CONFER (software) - Knowledge

804:("Classic"; not compatible with the modern Mac OS X) developed by the Information Technology Division at the University of Michigan. It provides a modern user interface (menus, icons, windows, and buttons) that can be used to check electronic mail, participate in CONFER II conferences, access the MTS User Directory, and create, edit, and manipulate files. InfoX adds Macintosh-style word processing features to the more traditional editing functions available from the CONFER command-line interface. One can use the standard Cut, Copy, and Paste commands under the Macintosh Edit menu to move text from any Macintosh file to a conference entry or message. Text is automatically wrapped text in conference entries and messages. 1621: 1424: 1507: 127: 461:

responses in reverse chronological order NODescriptor do not print the 3-line descriptor NOResponse do not print the responses NOText do not print the text of the item PASS automatically pass each item REVERSE print the items in reverse order (highest number first) *DUMMY* discard the output of the item and mark it as “seen” *PRINT* directs output to a printer *FILE*=

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author. The item's author can specify the type of responses desired. The most common type of response is a discussion response where the response is simply text. Participants can make as many discussion responses to an item as they like. Another type of response is a vote where a numeric response followed by an optional text comment is given with only one response per item per participant. And still another response type is a dynamic value vote.

888: 898: 793: 1428: 123:(MTS), the university's time-sharing system. Parnes declined, but offered instead to attempt writing a similar program for MTS. With encouragement from Fred Goodman and LeVerne Collet at the School of Education and Karl Zinn at the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), CONFER was developed. 1511: 831:

in Michigan, particularly Chris Wendt, were excited by the potential for CONFER, and they created the statewide MNET:Caucus conference to help Merit users get quick answers to their questions and take some of the load off their consulting staff. The participants — both consultants and users — learned

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The first major "test" for the CONFER system was the October 1976 International Society for Technology Assessment (ISTA) Conference held in Ann Arbor. Karl Zinn from U-M's CRLT was interested in testing the technology to facilitate the coordination of tasks among the conference staff as well as using

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To freeze (prevent more responses) item "n". CHANGE BULLETIN Change the text of a bulletin. CHANGE INTRODUCTION Change the participant's introduction. CHANGE NAME Change the participant's name. CHANGE PHONE Change the participant's phone number. CHANGE RESIGN Resign from the

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To enter text from filename TRANSMIT To send a message (private) to another participant. MESSAGE Display a message or messages. BULLETIN To enter a bulletin (public) for everyone to see. BULLETIN ALL Display bulletins. BULLETIN REVERSE Display bulletins in

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Parnes' vision of the system was one where the individual group participant would alternate between being a producer and being a consumer of information. The unique CONFER feature in this regard was initially the functionality of the "vote." This feature allowed the consumer to voice their "feelings"

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Not only did CONFER offer the opportunity for various forms of group discussion, it also served as the first widely used e-mail system on the Michigan campus. And while the MTS $ MESSAGE e-mail system eventually surpassed CONFER as the e-mail facility of choice at Michigan, the computer conferencing

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For many on the Michigan campus and elsewhere, the benefits of CONFER included meeting new people with similar interests, engaging in group discussion, and communicating outside the normal parameters defined by time and space. CONFER played a tremendous role in enlarging the electronic community at

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InfoX allows users to join a conference, enter or respond to an item, read a particular item or response, forget an item, or mark all items as seen. Unseen conference items are displayed in much the same way messages are displayed, so one can select an item by title, not just by item number. When a

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has been very influential in spreading this design. WELL-style systems facilitate group discussion by treating discussion items as part of an ongoing conversation with an inherent structure. The conversations are organized as linear chains of items and responses with individual items and responses

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Item 1 14:38 Nov10/90 4 lines 1 response Marlou Smith A new beginning! This notice is to introduce you to our new Project-X conference. Please join our conference and respond to this item to indicate that you have successfully joined. Thank you. 1 response Nov10/90 14:42 1:1) John Brown:

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BROWSE print only the first two lines of each response FORGET stop showing this item and its responses NOFORGET display items even if they have been forgotten HEADER print the 1-line title instead of 3-line descriptor LIFO print the

