IRC

Internet Reality Check

Report from the meeting: Friday 18 August

Kurra's Bar - Hotel Kurrajong

After extensive research and consultation Kerry Webb, Director, Digital Library Projects, National Library of Australia, announced that the next IRC would be at the Hotel Kurrajong National Circuit, Barton, Canberra, Australia.

CIRG-L's, CSIWPs, LINKers and lurkers were invited.

IRC is designed so that members of the 'net community can meet and exchange the small amount of very important information which is not suitable for digital transmission. ;-)

The Kurrajong was selected for this IRC for its obvious 'net links (has a home page, its on National Circuit, "Interaction" were playing and the staff transmit orders to the kitchen by wireless data link).

The IRC commenced on time at 5pm

Tom Worthington, Director of the Community Affairs Board, Australian Computer Society & DoD Web administrator, asking how many WebMasters does it take to change a light bulb?.

Tony Barry, Centre for Networked Information and Publishing ANU and Roger Clarke, discussing Tony's unofficial guide to the offical Commonwealth Government home pages.

Julie Philips, Librarian, National Museum of Australia, Peter "Dry" Martini, GM of the hotel and Tony Barry, finalising details of the first Australian WWW Awards: The Tonys.

Ian Barndt, Convenor of the Commonwealth Internet Reference Group, Department of Finance and Roger Clarke, saying Broadband.

Eric Wainwright, Deputy Director-General, National Library of Australia, extending the boundaries of the meaning of work...

Bev Payne, Librarian, Australian International Hotel SchoolAIHS

Next IRC: Internet Reality Check goes global

Tentatively scheduled for Friday 15 September 1995, 5pm to whenever, Hotel Kurrajong

Thousands of "geographically challenged" 'netters have expressed disappointment at not being able to attend the last IRC in Canberra and envy at not having their photo on the Web with those who did. The IRC Co-ordinating Committee (IRC*3) therefore proposes to network the next IRC world-wide. Those R&Ding or selling real time Internet conference facilities are invited to come forward to offer demonstration facilities (free) to link the Karrajong Hotel to the world from 5 to 7 pm AEST on 15 September 1995.

Members of the CSIWP, CIRG and LINK are invited to select suitable venues and arrange technology (and drinks) to participate. Details will be discussed on LINK.

Several levels of operation are proposed:

VR: Stereoscopic headsets and stereo sound.
VidConf: Video and sound conferences.
Sound: Sound only conference.
Pics: Still images.
Text: Text only communication using the Internet Chat Relay or similar.

An award will be offered by those in the bar in Canberra to the most imaginative use of the technology. Examples might be:

Robot arm programmed to serve drinks remotely,
An elaborately worded proposal justifying your organisation flying you to Canberra for drinks,
Digital image processing software to prepare composite images of people drinking on opposite sides of the world.
Distributed database software linked to smart cards, for the bar to track "shouts" over multiple locations and currencies.

PS: FLORIADE - Canberra's Spring Festival, starts 16 September.