> occurred to me that perhaps we could somehow provide a mechanism for
> virologists to collaborate real-time utilizing our web server? I thought
> of several different ways of doing this:
Excellent plan!!! Except it is SLOOOOOW compared to some.
> 1 - have some software installed on the web server that acts like a
> discussion group (like bionet-virology) and have a set time each week that
> virologists come to the site and post messages and respond to postings.
Best solution, usable by the greatest number.
> 2 - utilize BioMOO via a telnet connection
Less viable and more hassle.
> 3 - utilize a graphical interface like Worlds Chat (http://www.worlds.net)
VERY slow from outside US.
> 4 - utilize streaming audio technology to have real-time conference calls
> by voice instead of typing
IMPOSSIBLE from outside US: links too slow by orders of magnitude.
> Any thoughts on this? Does anyone have any specific software or solutions
> they would recommend?
No - just having some kind of open forum would be good.
> It would be really spectacular to try this out as a small pilot on Feb. 8.
> The reason I suggest a pilot in just a couple of days is because that is
> the day of "24 Hours in Cyberspace" (http://www.cyber24.com/). We could
> probably get some good publicity by riding on the coat-tails of this
> high-profile project that takes place on Feb. 8.
Perhaps regular once-weekly / monthly theme chats (like: using the
Web for virus education; animation on the Web; Ask Your Virologist
featuring some expert)? Also maybe host some cyberConferences on
specific topics (like: regualtion of replication of bromoviruses;
geminivirus replication).
And well done on your contribution to the Encyclopaedia on CD-ROM;
saw the demo today (and to Jean-Yves).
Ed Rybicki, PhD
Dept Microbiology | ed at molbiol.uct.ac.za
University of Cape Town | phone: x27-21-650-3265
Private Bag, Rondebosch | fax: x27-21-650 4023
7700, South Africa |
WWW URL: http://www.uct.ac.za/microbiology/ed.html
"And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you"