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CONFER allows the use of pseudonyms for items, responses, and messages, and participants can register in a conference under a pseudonym. Many conferences that allow pseudonymous comments ask participants to register under their own names to establish a legitimate tone for the conference, and help

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ONLY To display only response "n". MINE To display all the responses you’ve made on an item. TRANSMIT See above. ENTER See above. BULL See above. NOTE See above. NEW To label the responses new again. NEW STOP To label the responses new and

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Some CONFER II functions are not available through InfoX. One cannot use the program to enter organizer-defined commands, post or read bulletins, hold meetings, use polled or numeric responses, enter pseudonymous or anonymous responses, change entries, access the index or summaries, or send or

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HELP To see the online tutorial in CONFER II. ? Same as HELP. RESPOND To enter a response to that item. FORGET To tell CONFER to stop showing you that item. PASS To pass your turn at making a response. TEXT To display the text of the item again.

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To participate in a conference one must first register as a permanent participant, an auditor, or a temporary observer. A participant may contribute items and responses, while an auditor or observer just views them. Once one has joined a conference, CONFER keeps track of what has been seen for

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Within a conference, discussions are managed as a collection of items. One person starts an item by entering the item text and giving it a title, called a header. Other people can then make their own responses to the initial entry. The item text and each response is signed with the name of its

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CONFER provides facilities for online discussion of topics of general interest. Discussions are organized around "conferences" that focus on a topic, a group or community, or an event. Conferences may be "public" (open to anyone with an account on the host system where CONFER runs) or private

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Because of a graduate teaching assistant strike, Parnes was temporarily relieved of his teaching duties and had some extra time to devote to his experimental system, which he called "CONFER". MTS served as an excellent development environment for CONFER, which was built on top of the MTS file

228:(invitation only). Each conference has one or more organizers. Individuals join conferences as participants, auditors, or observers. Conferences are accessed using terminals from various locations, allowing discussion without having to meet physically or participate at the same time. 1272:, by CF Reactor, Report prepared in response to a request from an Ad Hoc Meeting on Conference Information Systems held on the initiative of the Committee for Information on Science and Technology (CIDST) of the Commission of the European Communities. (Luxembourg, September 1977). 980:

In 1985, a group of U-M students established the first computer conference exclusively for students called MEET:STUDENTS. This very popular conference marked, in a sense, the acceptance of online communications as a culturally accepted mode for student communication and exchange.

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participants and auditors, but not for observers. Each time a conference is visited by a participant or auditor, CONFER displays a list of new information that has been entered since the previous visit. Of course one can always go back and look at old items and responses as well.

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DONE Enter the response (the default) EDIT Edit the response by invoking the MTS File Editor VIEW Display the current text of the response MORE Add more text to the response CANCEL Cancel the response and discard the text ? Ask for assistance

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One can view items in chronological order, reverse chronological order, or by following a thread of related items linked together using next and previous item links. One can also view specific items, a range of items, new items or items that have new responses.

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item “n” with responses “m1” through “m2” of item “n” (a range of responses) NEXT the next item PREVIOUS the previous item LAST the last (highest numbered) item ALL all items NEW all new items (not yet seen)

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the system to allow conference participants to extend discussions on conference topics. CONFER provided a new opportunity for group discussion and is credited for playing a "tremendous role in enlarging the electronic community" at the University of Michigan.

930:, 1986, describes the use of Confer by Fred Goodman and Edgar Taylor of the U-M School of Education, and Raymond Tanter in Political Science at U-M, in their courses Poli Sci 471, "American Foreign Policy Process" and Poli Sci 353, "Arab-Israeli Conflict" 808:

conference folder is opened, InfoX displays a variety of information about new items and new responses. The buttons at the top of the screen allow the user to join a conference, read any item, enter a new item, forget an item, and mark all items as seen.

