P> <P>I've been diagnosed with Parkinsons for three four years. Shortly = after the=20 diagnoses, I started experimenting with some software and the internet. = Later,=20 at the request of and with the help of some friends I gathered together = the=20 required names and documentation, submitted the registration request, = and the=20 #Parkinsons channel on the undernet came into being.</P> <P>There are easier, more entertaining ways to meet people. And let's be = honest,=20 in a place where people named Lioness, HomeBoy, Yak, Zebra, HawkOwl, = Zumbo, and=20 Angel, not to mention a grouchy old coot named WerBeagle wonder about, = who knows=20 what kind of person you'll be talking to. </P> <P>It's an interesting place. It's been a lot of help to a lot of = people. Some=20 of whom visited only once, but received much needed help. People drop in = looking=20 for answers, reassurance, or for company during sleepless nights. Some = come=20 looking for a place to cry and a shoulder to cry on. Some come looking = for hope,=20 and others because they think all hope is lost. The people who regularly = visit=20 #Parkinsons don't pretend to have all the answers, but we do have a = truck load=20 of encouragement and a general idea where the answers can be found.</P> <P>A lot of people have told me by e-mail, and a few in person, that the = main=20 reason they don't visit is because it's to complicated and to difficult = to get=20 to. In this and my next few post, I'm going to try to make it simple and = easy.=20 Be patient, this is being written during off times, sleepless nights, = and other=20 non-claimed moments. But I'll get there :)</P> <P>Chat Room Flavors And Location</P> <P>Chat Room: A location in cyberspace where people with=20 a </P> <P> = common=20 interest gather to talk about everything</P> <DIR> <DIR> <P> in general and nothing in = particular.</P></DIR></DIR> <P>Types:</P> <P>Web Page chat rooms are, as the name implies, located on a private or = public=20 web page. Usually, the only software required is a browser that can = handle any=20 special graphics or software languages used to create the web page. = Although=20 some of these rooms may be Restricted to specific groups such as company = employees or service provider subscribers, most of them are available to = anyone=20 who has access to the web.</P> <P>AOL chat rooms are operated by America On Line. Access to these rooms = requires a Subscription to AOL and a copy of the software provided by = AOL.=20 Access to AOL chat rooms from the Internet Or a web page, without an = active AOL=20 account is not possible.</P> <P>UnderNet chat rooms are very similar to Web page and AOL chat rooms = in that=20 they are accessed using software on a PC. Undernet channels however are = not=20 usually on one computer although a specific computer or server may = sponsor a=20 channel. As with AOL chat rooms, undernet channels may disappear = when the=20 last person leaves the virtual room. Undernet channels tend to be less = permanent=20 than other chat rooms due to not being in a set location and the amount = of=20 effort involved in generating and maintaining support for a channel on = the=20 undernet. Finally, unlike Web and AOL chat rooms, in order to access an = undernet=20 channel the individual must obtain and install additional software that = is not=20 normally provided by internet service providers.</P> <P>Net Meeting or Teleconferencing is the last, and in some ways, the = newest=20 form of chat room. This form of communication also requires additional = software=20 that may not be provided by most service providers. Net Conferencing = allows you=20 to speak to other people in a manner similar to using a telephone or two = way=20 radio. Although conferencing in a group is possible, communication = between two=20 people appears to be the norm. The keyboard exists as an optional medium = in the=20 two most widely used programs. In addition, net conferencing has a video = component in the form of live video or still pictures. The use of either = live or=20 still pictures may require the use of a video capture card, some type of = digital=20 or video camera, and possibly additional software.</P> <P>Next,</P> <P> The Undernet: what is it, where is it, how to get = there,=20 and where do the Parkinsons People Park? In non-teckie, MotherHen = approved, 1,=20 2, 3 . . . you’re there language.</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BE3929.CEC964E0--