Thanks for the overwhelming response yesterday. 100 requests to join in chat sessions so far ....

(if you're interested, "sign-ups" continue for the deluxe price of "free")

I did try to send everyone a brief email message confirming. If you didn't get it, send me another email.

The next step for me will be to construct the names into a list so I can conveniently email folks (ie, all at once). As I said, list recipient names will be suppressed to protect privacy. This email will contain instructions for downloading the software.

I have asked several regulars to host specific chat session (all have agreed):

OldGit on gardening (she hopes to get Brooks to help out).

Arlin on firearms and home defense (but he is going to hedge the conversation so it is down-to-earth and productive, not wild-eyed).

Webflier on market strategies and trajectory for the near future. Probably include some banking talk.

Chuck the Night Driver on ham radio (Chuck, thought I got an email agreeing, if not, OOPs!).

Stan Faryna for newbies on getting preps started.

Critt Jarvis on working in your community (not sure if he's agreed but I'll lean on him if I have to).

It only takes "two" for a chat session to work. Of course,different folks will have different interests and different schedule availability. I will poll for interest on each individual session/schedule, although for convenience we will probably schedule the same one or two times per week (hey, you can't please everyone).

Assuming the "seminar" leaders are willing, we will do separate sessions if response is too great to have reasonably intimate chat (probably keep groups to 12 or so).

The goal here isn't to hear ourselves .... chat ... but to offer each other real help that matters.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you know of friends who are online and might be interested but have never come to TB2K, invite them by all means. Especially newbies.

The reason for this thread, besides quick update is, if you would like to propose a subject for chat, do it here. Others already under consideration:

.... medical emergencies and/or home childbirth (my wife will help, also Leska?, others).

.... how should Christians respond to DGIs and DWGIs wanting help next year if you-know-what hits the you-know-what (I would probably steer that one).

.... geopolitical Y2K and related issues

.... (your subject goes here?)

The next week or so will probably be devoted to helping folks get going with the software. Not hard, but you know how it is with these computer thingies.

Critt and I have also discussed the possibility that some smaller regional/locally oriented chat sessions could come out of this. One thing at a time. Yikes! But it is a great idea for/as the months roll by.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 03, 1999

Answers

Hi,Big Dog, I am utter innocent when comes to using the computer & no time to learn more tricks at the moment.Was overwhelmed at the weekend by the volume of E-mails so ducked out and decided to stay with TimeBomb.

Never used a chatroom.Sounds good but will I have the same problem ??

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), June 03, 1999.

Thanks Big Dog.....I would love to join the chat....Please add me to the list and if there is anyway that I can help please let me know.

-- Mary Nelson (timmary0@airmail.net), June 03, 1999.

I'm a possible.

Jon Williamson

-- Jon Williamson (pssomerville@sprintmail.com), June 03, 1999.

Old Git - I would be honored. How about contacting me (my e-mail is real, and I actually check it occasionally). Besides, I have a confession I need to make to you.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), June 03, 1999.

Hi BigDog,

I'd be interested in hosting a chat about Y2K coverage in the media. This is a "finger on the pulse" thing, and important for people in making up their minds as far as how much prep to do.

One thing to think about (and I haven't really, this just popped into my head...) is the idea that if a chat goes particularly well, the host may want to edit it down and post it here to the forum. That way if thoughts and ideas are gleaned that would be useful to the "larger audience," they can be made available to all. Obviously, things like real names and e-mail addresses would need to be removed, and it would depend on the software used. Just a thought...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), June 03, 1999.

Pat --- you're on and maybe we can get Charlie Register involved.

Agree 100% about culling material for the forum itself and already discussed it on the related thread farther down. This should be a big "win-win", provided someone has energy to do the simple packaging. That, in turn, can spur add'l conversation on TB2K about the subject matter.

The chat session does not reveal email addresses AT ALL, only chat handles and those can be as "real" or "virtual" as people want. I'm going to recommend that people try to secure the same handle they use here or as close to it as possible so they are easily recognizable to others during a session, but it's optional.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 03, 1999.

sign me up...

M.Moth

-- M.Moth (Derigueur2@aol.com), June 03, 1999.

Sure, BigDog, if we're not on a horrendous hospice job, we'd be happy to talk about medical emergencies. But home childbirth -- nope! home death is our specialty, never done the birthing to earth thing, been taking care of the elderly for 26 years. Now birthing to heaven, we can talk about that :-)

BTW, lots of nursing/Dr/EMT/medical resources on this Forum. Don't be shy, healthcare team!

We've had fun chatting on IRK, eerr IRC; just a little skittish about new software. Hope we're AOL-compatible.

Another thing -- it's sorta boring to talk about what we already know -- we'd like to lurk in on other topics so we can learn and broaden our knowledge/skill base. That OK?

Thanks for your great initiative!

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 03, 1999.

Sign me up too...

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), June 03, 1999.

Yes, Leska, specifically we will use AOL Instant Messenger (don't need to be AOL member, folks). I know Mac people off the forum list who use it, so don't see why it should pose a problem, though I know Diane has been skittish about downloading it to her Mac.