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HELP To see the online tutorial in CONFER II. ? Same as HELP. DESCRIPTOR To see the 3-line descriptors of an item or the new items. NEW To see NEW messages, items, and responses. ITEM

1005:, Web crossing, WELL Engaged, and YAPP. Because of its influence on these programs, CONFER has had a strong influence on most of the major computer conferencing, blogs, social networking, and other similar programs and sites that followed. 508:#Execution begins Confer II (08/89) - designed by Robert Parnes Copyright & Trademark: Advertel Communication Systems CONFERence for WABC:PROJECT-X Marlou Smith, organizer New item: 1 No new responses No new messages DO NEXT? 364:

Enter RESPOND to be prompted to enter the text of a response. CONFER formats responses, so entering very long lines do not cause problems. A null line is entered to complete a response and CONFER then prompts with a question of the form:

1379:, Robert O. Bollinger, Ph.D. and Ronald L. Poland, M.D., Pediatrics Department, Children's Hospital of Michigan and Wayne State University, Detroit, and Glenn E. Cummings, Ph.D., Oncology Department, Wayne State University, Detroit, 812:

receive CONFER messages. Because InfoX does not allow for many conference management features, organizers and advanced users choose to access conferences through the traditional CONFER II command-line interface.

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CONFER continued to gain in popularity with faculty, students, administrators, and staff through the 1980s. The following papers give a hint at the range of activities for which CONFER was used.

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Bulletin has been posted. Marlou Smith Effective: Nov19/90 Expires: Nov26/90 There will be a short meeting tomorrow for all members of Project-X in West Conference room at 2 pm. DO NEXT?

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by then graduate student Robert Parnes. The CONFER system continued to be a widely used communication tool until 1999. CONFER is the progenitor of the computer conferencing systems Caucus,

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the University and in removing the traditional geographic borders of the classroom and campus. Said Parnes, "CONFER enabled a lot of people to talk together who wouldn't have otherwise."

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To see a particular item, where "n" is its number. RESPONSES Display responses "m1" to "m2" for items "n". ENTER To enter an item (public) into the conference. LOAD

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discussed aspects of electronic mail and conferencing on group decision making. Flood had a magnetic tape of a prototype system and approached Parnes about getting it to run on the

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The U-M Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) was an early sponsor and proponent of CONFER and saw great promise in it for expanding learning environments.

715:- Message 2 3 lines 13:12:41 Nov18/90 MESSAGE from: Jack Black 13:11 Nov18/90 WXYZ:MF I am sending you a test message. Do you read me? Jack REPLY, DELETE, OR IGNORE: 179:

had moved from the Michigan Terminal System to distributed computing environments and several newer digital technologies replaced the functionality provided by CONFER.

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Delete item "n" (organizer only). STOP To return to MTS command mode (#). QUIT To end your conferencing session and to SIGN OFF.

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structure and exploited its file sharing features. According to Parnes, "I don't think I could have written CONFER anywhere but on MTS." MTS at U-M and later at

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reverse order. NOTE To create a note (private) for yourself. INDEX To see the index of items for the conference. JOIN

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CONFER was developed in the mid-1970s when University of Michigan experimental psychology graduate student Bob Parnes attended a seminar where Professor

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems. (Part - II): Human interface and the user interface

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Bulletins, notices that are displayed when a conference is entered with no responses allowed, are another less frequently used form of communication.

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems (Part - II): Human interface and the user interface

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems (Part - II): Human interface and the user interface

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems (Part - II): Human interface and the user interface

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems (Part - II): Human interface and the user interface

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As a system developed in the mid-1970s, CONFER is a text oriented, command driven system with extensive prompts and online help. It does not have a

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There is a group of computer conferencing programs whose designs were derived from CONFER which are sometimes called "WELL-style" systems, because

1973: 1729: 1498:(Fall 1994), pp. 79-96, reports results from The Bentley Historical Library Computer Conferencing Appraisal Project (NHPRC Grant No. 91-113). 1204: 1345: 280:

The following commands are supported by CONFER. Many command names and modifiers may be abbreviated using initial sub-strings of the name.

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current conference. PARTICIPANT Display participant information. PARTICIPANT ALL Display participant information. PARTICIPANT

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CONFER also provides a "meeting" mode to allow real-time discussions and includes facilities to support "simulations" as described below.

