ScoutLink

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Scout Link logo

ScoutLink is a variety of internet services aimed at connecting scouts and guides worldwide in a safe environment in line with the ScoutLink moto "We Connect Scouts and Guides using Internet Services".

1 ScoutLink Services
2 Radio Jamboree
3 ScoutLink Events
4 ScoutLink Servers
5 Channels (chatrooms)
6 ScoutLink Global Council
7 ScoutLink Tech Team
8 ScoutLink off IRC
9 See also
10 External links
11 References

[edit] ScoutLink Services

ScoutLink aims to provide several safe chat environments for Scouts and Guides.

ScoutLink IRC - is a text based service in which users talk to each other by typing messages and receiving replies in real time. The IRC service has multiple channels, for different languages (such as #english) and interests (such as #youth which is for 6 to 21 year olds^[1]). This is probably the most well known about service from ScoutLink.
ScoutLink TeamSpeak - is a voice chat based service in which users talk to each other in real time using their voice. TeamSpeak is organised using the same channels as ScoutLink IRC.
ScoutLink Forums - ScoutLink has several forums on its different websites.
ScoutLink on USENET - ScoutLink has its own USENET server (news.scoutlink.net) and newsgroups on USENET. These can be found under scout.org.scoutlink
ScoutLink E-mail lists - ScoutLink has several e-mail lists such as ScoutLink community which is for all users of ScoutLink and uk-discuss which is aimed at UK users.

[edit] Radio Jamboree

Radio Jamboree, although not part of ScoutLink, is sponcered by ScoutLink Espanol^[2] and is DJed by several of the ScoutLink Espanol regulars.

In RadioJamboree we mix music and information directly to cubs, Scouts, rovers and everyone related to scouting. Directed to people and every scout in every corner of the Spanish speaking world and the news from Radio Jamboree tour the world and strive carry a profound message to the world through the scouting, disseminate the thoughts of scouting, and promoting the lifestyle outdoors. Since our foundation and first broadcast in 2005, Radio Jamboree has and will continue to be attracted to the unique scout spirit. RadioJamboree

[edit] ScoutLink Events

The main event of the year for ScoutLink is the World Scout Jamboree On The Internet (JOTI) that is held on the third weekend of October every year. During the 2004 JOTI ScoutLink broke its record and had 4630 simultaneous connections to the network.

ScoutLink is also the host of World Thinking Day chats in which the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts get together, rather like a mini-JOTI, and celebrate their Founders, Baden-Powell and his wife Lady Baden-Powell.

For the past two years ScoutLink has also been the major host of the Asia Pacific Internet Jamboree (API-JAM) which is held during August each year and is organised by a different National Scout Association of the Asia Pacific Region each time - Australia played host in 2005, Japan in 2006.

During the European Jamboree, Eurojam, organised by the European Regional Office of the World Scout Bureau, ScoutLink had specific channels dedicated for the participants of Eurojam.

Several of the ScoutLink Regions hold IRC Camps. This is where regular ScoutLink users gather together for a camp, to meet each other in real life (IRL) and to catch up on the gossip since the last IRC Camp. The camps that are held regularly are:

OZANZ - Originally conceived in 1998 by Stx (the then CC Australia) and Sez & Tely (the then joint CCs New Zealand) - This camp is organised is by members of the OZANZ region - Australia, Asia & New Zealand. The camp has no set schedule of occurrence. It is held whenever someone is prepared to organise it and there is enough interest. OZANZ has been held in locations in Australia and New Zealand.
- 1998 Melbourne, Australia
- 1999 Clevedon, New Zealand
- 2000 Perth, Australia
- 2002 Sydney, Australia
- 2004 Adelaide, Australia (held as a meeting at the 20th Australian Jamboree)
- 2005 Alice Springs, Australia
- 2007 ScoutLink@AJ2007, Australia

See the ScoutLink Australia OZANZ page for further information.

NorthAm - Originally organised by Bobwhite, USA and Rikki, Canada, Now organised by Eeyore, Canada. This camp, as the name may suggest, is held for ScoutLink users from the North American Continent and usually alternates between the USA and Canada.
- 1997 Ontario, Canada
- 1998 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- 1999 Canada
- 2000 USA
- 2001 Sombra, Ontario, Canada
- 2002 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- 2006 Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
- 2007 Sombra, Ontario, Canada
- 2008 Niagra Falls, Ontario, Canada
- 2009 TBA
- 2010 Chilliwack, British Coloumbia, Canada or Escalante, Utah, USA
- 2011 TBA
- 2012 TBA

See the NorthAm website for further information.