Any Mac people out there who can download it (get it straight from aol.com home page) and reassure .....

More later ....

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 03, 1999.

Big Dog,

As you can see, I am already an AOL user and my AOL software is their current version 4.0. Do you know if that already has the Instant Messenger in it? I haven't used it that way yet. Thanks.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), June 03, 1999.

Sign me up, Big Dog.

Jeannie

-- jhollander (hollander@ij.net), June 03, 1999.

Gordon -- I'm not an AOL user (at least I did one thing right in my life), but I suspect it's an entirely separate app. Afraid you or others will have to do the due diligence on that. Let us know when you know.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 03, 1999.

Gordon -- I have AOL 4.0 too. Go to the window (on the right) that says "Buddies Online." Click on the "IM" button. That is the instant messenger button. There's also a buddies chat button. Are we using that?

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), June 03, 1999.

Libby -- Thanx. I suspect Buddies Chat is EXACTLY what the rest of us will use (Instant Messenger is the one-on-one version, which is what is actually downloaded). If so, your AOL "names" are probably the "screen names" I've been referring to. We'll give it a test soon, probably with you!

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), June 03, 1999.

Great, Big Dog. Just let me know when you want to test. Send me an e-mail!

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), June 03, 1999.

BigDog, I'd also like to do a "Useful things spotted at [fill in the blank]" chat, but no advertising, per se, allowed. We might make an exception for participants like OddOne who came up with the LED lights at a VERY reasonable price, but have to be very careful not to allow commercialism, per se, to creep in.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), June 03, 1999.

Gardening - There was someone who said he'd quit farming after 40 yeras--very valuable addition to the garden chat--I know NOTHING about anything bigger than a backyard. Would you please send a note to me c/o BigDog? Brooks, thanks for co-doing whatever it is we're doing. Have written to you privately.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), June 03, 1999.

Look like I'm gonna dip my fingers in the water here --

Tried some BBS chat program a while back -- never could persuade it to do anything. Hope this Instant Mess (?) program is easier to use. (That's Messenger, OK.)

So put me on the list. (Did I say that?)

(FOBIO's my motto-- Frequently Outwitted By Inanimate Objects)

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 03, 1999.

Ok... Never done chat before... downloaded it. Works pretty cool.. gotta remember to leave alone the Enter key till I'm finished typing...

- got yippy dog nipping at your heals?

Critt

-- Critt Jarvis (middleground@critt.com), June 03, 1999.

BigDog,

Still gunshy on downloading to the Mac, at the mo. (Had to do a complete reformat of the HD a couple weeks ago).

Will await test responses from other users.

Diane

Link to other BD thread...

Paging Yourdonites For Chat On Various Subjects

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000tv3

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 03, 1999.

This sounds exciting, and not bad company either.

I might be able to contribute some perspective along with my own brand of commonsense.

Warning: I type at the speed of a very well trained chimp.

-- MidwestMike_ (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), June 03, 1999.

would be happy to help with the gardening stuff- suposedly grow stuff for a living - (a broke one!)

also- livestock questions- sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits- some cows.

hope the software is ok for my ancient computer- had to work hard to even get on-line- local company had to find an old net program for us to use!

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), June 03, 1999.

Critt ... go to the setup page, "general" section, of the IMer to set your entry key for (then you use ctl+enter to send.) Also allows you to set fonts, sizes, colors other fancy stuff.

Gordon ... the IM used inside AOL allows only one-on-one with AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) users. You'll need to download AIM ver. 2.0 in order to participate in AIM invited chatrooms. You'll have to use a different screen name. AOL 3.0 users may not even be able to use AIM, (at least I couldn't); I don't know about AOL 4.0.

No bad reports from any of my MacFriends as yet.

To all...Email me with the results of your efforts. I'll try to help if I can.

Hallyx

"Spare no expense to make everything as economical as possible."--- Samuel Goldwyn

-- Hallyx (Hallyx@aol.com), June 03, 1999.

Sign me up too! Never done chat before, hope I can figure it out. Also interested in any NE regional group (I'm from MA). Thanks!

-- Judy (wednesdayschild@hotmail.com), June 03, 1999.

Me too, please.

Arlin will vouch for me, won't you Arlin? ;)

Mercy

-- Mary (DivinMercy@aol.com), June 04, 1999.

AOL Instant Messenger is one of the icons on my screen. Came with Netscape 4.5. Clicked on that icon and it asked me to register, with "screen name" and password. Haven't done that.

Looked at some of the "Help" topics. Baffled. Have to wonder who's on first.

Clueless as ever --

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 04, 1999.

Big Dog,

How about practical ways to do things without the conveniences we have now? Cooking outdoors ( and I dont mean grilling meat!), washing clothes, sharpening knives and tools, building things like simple greenhouses, solar ovens, etc. I think alot of Newbies (and others) might benefit from knowledge like that. just a thought.

Dian

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), June 04, 1999.