THE WORLDCHAT PAGE

During the late 1980s and early 1990s BBSs (Bulletin Board Services) were the main method of electronic communications for ordinary people. The Internet (with a capital I) was for people in academic or military institutions. There were several BBS networks -- Fidonet, FamilyNet, RIME and many more. But these have declined in popularity since the introduction of Windows 95, and people stopped updating BBS software, so more of it got broken with Y2K. WORLDCHAT was a conference (discussion forum) on the FamilyNet BBS network, in which people from various countries around the world have made friends. It was recently moved to YahooGroups.

Who's who in WORLDCHAT
How to join WORLDCHAT
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Introduction to the Worldchat forum

Introduction to Worldchat

This page has list of some of the regular participants, past and present, with links to their e-mail addresses, and personal web pages, if any. It has information on how to join, and we especially encourage old friends from BBS days to join in and keep in touch.

Participating in the Worldchat conference is a good way of keeping in touch with the people who participate in it. It's a bit like a dinner party without the dinner - though you can, of course have your own dinner while you join in - just don't spill anything on the keyboard! Almost any topic can be discussed - some are light-hearted, some are serious. Most discussions are concerned with differences in culture and language between different countries, politics, religion, the weather etc. The main rule for participation to to be friendly and avoid flaming. Particpants should be able to disagree without being disagreeable.

If you've lost touch with old friends completely, whether you knew them in BBS conferences, at school, or elsewhere, there is always the possibility that they are looking for you. Try the link below to see if there are old friends who would like to get in touch...

Should you join?

If you know two or more people on the list of participants, and like chatting to them, then you must join
If you know at least one person in the list of participants, and like chatting to them, then you should join, because you might get to like some of the others too
If you don't know anyone on the list of participants, but two or more of them sound as though they might be interesting, check their web pages (if any) to see if they are the kind of people you'd like to chat with
If you know one or more people on the list of participants and wish you didn't, then don't join
If you don't know anyone on the list of participants, and are glad that you don't, then don't join

Worldchat Participants

Julie Belding - Medium height, brown hair, a wordie, likes language, computers, and eating out; dislikes exercise, parties and housework.
Sue Fairhead - I enjoy reading and writing, and bringing up my children although home education is something new and challenging. I very much appreciate my email and echo friends while living far away from home and family (in England). I also enjoy chocolate. E-mail me
Carl Fortunato - I live on the Upper West Side of New York City, which is my favorite place to live on all the earth. I'm an acolyte in an Anglican Cathedral (www.stjohndivine.org). I'm an actor who belongs to a comedy troupe called "Riot Act," which is directed by my beloved wife, Francesca, and I also belong to a theatre company called "The Play's the Thing" (www.theplay.org), and am a member of the Episcopal Actor's Guild (www.actorsguild.org). Aside from that, I am an (occasionally) working musician, playing mainly keyboard, but a few other things as well. I can occasionally be seen busking in the New York City subways, just to keep in practice.
Dawn Harvey - Member of TOPS since July 1998; Homeschooling my children; trying to get organized! Easier said than done, I'm afraid! I'm good at organizing OTHER PEOPLE's things (LOL!) but can't seem to get my own stuff in order. Well, at least I'm trying :) Been a member of OFF_TOPIC since it started (charter member, they call that, don't they?) but lost contact when we switched to the Internet, until I found it as a mailing list about a year ago. Glad to be back!! E-mail me
Steve Hayes - I'm an Orthodox Christian and a freelance editor writer and researcher. My hobbies are family history, BBSing and reading. I like reading history and theology, and in fiction I like fantasy, especially the work of C.S. Lewis, Tolkien and Charles Williams; also Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac. I'm interested in the relation between religion, ideology, culture and language, and enjoy discussions of language usage and cultural differences between people. I keep a database of African Independent Churches, and am interested in the application of computers to missiological research. E-mail me
Bob Henson - Pharmacist, Ex Fidonet BBS sysop, computer fanatic, interested in anything under the Sun. Favourite "soap box" topic - the degenerating standards in life, and what we should do to put it right - beginning to despair of ever changing anything, but still battling on. Once described myself as a "Don Quixote" to David Rance, probably as good a description as I'll ever think of, unless King Canute fits the bill better? E-mail me
Paul Mazumdar - 1702mm high, too many mm wide, 88000g heavy, half Indian, half British, all Welsh but living in England. E-mail me
Kenneth A O'Shaughnessy - Kenneth A O'Shaughnessy Engineer, Executive Kitchens, Inc keno@executivekitchens.com Editor, The SC Libertarian gclp@att.net E-mail me
David Rance - Although now worshipping at an Anglican Church I was brought up a Baptist and have worshipped in most nonconformist denominations, even Roman Catholic while in France. I'm interested in music, diy, writing software (C and assembly language) and cooking. E-mail me
Thomas Alex Riggle - This chubby and balding native Seattleite enjoys spending time with friends and family, but doesn't watch tv. Hates action/ adventure movies. Would rather play catch with the kids. When you say dylan he thinks you're talking about Dylan Thomas. E-mail me
Jane Smith - A Brit who has always been politically incoreect - which is why she emigrated to South Africa while it still had apartheid. Religion: Apostate. Politics: Libertarian. English editor by trade. Interests: weaving, porcelain doll-making, reading.
Lindsay Walker - My mother used to call me a long, thin slab of misery: 1,91m, 75kg. Thinning floppy hair, melancholic horsey face, glasses. I have not yet decided what I want to be when I grow up.
Paul Waters - I grew up in England, took a BA in Linguistics at Reading Uni, came to Norway in 1989 to work for the Salvation Army. Met my wife here. Lost all my hair a couple of years ago - got some back now (see web-site). E-mail me

Add or change your description

If your details in the list above need to be changed, or if you aren't in the list but want to be, you can add or revise the information by using the Who's who form. It is posted every few weeks in the WORLDCHAT conference, but if you can't wait, you can request it by e-mail from .

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How to join WORLDCHAT

E-mail mailing list

Here's how you can subscribe by e-mail:

Click to join worldchat If you have any problems subscribing or unsubscribing, the following could help:

Group Email Addresses

Post message: worldchat@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: worldchat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe: worldchat-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
List owner: worldchat-owner@yahoogroups.com