I am re-posting this from my RELUSR-L, RELAY discussion list.
Please comment on the feasiblity, advisability, etc.
 
Thanks to all that responded to my request for help with this list.
I have set Mail-Via= Distribute and I have received a positive response
for peering the list. It is possible, just possible, that something
useful may come of this discussion.
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
In my last posting I noted that I would discuss dynamic conferencing
at NC State. This is not another "vision", as someone suggested, but a
preliminary proposal to the administration here.
 
Following are a few points from my preliminary proposal:
1. A relay-type conferencing machine be set up at NC State Univ.
2. Usage will be cost-accountable.
   ("Free means someone else is paying for it." -a SHARE speaker.)
3. Usage will be by application only; that is, a user must apply
   for a conferencing id in the same way as they apply for any other id.
4. Usage of the conferencing machine will not be available to the
   general user, e.g. user id's set up for specific class work.
   This restriction very closely follows guidelines for telnet/ftp
   access to dod/arpa, access which is defined to be the responsibility
   of the accessing node.
5. Conferences will be set up in much the same way as LISTSERV lists:
   1. The conference will be requested by an academic department.
   2. The conference will have a moderator, a member of the list.
   3. The conference will be logged and journaled.
   4. Membership will be by subscription only.
   5. A corresponding LISTSERV list will also be created.
An example:
Prof. Jones of the Physics Dept. requests a conference for astro-physics.
She wants all of her grad students as members. She appoints as moderator,
Prof. Smith, a Physics professor from another university. The conference
is called astro-C. Other university physics departments hear about the
conference and ask permission to join.
 
In summary, I am proposing electronic conferencing for NC State that
will maintain accountability and perform a useful service for the
academic community.
 
If you have such a system, or you would like to, please help in
promulgating discussion of this topic by using this list.
This discussion may very likely then be moved to another list.
 
Thanks.
Mike Whitt.  [log in to unmask]
VM Systems Programmer.
NC State Univ.