INVITATION to C-FEST at Lingua MOO

[Cynthia Haynes <cynthiah@utdallas.edu>]

Sorry for the cross-postings...

			*** Lingua MOO 1996 C-FEST ***

What is a C-Fest?  It's a series of online colloquia devoted to topics of 
interest developed from discussions on PTissues and Rhetnet email lists.  
In the past week, both lists have been discussing the issue of conference 
presentations, specifically the trend at CCCC toward larger forums, 
roundtables, and fewer formal paper persentations. This first C-fest will 
address the issues of extemporaneous talks, the impact of technology on 
attention spans, the ethics of giving 2-5 minute talks in the name of 
including more presenters, getting lines on vitas, funding, etc.  We want 
to hear what you think about this issue.  People are preparing their 
presentations now for CCCC, Computers and Writing, and Rhetoric Society 
of America, in addition to many regional Writing Center conferences and 
poposals due for next year's MLA.

The Lingua MOO C-fest will occur beginning next Wednesday, February 7th, 
at 8:00pm EST.  Several of those who have posted responses to this topic 
on PTissues and Rhetnet are facilitating the discussions, and we still 
need volunteers for some of the dates.  All YOU have to do is show up and 
enter the discussions.  Tell us what you think.  How should our field 
respond to this trend in our conferences?  What would you like to tell 
the conference organizers?  Now is your chance.  Each C-fest will be 
recorded and archived at Lingua MOO and at the PRE/TEXT Conversation and 
Rhetnet websites.

Here's how you can join in these important debates:

Dates to attend: 
Wed -- 2/7 -- 8pm EST (Facilitators: Michael Salvo, Cynthia Haynes)
Mon -- 2/19 -- 8pm EST (Todd Taylor)
Tue -- 2/27 -- 8pm EST (Joan Richmond)
Wed -- 3/6 -- 8pm EST 
Thu -- 3/14 -- 8pm EST

As you can see, we chose to rotate days of the week to enable as many as 
possible to attend at least once.  We also need more volunteers to act as 
faciliators to get the discussions going.  If you cannot attend, the logs 
of each session will be available in the room where we meet.  You may 
register your email with us at Lingua MOO if you aren't already a player, 
and then mail yourself the log to read later, or you can read it there 
anytime you log on.  Guests may register their email by typing @email 
your-address, then both registered users and guests may type MAILME 
<number> to have a log of a C-fest session e-mailed to themselves.

Here's how to get to Lingua MOO:

1.  Telnet to:  Lingua.utdallas.edu 8888
2.  Log on as a guest if you do not have a character at Lingua.
 	(at Lingua welcome screen type: connect guest firstname)
3.  Type 'walk to Colloquium' to get to the seminar room.
4.  Read the instructions in the room description about where to sit and how 
    to talk.  There are 3 tables to sit at, and a head table for the 
    facilitators.  You may talk at your table and only those at the table 
    may hear you, or if you wish to address the entire group, type SU (for 
    'speak up') and your text.
5.  To quit the MOO, type @quit.

If you want to volunteer to help faciliate discussion on any of these 
dates, please email me at cynthiah@utdallas.edu.  I will send brief 
notices about the next meeting each week, so please save this for future 
reference.  We hope you can join us, and don't worry if you've never 
MOOed, it's easy!  Log on in advance and practice anytime.  We have help 
tutorials in the Help Kiosk off the main Courtyard where you land when 
you log on.

See you on February 7th!

Cynthia Haynes
cynthiah@utdallas.edu