3/31/2004 07:19:00 AM

mamamusings: confessions of a backchannel queen

I don't spend a lot of time in IRC when I'm home or at work, but when I travel it becomes a wonderful "home away from home" for me. A place that provides familiarity in new settings, and friendly voices when I'm feeling isolated.

At SXSW this year there was a whole sub-culture of IRC participants who would use the backchannel as a means of commenting on the presentation underway as well as asking and answering questions to others on the channel--generally connecting the audience in a manner not unlike passing notes in elementary school. Except, unlike in school, one could pass notes to everyone signed onto the channel not simply to individuals.

When churches are wifi-enabled this is an interesting potential outcome. While blogging a sermon or conference is akin to reporting or commentary and fact checking such events is research--sitting in the backchannel is silent, real-time interaction by those without the microphone.