I am posting this here because first, I believe this question comes under the
heading of developing HTML. And second, I don't know where else to go. (See
"Efforts to Date" sectin below.)
Generic Problem: HTML was developed in the late 1980's to promote seientific
communictions. In a virtual conference, you need both open conference space
and some *private* meeting rooms where access is restricted. These private
rooms are used for preliminary discussions, planning meetings, and other
discussions where you don't want random people just dropping in.
The privte rooms would have several requirements:
Easy access for participants - i.e. no special client software beyond a Web
browser. This will be used by scientists - as was the original HTML.
Some access control - e.g. E-mail address and a password such as the group's
name. "Locks to keep honest people out" and stats to indicate unauthorized
admission.
A forum/conference room which allows discussion threads.
Specific problem: The problem was posed by a friend at Princeton University
who was annyoyed at having missed an important E-mail message about a NSF
grant proposal because the message was buried in administrative, student, and
personal E-mail. He would like a simple *private* forum/newsgroup to
coordinate grant development with collaborative researchers at other
universities.
In summary, this would be a useful utility with wide spread applications.
Efforts to Date:
The professor went to the department's systems administrator who recommended
discussing it with CIT (the University's Computer Information Technology
group.)
We went to CIT which indicated they did not have the time to develop new
applications for the Web.
Next, I went to an outside consulting group that also runs its own commercial
Web stie. They had not seen anything like multiple private rooms accessable
from a Web site but were sure they could develop it - (with an open ended
contract at $75/hr.)
A similar question had been posted to <comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc>
(at <468dld$npc@shellx.best.com>CyberPark<bhunter@cyberpark.com>). The thread
did not develop very far. Since comp.infosystems.www.html splinteered into 16
to 18 narrower groups. this seems the most appropriate group to which to post
this question.
I did a search of books at our local Barnes and Noble megastore. I found some
information on use of FORMS to send E-mail to bulletin board systems (BBS).
The October issues of _BBS_ and _Boardwatch_ magazines discuss HTML as
input to regular BBS software.
Finally, I posted to this mail list.
I would appreciate any suggestions on setting up a series of *private*
conference rooms accessible from a Web Browser.
If someone has any suggestions for other mailing lists or newsgroups or any
harcopy sources I could track down, it owuld also be greatly appreciated.
TIA
Clint
P.S. I apologize for hogging so much bandwidth.
Clint Hyer, General Partner clint@hyer.com
hyer.com productions
Princeton NJ 08543-2003
"Effective Communications for the Internet"