1066: 1235: 1639: 923:, 1986, describes how Richard Meisler, Lecturer in U-M's Department of English, uses CONFER to effectively teach students how to write 1576: 1722: 211:

version, known as CONFER U, was created by the University of Michigan's Information Technology Division and used at U-M and at the

1475: 1159: 1254:, Zinn, Karl L., Parnes, Robert, and Hench, Helen, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), University of Michigan, 1978: 1604: 1590: 219:(WMU). The work on CONFER U at U-M and on CONFER V at WMU was done with the encouragement of and guidance from Bob Parnes. 1221: 99:

is one of the first computer conferencing systems. Highly sophisticated for its time, it was developed in 1975 at the

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Parnes went on to form his own company — Advertel Communication Systems, Inc. — which marketed and supported CONFER.

1491: 1376: 801: 1482:, pp.1-33, Waggoner, Michael, Editor, Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA, 1992. 85: 1968: 1953: 1745: 1071:, Waggoner, Michael, Editor, Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA, 1992, p 232. 848:, 1977, Committee for Information on Science and Technology (CIDST) of the Commission of the European Communities 175:

The CONFER system continued to be a widely used communication tool until 1999. By this time, U-M, WSU, and the

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Choosing Web Conferencing Software / Centralized Forums / Examples of WELL-style Web conferencing software

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Guidelines for Effective Conferencing for Participants, ITD Reference R1045, October 1, 1989 (5 pages)

1791: 1671: 1609:, Reference 1045, Information Technology Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 1, 1989 1595:, Reference 1044, Information Technology Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 1, 1989 1581:, Reference 1043, Information Technology Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 1, 1989 1226:, Reference 1042, Information Technology Division, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 1, 1989 1087: 200: 158: 1023:

Guidelines for Effective Conferencing for Organizers, ITD Reference R1044, October 1, 1989 (8 pages)

1851: 1443: 232: 212: 120: 66: 1963: 1804: 1209:, February 1991, 236 pages, Information Technology Division, University of Michigan, PDF/A, 530KB 867:

CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems

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CHI '81 Proceedings of the joint conference on Easier and more productive use of computer systems

1776: 1771: 1766: 192: 188: 138: 100: 1836: 196: 176: 1636:, Interactive Communications & Simulations, University of Michigan-Flint and Ann Arbor. 1560: 1269:

A Meeting-related Information Exchange Facility within a computer conferencing environment

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A Meeting-related Information Exchange Facility within a computer conferencing environment

8: 1869: 961:"Uses of Electronic Communication to Document an Academic Community: A Research Report", 215:. A version for the DEC VMS operating system, known as CONFER V, was created and used at 1267: 1001:

Examples of WELL-style Web conferencing software include: Backtalk, Caucus, COW, Motet,

1661:"Learning how to confer: The interplay of theory and practice in computer conferencing" 1543:

International University Consortium Conference on WWW Course Development & Delivery

1492:"Uses of Electronic Communication to Document an Academic Community: A Research Report" 1108:

International University Consortium Conference on WWW Course Development & Delivery

1620: 1251: 872:"Computer conference and message systems: Their use in a university computer center", 1884: 1864: 1859: 1761: 1656:, 1981, in the Karl Zinn papers at UM's Bentley Historical Library, box 1, 2 folders. 1147: 1330:"Computer conference and message systems: Their use in a university computer center" 1906: 1646:, vol.1, no.2 (11 August 1986), Computing Center, University of Michigan, p. 3 1539:

Choosing Web Conferencing Software / Categorizing the Products / Centralized Forums

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Example 3: Post a new bulletin that will be shown to all members of the conference:

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via Merit and within the U.S. and internationally via Merit's interconnections to

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Learning to CONFER: The Interplay of Theory and Practice in Computer Conferencing

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Meet:Students T-shirt, c. 1986, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

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Computer Conferencing Guidelines, ITD Reference R1043, October 1, 1989 (2 pages)

879:"Is It Time for CONFER, a Computer-Based Conference for Dental Public Health?", 1819: 1546: 1527:"The History of the Student Conferencing Project at the University of Michigan" 1111: 1050:

A guide for the program CNFR:CHECK which monitors conference activity (3 pages)

940:"The Integration of Computer Conferencing into the Medical School Curriculum", 1346:"Is It Time for CONFER, a Computer-Based Conference for Dental Public Health?" 595:

Your item preparation is now complete. OK TO ENTER THIS INTO WABC:Project-X?

