<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Sorry to repost!! Forgot subject line. To ListMembers: I am attempting to start up an IRC (Inter Relay Chat) support group channel for celiacs. This would not be a replacement for the information on the List and it would NOT be medically oriented. It would be strictly a support type of environment. I have noticed that people seem to really have a need to share their personal experiences ...both negative and positive.....on the list. I feel that doing so on IRC where you can get immediate feedback might be more satisflying and appropriate. Not everyone lives in an area where there is a local support group. I live in New Jersey and have yet to meet another person with Celiac Disease. If it wasn't for the list, I would have been lost! Anyway, for those of you who are unfamiliar with IRC, you will need to do a little research to see if your internet provider allows you to utilize IRC. If they do, it is no problem. I have listed sites below where you can find the necessary software. If you have never used IRC but you do have access to it, you should read the information at the sites I have listed below before you begin which will tell you everything you need to know about IRC. If your provider does not offer IRC access and you really are interested in participating, you will need to find a new provider. I have listed sites below that will allow you to find providers in your area and detail the prices and services they offer. Once you install the right software and understand how to use IRC, we will need to set up a meeting time that is convenient for those who wish to participate. This could be a problem since we are dealing with a lot of time zones!! I am on the U.S. East coast so I'm in the Eastern time zone. What I would like to do is get feedback from people who are interested in participating. Please DO NOT respond unless you are interested in participating!! I would like you to respond to my e-mail address directly....NOT TO THE LIST! Please keep your responses short and to the point. I need to know the following: A. Where you live B. Time zone C. Your availability......weekends, evenings, etc. D. Name and e-mail address I thought that we could meet once every other week....possibly late on a weekend afternoon to begin with, but I'm open for suggestions. Once I get enough feedback, I'll make a decision on time and channel name and post it to the list. I would appreciate it if you could send your responses within the next week. Also, if you are unfamiliar with the IRC process, please take the time to read the information at the sites on the web. It is the only way that you will understand what to do. I look forward to "chatting" with some of you! Debra Resch West Creek, New Jersey e-mail: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] -------------------------------------------------------------------- THE WORLD OF IRC http://www.innotts.co.uk/~backup/irc.html STEB-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR IRC http://www.iadfw.net/dug/irc.html INSTRUCTIONS FOR WINDOWS IRC CHAT SOFTWARE http://www.rust.net/~kaffeine/winirc.html INSTRUCTIONS FOR MACINTOSH IRC CHAT SOFTWARE http://www.rust.net/~kaffeine/macirc.html http://www.spectra.net/%7Edsaur/chat.html (I use Ircle) ---If your service provider does not provide IRC access, you may want to consider finding a new provider. Below are two resources that will help you to access information about providers in your area. If you are using a major provider like AOL, you should take the time to see what other services may be offered in your area by smaller providers. Sometimes they offere cheaper monthly fees, unlimited access and local call up numbers, but you won't know this unless you do the research because they do not advertise like AOL, Compuserve, etc. THE LIST (INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS) http://thelist.iworld.com/ INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS LIST http://www.commerce.com/net2/internet/isp.html