Re: HTML Development. ...(was: <HTML BBS>)

Lambert ([email protected])
Wed, 8 Nov 1995 00:26:43 -0400


What you probably need is HyperNews. I explained it in a previous message.
It allows membership, allowing three levels of security. Public, member,
and wemaster. You can set it to member and wembaster to read and post, and
have only members and webmasters sign up other members. Check it out. You
must be CGI fluent, though, to set it up.

>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.
>

Web browser interface. Uses CGI.

> 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.

Uses an email address and a computer generated password. No stats, though.

> A forum/conference room which allows discussion threads.

Hierearchical display of 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.

I hope this is what you need.

Mike

P.S. If you need live chat, check out WebChat, though that has no security.
I have my own in operation, dedicated to FutureBASIC, at:
http://www.ids.net/~paumic/FutureBasic/WebChat/nph-client.cgi.