1947: 1927: 1889: 1874: 1526: 1444:"The Integration of Computer Conferencing into the Medical School Curriculum" 1415:, University of Michigan Computing Center, pp. 3-4, v.1, #8, 10 November 1986 828: 515:

Thank you for the invitation. I am now a member. RESPOND, FORGET, OR PASS:

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The following modifiers may be appended to the ITEM and many other commands:

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Message sent at 13:12 Nov18/90 ENTER ANOTHER RECIPIENT (or press RETURN):

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Message sent at 13:11 Nov18/90 ENTER ANOTHER RECIPIENT (or press RETURN):

141:(WSU) was a good match for CONFER because both systems were attached to the 1693: 1660: 1381:

Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer Application in Medical Care

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Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer Application in Medical Care

839:"Computer-based educational communications at the University of Michigan", 492:

Example 1: Start CONFER and view new items and enter a response to an item:

1508:"Crisscrossing Grand canyon: Bridging the gaps with computer conferencing" 1162:, e-mail between Bob Parnes and Jeff Ogden, November 2010 and January 2012 1756: 1252:"Computer-based educational communications at the University of Michigan" 1240:

ACM SIGCUE (Special Interest Group on Computer Uses In Education) Outlook

438:,... item “n” with responses “m1”, “m2”, and “m3” (a list of responses) 1683:"Computer facilitation of communication within professional communities" 1829: 1682: 800:

InfoX (pronounced “info-ex”, originally InfoDisk) is a program for the

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To change, delete, or retire response "m" of item "n". CHANGE RETIRE

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Proceedings of the 9th annual ACM SIGUCCS conference on User services

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Proceedings of the 9th annual ACM SIGUCCS conference on User services

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Several simple examples of CONFER use are shown below. Text shown as

887: 1901: 1399:, University of Michigan Computing Center, v.1, #7, 27 October 1986 1002: 994: 897: 618:

There will be a short meeting tomorrow for all members of Project-X

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Confer and MTS Help, ITD Reference R1042, October 1, 1989 (1 page)

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return to DO NEXT? STOP To return to the DO NEXT? prompt.

1809: 1172:"How did sites learn about and make the decision to use MTS: MSU" 947:"Institutional Gaming through the use of Computer Conferencing", 150: 1627:

Bob is 4th from the left in the top row (with the baseball cap).

1184:"How did sites learn about and make the decision to use MTS: HP" 1131:, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 1879: 1814: 1460:"Institutional Gaming through the use of Computer Conferencing" 154: 1150:, Information Technology Digest, May 13, 1996 (vol. 5, no. 5). 306:

To set automatic screen pauses every "n" lines. CHANGE TEXT

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below) or allow the display of photographs or other graphics.

1799: 1510:, Mary Minock and Francis Shor, Wayne State University, USA, 655:

Example 4: Transmit a private message to another participant:

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The Organizer’s Guide to Confer II (approximately 75 pages)

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Example 6: Finish the CONFER session and sign off from MTS:

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Continuing with message 2 from Jack Black DELETE OR SAVE:

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Example 5: View a private message from another participant:

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If the item list is omitted, only new items are displayed.

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The Reference Guide to Confer II (approximately 100 pages)

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An Intro Guide to Using Confer II (approximately 15 pages)

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The Beginner’s Guide to Confer II (approximately 40 pages)

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selects the items to print and takes the following forms:

207:(HP). MSU and HP both ran MTS so they could run CONFER. A 1672:"A Partial History of Computer Conferencing in Ann Arbor" 1186:, e-mail summary in the Michigan Terminal System Archive 1047:

A guide for using Confer with multiple userIDs (3 pages)

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And this is the second and last line of text in the item

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