European Region - The European Region of ScoutLink holds a camp at Easter, in a different country every year.
- 2000 - United Kingdom - IRC-UK
- 2001 - United Kingdom - IRC-UK
- 2002 - the Netherlands - IRCNL
- 2003 - Denmark - IRCScand
- 2004 - Wales, UK - IRCymru
- 2005 - the Netherlands - IRCNL
- 2006 - Belgium - IRCBE
- 2007 - Republic of Ireland - IRC-IE
- 2008 - Germany - IRCDE
- 2009 - Switzerland - IRC-Steg / IRC-CH / IRCH ?
- 2010 - Finland - IRC-FI

The ScoutLink United Kingdom Team also organise a New Years Bash (NYB) in which users from all over Europe gather together in the UK (usually a different location each time) and celebrate the New Year together.

Online Events

As well as organising real life events, ScoutLink also organises many online events.

- TeamSpeak Night - An evening once a week where users are encouraged to use the TeamSpeak side of ScoutLink.^[3]
- SLOPE - A event, announced on 1st April 2008, in which users of ScoutLink are being asked to "produce the most extreme, coolest, most intriguing, or overall most bestest picture involving ScoutLink".^[4]

[edit] ScoutLink Servers

ScoutLink IRC - connect to chat.scoutlink.net with your IRC Client on port 6666 or 6667. This will connect you to a random IRC Server.
ScoutLink IRC with SSL - this is currently in testing however you can connect to either dk01.scoutlink.net, it01.scoutlink.net, ca01.scoutlink.net or au02.scoutlink.net on port 6668 if you wish to use SSL.^[5]
ScoutLink TeamSpeak - the TeamSpeak 2 server is teamspeak.scoutlink.net^[6]
ScoutLink on USENET - the ScoutLink News Server is news.scoutlink.net

[edit] Channels (chatrooms)

Each channel (IRC term for chatroom) on ScoutLink has a different purpose. Users are asked to join the appropriate one for their uses.

English language channels^[7]:

#English – primary English language channel.
#irc_help – Come here if you have a problem using your IRC client or with the ScoutLink network.
#leaders – Used by adult leaders in scouting.
#trefoil – This channel is for the Guides and Girl Scouts to chat with each other.
#youth – Anyone aged under 21 may chat together in this channel.
#venture – Anyone of Venture Scout age (14 - 18 years) may chat in this channel.
#collectors – The only place on ScoutLink for trading scout memorabilia.
#test – The place to test scripts and popups, which you aren't allowed to test in other Channels.
#openscout – An openscout chatroom.

Other language rooms are #<name of language>, for example #espanol or #Dutch.

To get a full list of available channels on ScoutLink in your IRC Client type: /list

[edit] ScoutLink Global Council

The ScoutLink Global Council, simply known as the Council, is the ultimate decision-making body of the ScoutLink IRC Network. The Council consists of all the CCs and RCs elected to represent the users of various countries and regions worldwide, the TechTeam Co-ordinator, Network Co-ordinator, other Specialist Co-ordinators and their deputies and is responsible for the overall management of the network.

The Council is headed by a Chairperson and supported by a Secretary who are elected by rotation of the Council membership every twelve months. The Council meets on a monthly basis to discuss the various issues that may arise. This can be anything from the opening or closing of channels to large JOTI-related issues. It is their job to make decisions in the best interests of all users of the network.

[edit] ScoutLink Tech Team

The ScoutLink Tech Team (TT) comprises a number of technical minded persons, led by the Tech Team Co-ordinator (TTC), who are responsible for the technical upkeep of the network.

The ScoutLink TT is responsible for:

ScoutLink IRCd coding and bugfixes, as per Council requirements.
Maintaining and managing DNS, Email and other servers.
Adding/Removing IRC Operator rights.

Membership of the ScoutLink TT is by invitation only after discussion of current members of the team.

[edit] ScoutLink off IRC

As well as the parts of ScoutLink that are on TechTeam managed servers ScoutLink has started appearing on other services such as social networking websites. ScoutLink Global Youth in perticular is doing this which has groups on bebo, Facebook, MySpace and Scouting4Peace