From: Marc Siegel <marc@quest.arc.nasa.gov>
Subject: Internet activity during the live event
Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 05:36:27 -0800 (PST)
Marcella wrote: > I am not clear what will be available via the Internet for the live > TV program. Audio - yes. Pictures? If I plan to participate via the > Internet what can I expect? Here's what we'll have: - Sound via Real Audio - sound and pictures via CU-SeeMe and MBONE - a web page that updates once per minute with a snapshot of what's on TV at that moment - and the ability to ask questions via the onair-lfm@quest.arc.nasa.gov address. It won't be active until just before the program starts, and a select few will be read live on TV. - After the program we'll have an unmoderated chat in the LFM unmoderated chatroom: http://quest/webchat/mars2.html. This is for students to talk with students, not to experts. The addresses for all of this stuff will be shared next Monday via updates-lfm. To clear up some confusion, there are no plans to provide live chat with Internet experts during the TV show. But there are lots of opportunities to chat with the Mars experts. See http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/mars/events/interact.html for the latest schedule. As well, there is also a service in which we'll have Mars experts answer all email questions wthin a week or two of receipt. It hasn't been widely announced yet (look for the announcement in yoir mail in the next two days). But the details are available on the web (and you can use it now) at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/mars/ask/question.html Also, the ever-inquisitive Marcella asks: > My classes plan to participate in the webchat after the program. Based > on past experience, will there be a bottleneck getting through? We've just painfully converted all of Quest to a much faster computer (2 orders of magnitude faster). So we think we can handle lots of hits/minute. don't think the computer or networks at NASA Ames will be a problem. The main difficult (if there is one) is likely to be the chaotic nature of WebChat. There will be a lot of comments. The only advice I have for you there is pick and choose which comments to respond to, and always start a direct response by addressing by name the person you are responding to, ie: "Marcella: those were fine questions. You get an A." Have fun indeed. Speaking of fun, today at Ames, 350 teachers will gather to hear 4 great Mars speakers (Ben Bova, Michael Carr, Donna Shirley and Chris McKay). It will be a special day, and "yes Virginia", eventually we'll have parts of their presentations archived on the online Yours, Marc