DU-MOO is a text-based virtual university designed to accommodate as many of the functions of a real university as can be accommodated in the MOO format. A MOO is a virtual reality community at which members and visitors can meet. The campus at DU-MOO contains classrooms, public-areas, lecture halls and seminar rooms. The James Joyce Center is located in the English Department. By text-based, I mean that the MOO is entirely textual, when you enter a room you don't see a picture of the room, instead you see a textual description of the room and its contents; pay attention to those descriptions, by the way, they usually contain useful information about the room.
To log on to DU-MOO, you take your computer to a telnet prompt, or do whatever it is your system calls for to telnet, and enter the command 'moo.du.org 8888', once you have been asked if that is really what you want to do by your system you find yourself at the 'welcome mat', a screen which reads:
WELCOME TO DIVERSITY UNIVERSITY
(East Campus)
Running version 1.7.8p4 of the LambdaMOO server
address: MOO.DU.ORG (192.101.98.5) 8888
Diversity University MOO campuses are internet locations for
serious experimentation in network-based, interactive teaching,
learning and social services. Those wishing to further this
community development are welcome!
The DU administration would like to thank the many volunteers
contributing time and effort to further this vision. We would
also like to thank the Internet Multicasting Service, Embry-
riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), and the Annenberg/CPB
Project for their support in this venture.
Supporters of this project are not responsible for the content of
any material which may be found on this system.
connect guest ----- to have a look around
@who ------------- to see who is online
@quit ------------- to exit Diversity University
Once you have gotten this far you are in the system but not logged on. But you will notice at the bottom of the screen instructions for logging on as a guest, for pulling up a list of those currently logged on and for exiting the system. If you should decide to continue at this point you will be assigned a name based on a list of gemstones (such as Garnet Guest or Turquoise guest) and deposited at the Orientation Room of DU-MOO where you will probably encounter your first fellow characters in the form of a set of guests probably as confused as you are. By proceeding into the MOO however you will encounter more experienced users most of whom are friendly who will be glad to answer your questions and teach you the useful commands.
If you wish to inspect the Joyce Center or to attend Joyce meetings from this point, however, you can simply "teleport" to the Center by entering the command '@join michael <enter>'. If I am not logged on you will find my character "sleeping" in the office I have built at the center, my 'home' at DU-MOO. From my office simply type 'out <enter>' to go directly to the heart of the Joyce Center. If I am logged on when you arrive at my side, then I will be happy to help you find your way around. By the way I extend an open invitation to any interested Joycean to join me at any time, so don't be shy.