[OSList] Invitation: An always-on open space using a tool called "Slack"

Lucas Cioffi via OSList oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Sun Jan 10 18:46:19 PST 2016


Hi All,

Slack is an online chat tool that I've become a big fan of over the past
year.  I'd like to open up some space on it for our community.  It allows
far greater customization and control than Facebook and LinkedIn; I think
it has much to offer us.

*What's different about Slack?*
It's fun, social, colorful, instant, and easy to jump in.  Its biggest
selling point is that you can go online and see who from our community is
online right now at this very moment.  You can toss in a question into the
chatroom and it's likely that someone will respond very quickly.

People leave Slack open in the background when they are browsing other
websites online.  It's like having the community's coffee break area just
one click away at any given moment.  People pop in all the time.

*No worries: Slack will not replace OSLIST.*
Our community will always have a hunger for the long-form, thoughtful
responses that happen on a listserv like OSLIST.  Slack provides
back-and-forth conversation and exploration.  Once you start chatting on
there with someone you'll see it's a completely different feel and
absolutely complementary to the depth of OSLIST, just like the weekly video
chats that Tricia Chirumbole started.

*You are invited!*
I've set up a space on Slack for the OS community.  Click here
<https://open-space-slack.herokuapp.com/> to enter your email address
receive an email invitation.
If you're an early adopter, please give it a test drive.  Let's figure out
how to make the most of what it offers and then come back to everyone with
a better invitation.

*How to Use Slack:*

   - Here is a screenshot
   <https://qiqochat.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/screen-shot-2016-01-10-at-9-05-58-pm.png>
of
   what Slack looks like.  A few weeks ago I was testing it out with Michael
   Herman and Suzanne Daigle so you'll see some example messages there.
   - It's easy to get started; once you create an account, you land on a
   page that looks like that screenshot.  Go to the bottom white box and type
   something in.  Someone else will likely respond very quickly.  These are
   public chat messages.
   - You can create a new chatroom (called a channel) at the top left where
   there is a plus sign next to "CHANNELS".
   - To send a 1-1 private message (or to invite a few people to a private
   chat), look for the plus sign next to "DIRECT MESSAGES" on the left.
   - Have questions?  Please reply to this email, because you're probably
   not the only one with that question.

*What if I'm tired of all these online tools and I don't enjoy all this
typing and emailing?*
You can use the Live Café on Qiqo <https://openspace.qiqochat.com/live> to
indicate that you are available to receive a phone call (or video chat)
about any topic that you specify.  It's a way to "escalate" from typing to
phone or video.  A message goes out to the Slack channel and people see you
are available.  Your phone number stays private and people connect with you
by dialing a central number.

This Slack community should be co-owned by all of us (as much as a Facebook
group or LinkedIn group).  If you'd like to be an administrator, please let
me know.  Feedback is welcome!

Lucas Cioffi
Founder, QiqoChat
Charlottesville, VA
Mobile: 917-528-1831
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