After last night's board meeting on *Slack*, and the animated discussion about using IRC instead, I tried using the link provided ( *irc:irc.oftc.org <http://irc.oftc.org>) *to access the IRC channel... My Linux Mint system invoked *HexChat* but received the error... * Unknown host. Maybe you misspelled it? After some digging, I tried irc://irc.oftc.*net*/#oclug* , and received... Looking up oftc.net * Connecting to oftc.net (209.87.16.246:6667) * Connection failed (Network is unreachable) However, this morning I was able to connect to *irc.oftc.net/#oclug <http://irc.oftc.net/#oclug>* and found some helpful souls, one of whom recommended the following web interface... https://webchat.oftc.net/?channels=oclug ... which also worked. I don't know how I spent 30 years in IT and mostly managed to avoid using chat type apps and services - but, in any case, I still find them a bit too chaotic for general messaging. I have seen them used effectively by tech support teams to communicate very short instrumental messages to coordinate work on specific tasks. But perhaps younger and brighter minds than mine are able to handle the anarchic, muti-threaded chaos. In last night's board meeting, I found it difficult to sort out the multiple conversations at once and the parenthetical asides. In well-run, face-to-face meetings there are best practices that ensure one person is speaking at a time and that the discussion stays on topic until a decision is reached. These practices can be applied in voice and video conferences but I'm not sure whether it is possible in the simultaneous, multiple input chat environment. Nonetheless, it was an interesting experience and I expect someone with a better grasp of the overall framework will be able to extract a set of minutes (decisions) from the process. Also, I was able as a relatively naive, first-time user to access and use both Slack and IRC (eventually). I received expressions of dismay in the IRC channel this morning that OCLUG had "capitulated" to the proprietary Slack platform. I am agnostic on the questions of their relative merits of these two alternatives, but would opt for the most secure and private solution that offers stable performance with a strong bias in favour of open-source. Regards, David On Tue, Apr 26, 2022 at 11:57 AM John Brooks <john [ at ] fastquake [ dot ] com> wrote: > There are many good IRC clients for Linux, but if you don't want to > install any of them, there's always the OFTC web chat: > https://webchat.oftc.net/?channels=oclug > > But really just use Hexchat or Konversation or even Pidgin (actually no, > don't use Pidgin on IRC :P). > > If your nickname is taken then choose a different one. You can ask in > #oftc for help with NickServ if you want to register your nickname. > They're all very helpful and friendly > > Best > John > > On 2022-04-21 18:01, J C Nash wrote: > > We used Slack last month. > > > > And Monday I cannot be on a video meeting as I'll already be on one > > for another > > organization -- I'll be listening to that as I don't have to > > contribute, just > > vote -- while participating in the Linux Ottawa board. > > > > I'm happy to use something FLOSS that works like Slack, but it needs > > to be set up. > > Indeed, a volunteer to set up that would be VERY welcome. Is there an > > IRC that is > > as functional as Slack? When I've tried IRC apps, there's always been > > a glitch of > > some sort, but it's been a few years since I've tried. A quick search > > suggests that > > there are some browser-based clients. When I tried KiwiRC for #oclug > > it said nashjc > > was already in use -- I think that is me, but it didn't offer a way to > > connect. > > Perhaps IRC knows I'm coming? > > > > Note that one thing I did today was to edit the slack log to prepare > > the "minutes" > > from the March Board. They are on the wiki now. A video meeting > > requires someone > > to take notes or else listen to the full recording. I STRONGLY > > recommend a text > > meeting that can be logged, and it was our disappeared Board member > > who more or > > less pushed us to Jitsi and made work for the minute taker. > > > > Best, JN > > > > > > On 2022-04-21 13:51, Richard Guy Briggs wrote: > >> On 2022-04-21 09:48, J C Nash wrote: > >>> Agenda for Linux Ottawa Board meeting 2022-4-25 19:00 > >>> > >>> Virtual meeting open to Linux-Ottawa list members. If you have items > >>> you want added to the agenda, please send to nashjc _at_ ncf.ca or > >>> tug.williams _at_ gmail.com. > >>> > >>> Meeting will be on oclug.slack.com. (And, yes, we prefer fully open > >>> source solution -- see "volunteers" below!) > >> > >> It appears we last used that two years ago. Why are we regressing from > >> jitsi to a proprietary walled garden? > >> > >> Is there any reason we cannot use jitsi or > >> irc://irc.oftc.net/#oclug-board or irc://irc.oftc.net/#oclug ? > >> > >> The rest of the agenda looks reasonable... preventing bus errors > >> good... > >> > >>> - Quorum (3) needed of Board members as per AGM > >>> Tug Williams > >>> Ian Gorman > >>> John Nash > >>> Richard Guy Briggs > >>> > >>> - Minutes of previous Board mtg > >>> - Status of bank account > >>> - Formalities > >>> - Thanks to retiring Board members > >>> - Who has the corporate documents? > >>> - Have we a set of usernames, passwords etc. for our website > >>> functions? > >>> - Updating of documents (need for formal assignment of officers) > >>> - need to record AGM (JN is preparing a draft) > >>> - Current bank signing officers are Scott Murphy, John Nash > >>> and > >>> Ian Gorman. Should we add to the list? > >>> > >>> - Need for volunteers to take on some specific tasks. Do we want to be > >>> more focused in asking people to do something limited i.e., they can > >>> agree to just a particular task. However, it would be good to have > >>> at least 2 per task, as we have recent experience when someone > >>> says they will do something then disappears. > >>> - What can/will Board members undertake? Several of us already > >>> have noted constraints on time/capability. > >>> - We are allowed to appoint other Board members if there are > >>> willing helpers. > >>> - keeper(s) of essential documents and information > >>> - backup and maintenance of website (except mailing list) > >>> - mailing list maintenance. This may or may not include > >>> upgrade that we have wanted for some time. > >>> - keeping of records of "corporation" > >>> - wiki maintenance (prodding for presentation documents?) > >>> - setting up virtual meetings (Board and general) > >>> - possible arrangement of in-person meetings > >>> > >>> - Future of Linux Ottawa > >>> - Key functions: mailing list and meetings > >>> - In-person meetings and resources (mostly human) to set up > >>> and run, and to find suitable venue > >>> > >>> - Talk/discussion for May 5 > >>> - Suggested topic: "Evolution of volunteer groups like Linux Ottawa > >>> and the role of technology" > >>> - welcome other offers for May and for the future! > >> > >> slainte mhath, RGB > >> -- > >> Richard Guy Briggs -- ~\ -- ~\ <hpv.tricolour.ca> > >> <www.TriColour.ca> -- \___ o \@ @ Ride yer > >> bike! > >> Ottawa, ON, CANADA -- Lo_>__M__\\/\%__\\/\% > >> Vote! -- > >> <greenparty.ca>_____GTVS6#790__(*)__(*)________(*)(*)_________________ > > > > To unsubscribe send a blank message to > linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > > To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > > To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org > > > > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org > >