NOTICE: Web access to our chat meetings has changed a little

We have a new web widget, similar to the old one but with a few differences. It's main difference is, it's working.

Go straight there

You can also get in to meetings by using a phone app or IRC program such as mIRC (for Windows) or Textual (for Mac) on your computer. These programs give you more options.

Meetings

Being a virtual intergroup, all our OA meetings are online. You can choose for yourself whether you prefer to attend real-time chat or email meetings. Some people like both and others prefer one type. You might like to try both to see which appeals to you more or of course you can do both.

Email meetings

Email meetings on a smartphone

If you like connecting via email. you might enjoy our email meetings (OA called these "non-real-time meetings" or "NRT meetings"). In email (NRT) meetings, you can share much the same as in any other kind of OA meeting, but you get to write your own shares and read other people's shares when it suits you rather than having to attend at a specific time or place. The group often has a leader who will set a topic for the day to get people thinking, but you can generally share on whatever you need to for your own recovery.

We use Google Groups for our email groups. The easiest way to sign up is by using your Google account. Visit the links below and click the button or link that says "Ask to join group" or "Contact owners and managers". Don't be put off by the "You don't have permission" notice. That's just a Google default message if you aren't already subscribed. If you don't have a Google account (Gmail or any other Google service) you can still join. but you won't be able to see previous posts and you won't be able to change your account settigs yourself. More about this later.

We currently have three active email (NRT) meetings:

For those who TRULY don't have a Google account of any sort (e.g. Gmail) and can't cope with getting one even though they are free, you can email our NRT-Support person and ask to be added manually. Please don't do this unless you really, really can't get a Google account.

Real-time chat meetings

Taking part in a text-chat meeting

These meetings are great for people who like to meet at a specific time and have the feeling of being with a group of people but like the anonymity of using text. You can log in with a nickname and share only as much about yourself as you feel comfortable with. Unlike face-to-face meetings and video meetings, in text chat meetings no one knows whether you've brushed your hair or even got out of your PJs yet.

To join a meeting, click the 'chat now' link or scroll down the page to the black box. When it's loaded, there is a Connect button. You can type in a nickname in the white space, and then click the Connect button. The black part turns white and some text will fly past fairly quickly. When you can see at least one name in the right hand column, you're in and ready to chat. Type in the white space at the bottom of the chat window and hit the Enter/Return key on your keyboard. Everyone connected will see what you typed.

Using the chat widget (below)

  1. Wait for the chat widget to load. It usually only takes 10 seconds.
  2. A black area will appear with a white box where you type in your nickname. If you want to stay anonymous, leave the default nick 'Steps8390' or whatever and just click 'Connect'.
  3. If you have already registered your nickname at GeekShed, click 'I have a password'. A box will appear to type your password into.
  4. Click the 'Connect' button. The screen will go black for maybe 30 seconds. Then the chat room will open.

Scroll down for FAQs about chat meetings

Open chat in a new tab. This overcomes the issue of the text entry area disappearing off the bottom of the screen.

Our 10:30 am meeting is struggling! Please make an effort to get there and support this meeting.

FAQs for our chat meetings on GeekShed

    1. In the above black area on the left under 'Nick', type the name you want to use, or just leave the default name there if you want to be more anonymous. The default is 'Steps' and a number.
    2. If you have already registered your username at Geekshed, check 'I have a password'. A space for your password will open. Type it in there.
    3. Click the 'Start' button. The screen will go black for maybe 30 seconds. Be patient!
    4. The chat room will appear with the name of our chatroom at the top. Depending on how big your screen is, it may show only the area with the chat messages, or it may also show a navigation bar on the left (a black panel with 'GeekShed' and 'CHANNELS') and on the right a list of people who are in the room.
    5. It's a good idea to read the messages on the screen when you log in. They tell you how to register if you want to, and how to enable unregistered people to priveate message (PM) to you.

    1. Log in with the username you want to register.
    2. Type:      /ns register PASSWORD EMAIL       (Replace PASSWORD and EMAIL with your own password and email. Passwords must be at least five characters long.)
    3. The system will send a confirmation email to the email address you gave. Copy and paste the conformation message from the email into the chat room. It will look something like this:       /msg NickServ confirm Pklej5WP9      NOTE: Make sure there are no spaces before the /msg or your text will be sent as spoken words in the chat room instead of as a command to the system.
    4. Once you are registered, each time you connect you will need to enter your password. If you forget to do that on the login page, you get one minute to enter your password before the system changes your name to Unidentified2345. To enter your password once you are connected, type:       /ns id PASSWORD       (substitute in your actual password.)

    It's highly recommended that you do register your username. That said, if you don't want to register, you can still attend and participate in meetings without a registered username. However, you may not receive private messages (PMs) from anxious newbies or friends who haven't logged in with a registered name.

    It may work putting your password in on the login screen. Click the 'I have a password' box and a space will appear. However, this sometimes doesn't work. In this case, once you are logged in, type:
    /ns id PASSWORD
    substituting in your actual password. If your username changes to 'Unidentified1234' this means the system didn't get your password within the first minute.

    1. Once you are logged in, click the cog icon at top LEFT (not the right one).
    2. In the 'Theme' dropdown menu, choose a different option instead of 'Dark' (e.g. 'Sky'). Once you make a different choice, the interface will refresh with the new colour scheme.
    3. Click 'Close' in the top right corner.
    Setting the chat widget theme

    1. Open mIRC.
    2. In the mIRC Options popup window (the one with the 'Connect' button), click the Server dropdown menu.
    3. Find GeekShed in the dropdown menu and select it.
    4. Click the 'Connect' button.
    5. When it connects it will open the mIRC Favorites window. Click the ADD button.
    6. Type #12steps4coes in the Channel space, then click OK.
    7. Select #12steps4coes in the Favorites list, then click the Join button.

    If you are using some other app to connect to GeekShed, you will need the following info:

    • Network name: GeekShed
    • Server: irc.geekshed.net
    • Port: 6697
    • Channel: #12steps4coes

    On GeekShed, anyone using an UNregistered username will be unable to private message other users unless the other users have specifically enabled this.

    To deal with this, when you connect, type       /umode2 -R       (That will enable unregistered people to PM you. It doesn't mean you can necessarily PM everyone else.)

    GeekShed is medium sized, a volunteer-operated charity, and is "family friendly", so we are less likely to be bothered by inappropriate activities and names. They have a good crew of (volunteer) admins who staff the #help service most times of the day.

    The change happened at midnight on Saturday night 24 August. All our meetings are now in our new room on GeekShed.

    I put my hand in yours and together we can do what we could never do alone