[WEB4LIB] synchronous communications with remote users

[Diane K. Kovacs]

I use Diversity University http://www.du.org:8888   Use the "Integrated
Interface" to login.  I can have multiple Web-based activities going on
while I'm working with people as well.  We've got a live discussion session
for a real college course going on tomorrow 9-11a.m. edt   and tonight
8:30-10:30 p.m.   Contact me if you want a login or you can just login as a
guest.  Type @join di  to come wherever I am when you get online.  Type
"hello
(include the "s) to speak to me.  or you can use the Web tool in the upper
frame to communicate...
Yours,
Di
>I asked this question several months ago but did not receive any really
>useful responses.  We are looking for a means to provide synchronous (live
>two way ) communications between remote users of our library services and
>our reference desk.
>The reference desk currently has a IBM Thinkpad laptop as its computer.  It
>will have the Microsoft Personal Web Server mounted on it for use with
>FrontPage 98.  Can anyone suggest software that would work through a webpage
>so that the remote user would not be required to load any special software?
>
>I am currently trying to get Marc Bracewell's old program TalkBack to work
>with the Personal Web Server.  I have been unable to get it to work in a
>Windows 95 environment.  It did work when we had Windows 3.1 running
>ZBServer webserver but Win 3.1 and the old computer it ran on are
>insufficient for our present needs.  I am also looking at ICQ because its
>panels can be used via a webpage but I would prefer something that would
>rely solely on our system and not another.  I know I could set up a chat
>room but find that environment too restrictive and it also requires constant
>monitoring.
>
>Preferably I would like to see the patron send a message via web form to the
>reference laptop. Up would pop the communications program or window paging
>the reference librarian.  The librarian would then reply and the remote user
>would get a response through the browser.  This is what happened when we
>used TalkBack three years ago.
>
>Thanks.  Please don't send me messages asking to forward results to you.  I
>will summarize via the lists.
>--
>Wilfred Drew (Call me "Bill"); Associate Librarian (Systems, Reference)
>Past President, SUNY Librarians Association (SUNYLA)
>SUNY College of Ag. & Tech.;   P.O. Box 902;  Morrisville, NY 13408-0902
>E-mail: drewwe at morrisville.edu
>Phone: (315)684-6055 or 684-6060 Fax: (315)684-6115
>Voicemail:877-324-6289 Box # 607400110 (Toll Free)
>Homepage: <http://www.morrisville.edu/~drewwe/>
>Not Just Cows: <http://www.morrisville.edu/~drewwe/njc/>
>LibraryLinks: <http://www.morrisville.edu/pages/library/>
>SUNYLA: <http://www.albany.edu/library/sunyla/>
>--

______________________________________________________________________
Diane K. Kovacs, Kovacs Consulting Internet & World Wide Web Training

http://www.kovacs.com (330)273-5032 - fax: (330)225-0083
______________________________________________________________________
_Cybrarians Guide to Successful Internet Programs and Services_ _The
Internet Trainer's Total Solution Guide_
(Forthcoming! from Neal-Schumann)_The Essential Guide to *Electronic
Library* Collection Development on the Web: Selection Criteria and Core
Collections_
(Fall 1999!) _Health and Medicine on the Internet_
http://www.amazon.com/
14th Revision Directory of Scholarly and Professional E-Conferences
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/kovacs/